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News India Live, Digital Desk: The stories of Ramayana are not just religious tales, but lessons for living. One such story is of Tadka. People often think of Taadka as just a terrifying demon, but did you know that she wasn’t always like that? There is a deep and emotional story hidden behind it.
Who was Tadka? (Journey before the curse)
You might be surprised to know that Tadka was not a demon by birth, but a very powerful ‘Yakshini’. She was the daughter of a Yaksha named Suketu. Tadka had a force of one thousand elephants. He was married to ‘Sunda’ and had two sons—Marich and Subahu.
However, there came a time when Maharishi Agastya, unhappy with his arrogance and mischief, cursed him and his family. Due to this curse, she transformed from a beautiful Yakshini to a hideous and flesh-eating demon. Her hideout became Dandakaranya (also known as Tadka forest), wherever anyone passed by, she would kill and eat him.
Arrival of Rishi Vishwamitra and resolution of Shri Ram
Taadaka and his sons often disrupted the yagyas of the great sage Vishwamitra. The sage knew that its solution would not be simple. Then he went to King Dasharatha of Ayodhya and requested to take Ram-Lakshman with him. Lord Ram was a teenager at that time, but Vishwamitra knew that the beginning of the end of the demons would be at his hands.
Shri Ram’s hesitation: Is it appropriate to shoot arrows at a woman?
When Shri Ram and Lakshman reached Tadka’s forest, Tadka attacked with all his might. Stones started raining and dust storm started blowing. But Lord Ram had a big question in his mind. He knew the limits of religion, he had hesitation in his mind whether killing a ‘woman’ is according to the scriptures?
Then Maharishi Vishwamitra taught him a big lesson of life. He said, “O Ram! When someone becomes an enemy of the society and religion and starts killing innocents, then the duty of the king and protector is only to save the people. There the difference between man or woman becomes secondary.”
End of unrighteousness and bravery of Ram
On receiving Guru’s permission, Shri Ram bent his bow and killed Tadka with a single arrow. With the end of Tadka, the silence and fear of the forest ended. The gods also showered flowers from heaven, as this was the first step of the Lord towards freeing the world from demons.
What do we get to learn from this story?
The story of Tadka Vadh tells us that no matter how powerful evil is, it cannot last long in front of truth. Besides, this incident also shows the character of Shri Ram that he used his power only under compulsion and for public welfare.