After killing Taraka, sage Vishwamitra taught a unique skill to the princes that would enable them not to feel hunger and thirst in the forest for a long time. Thus, five days passed peacefully. But on the morning of the sixth day, while the sages were performing their yagya and Rama and Laxman were guarding them, a thunderous roar was heard. All looked up to see an approaching army of demons clouding the skies. They were Mareech and Subahu with the other demons who had come to take the revenge of their mother’s death. Rama at once released an arrow that struck Mareech, who fell eight hundred miles away, even beyond the sea-shore. Next, the prince battled with Subahu with an arrow whom he killed immediately. The two brothers then easily defeated the rest of the army. All the sages got rid of their fear, after Rama had killed the demons. Then the whole contingent of sages sang the praises of the brothers. In their devotion, the sages narrated the stories from the puraanas to the two brothers, not comprehending that Rama himself was the fountain of all knowledge.
MAREECH AND SUBAHU
