请输入您要查询的百科知识:

 

词条 Tataka
释义

  1. Legend

  2. External links

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}{{Use Indian English|date=May 2016}}{{Infobox character
| image = Taraka Ramayana.jpg
| alt = Tadaka
| caption = Rama Killing Demon Tataka
| family = Suketu (Father)
| spouse = Sumali
| children = Maricha, Subahu, Kaikesi (Ravana's mother
}}

Tatakā or Taraka (ताड़का Tāṛakā) or Tadaka or Thataka was a Yaksha princess-turned-demoness in the epic Ramayana. Her father Suketu, a yaksha king performed tapasya (Principle and practice of physical and spiritual austerity and discipline to achieve a particular aim) for an offspring. Suketu had desired a son, but Lord Brahma blessed him with a strong and beautiful daughter. She was a beautiful princess that was wooed by and married Sunda, an Asura King. She had two sons Maricha and Subahu and a daughter Kalikesi, who was the mother of Ravana

Legend

{{Unsourced section|date=February 2017}}

When Rishi Agastya cursed Sunda to death, Tadaka took it upon herself (with her son, Subahu's, aid) to wreak vengeance on the sage. This earned them both the Rishi's anger. Agastya cursed Tadaka with the loss of her beautiful physique, and transformed both mother and son into hideous demonic creatures with a cruel, cannibalistic nature (Rakshasas). The curse particularly transformed Tataka into a man-eater with an ugly and fierce figure. After being cursed by Agastya, Tataka started living in a place near the habitations of Malaja and Karusha in a forest near the River Ganga opposite the confluence of the River Sarayu. The area came to be known as the Forest of Tataka. She terrorized the people, devouring anyone who dared to set foot in that forest.

As revenge, Tadaka and Subahu attempted to harass as many rishis as they could, by destroying their Yagnas with rains of flesh and blood. Brahmarishi Vishwamitra was especially at the receiving end of Tadaka's harassment. Unable to cope with her mischief any longer, Vishwamitra finally approached Dasaratha, the King of Kosala, for help. The King obliged by sending two of his four sons, the 16-yr-olds, Rama and Lakshmana, to the forest, charging them to protect both Vishwamitra and his Yagna.

Vishwamitra and the two princes came to Tataka's forest and the sage ordered Rama to kill the demoness to free the area from her terror. Rama was hesitant to kill her as she was a woman and initially maimed her, chopping off her hands so that she could not attack him further. Using her demonic powers, she changed form, disappeared and continued to attack them whilst remaining unseen. Sage Vishwamitra advised Rama, that as a prince, he had to carry out his duty regardless of his own personal reservations about killing a woman. Rama swiftly pierced her heart with his arrows. This act gained the young princes the blessings of not just Vishwamitra but also the blessings of all of the assembled sages in the yagnashala.

It is believed that Tadagaka was killed in this location and there is a temple remembering her 10°29'51.7"N 77°02'59.9"E


External links

  • Taraka (Thataka)
{{Ramayana}}

1 : Rakshasa in the Ramayana

随便看

 

开放百科全书收录14589846条英语、德语、日语等多语种百科知识,基本涵盖了大多数领域的百科知识,是一部内容自由、开放的电子版国际百科全书。

 

Copyright © 2023 OENC.NET All Rights Reserved
京ICP备2021023879号 更新时间:2024/9/22 20:22:22