Viswamitra and the two princes spent the night on the bank of river Sarayu. Before retiring Viswaamitra initiated the princes in two secret mantras Bala and atibala, which had the virtue of guarding them from fatigue and harm. They slept on the verdant. bank that night and rising at dawn proceeded on their journey. They reached Kaamaashrama in Anga Desa. After presenting the princes to the rishis there, Viswaamitra recounted to them the history of the aashrama.

"This," he said, "is the, place where the Lord Siva was long engaged in austerities. It was here that the foolish god of love Manmatha aimed his arrow at Siva and was turned to ashes by his wrath. Hence this place is known as Kaamaashrama."

They were the guests of the rishis that night, and the following morning, after performing the usual rites, the sage and his pupils set out on their journey and reached the Ganga. They crossed the river on a raft got ready for them by the rishis.

In midstream, the princes heard a noise and asked Viswaamitra what it could be. He explained to them that it was the sound of the Sarayu flowing into the Ganga. The princes paid silent homage to the confluence of the two holy rivers.

A river or a hill, a tree or a cloud-indeed any object of beauty may raise one to contemplation of the Supreme Being and silent worship of Him. In particular, sacred rivers, temples or images, which have for generations been the objects of devotion and worship, possess this power in a special degree, in virtue of the sacred thought they have witnessed and absorbed as garments retain perfumes.

Having crossed the Ganga, Viswaamitra and the princes made their difficult way through a dense forest made dreadful by the reverberating roar of wild beasts.

"This," Viswaamitra said, "is the Dandaka forest. What is how a terrible forest was once a Well-peopled country. Once upon a time, Indra was contaminated by sin, having killed Vritra, and had therefore to exile himself from the world of the Devas. The Devas set to themselves the task of cleansing Indra. They brought waters from the sacred rivers and bathed him to the accompaniment of mantras. The waters which cleansed Indra flowed into the ground and enriched the earth and the land became tremendously fertile."

All dead things-rotting corpse or stinking garbage-when returned to the earth are transformed into things of beauty such as fruits and flowers and the wholesome things that nourish life. Such is the alchemy of Mother Earth.

Viswaamitra continued: "For long people lived here happily till Taataka (wife of Sunda, a Yaksha) and her son Maareecha wrought havoc and changed this into the dreadful wilderness it now is. They are still in this forest. And none dare enter it for fear of Taataka. She is equal in strength to a score of elephants. I have brought you here to rid the forest of this great enemy. There is no doubt that this monster, who is a source of trouble to the rishis, will be destroyed by you."

Raama, who listened to this, asked the sage: "You say she is a Yaksha. I have never heard that Yakshas are particularly strong. What is more, how dues a woman happen to possess so much strength?"

Viswaamitra replied: "You are asking a very pertinent question. Her strength comes from a boon granted by Brahma. There lived a Yaksha by name Suketu. Having no progeny he performed tapas and won a boon from Brahma thus: 'You will have a beautiful daughter of great strength of body, but you will have no son.' Suketu's daughter, Taataka, beautiful and strong, was married to Sunda, a Yaksha, and their child is Maareecha.

"Sunda at one time incurred Sage Agastya's curse and died. Provoked by this, Taataka and Maareecha pounced on Agastya who cursed them to be monsters living on the carcases of men. So Taataka is now an ugly monster.

"Thenceforward, she and Maareecha have been harassing the dwellers in this region of Agastya. Do not hesitate to destroy her on the ground that it is against Kshatriya dharma to kill a woman. Her atrocities are intolerable. To punish the wicked, whether male or female, is the duty of kings. It is right to kill her, as to kill a wild animal for the sake of human safety. This is a duty cast on rulers. Many women have been punished with death for their crimes. Hence do not hesitate."

Raama said to Viswaamitra: "Our father's behest is that we should obey you without question. Bidden by you and for the general welfare, we shall kill Taataka."

So saying, he strung his bow and twanged it till the forest echoed to its shrill note and the wild animals scattered in all directions in terror. It reached Taataka in her fastness, filling her with amazement at the audacious intruder who dared enter her domain. Raging with anger, she ran in the direction whence the sound came and sprang on Raama. The battle began.

The prince at first thought of cutting off the limbs of the monster and sparing her life. But Taataka attacked fiercely and, rising in the sky, she rained stones on Raama and Lakshmana. The two princes defended themselves against the attack. The fight continued and Viswaamitra cautioned Raama against delay in dealing the deathblow to the monster.

"She deserves no sympathy," he said. "The sun is about to set and remember that at night Raakshasas grow stronger. Do not delay to slay her."

Thus advised, Raama decided on killing Taataka and pierced her chest with a deadly arrow and the huge, ugly monster fell down, lifeless.

The Devas cheered, and Viswaamitra, filled with joy, embraced Raama and blessed him.

With Taataka's end, the forest was freed from the curse and became beautiful to see. The princes spent the night there and next morning they proceeded to Viswaamitra's aashrama.

At dawn the next day, Viswaamitra called Raama to his side and blessing him said: "I am very happy indeed. What is it that I can do in return for all that you have done? I shall teach you the use of all the astras."

So saying, Viswaamitra gave Raamachandra the divine astras, which he had obtained through his tapas. Viswaamitra taught Raama the use, control and recall of the various divine weapons and Raama in his turn imparted the knowledge to Lakshmana.

As they continued the journey, Raama pointed to a big hill with a lovely forest on its slopes and asked: "Is that the place whereto we have to go? And who are, the evil ones who hinder your yaaga? And what should I do to destroy them?"

Raamachandra was eager to fight and win the blessings of the sage.

"That is the place we are going to," replied Viswaamitra. "There the Lord Naaraayana performed tapas and it was there that he was born as Vaamana. It goes by the name of Siddhaashrama.

"Mahaabali, son of Virochana and grandson of Prahlaada the good Asura, was such a powerful ruler that of him even the Devas were afraid. Mahaabali had by his deeds acquired the power of Indra himself.

"Kashyapa and his spouse Aditi, of whom all the gods were off-springs, prayed to Vishnu and begged Him to be born as their son and protect Indra and the Devas from Mahaabali. In answer to the prayers, Vishnu was born of Aditi as Vaamana.

"Vaamana in the form of a young student went to the yaaga that was being performed by Mahabali and whereto all were welcome, to ask for and receive anything they wanted. When Vaamana presented himself as a suitor, Mahaabali's guru, Sukra -the preceptor of all the Asuras-knew who he really was and warned Mahaabali against promising to grant the young Braahmana his request-that indeed he was the Lord Hari in disguise come to undo him.

"Mahaabali did not pay heed to this. It was his wont never to turn down a request. Besides, he was at heart a devotee of the Lord, and felt that he would indeed be blessed if the Lord should deign to accept a gift from him. With a smile, Mahaabali bade him ask for what he pleased without hesitation. 'All I have is at your disposal, money, jewels, the wide earth and all it inherits.'

"Vaamana answered that wealth was of no use to him, and all he begged for was three paces of ground, as paced by him.

"The monarch smiled as he looked at the diminutive, brahmachaari's legs and said, 'So be it; pace and take it.'

"The little Bachelor suddenly grew in size into Trivikrama and with one step measured the earth and with another the entire heavens. And there being no room left for the third step that had been granted, he set his foot on Mahaabali's devoted head. In, the eyes of God, the head of a bhakta is as wide as the earth or the heavens. And Mahaabali, whose head was blessed by the touch of Naaraayana's foot, became one of the seven immortals of the world."

After narrating the story of Mahaabali, Viswaamitra added, "This is where at first Naaraayana and later Kashyapa performed' tapas, resulting in the incarnation of God as Vaamana. In this holy place I live. And here the Raakshasas come and obstruct our worship and our austerities. Your coming here is to end this evil, "So be it," said Raama,

The arrival of Viswaamitra and the two princes was a signal for rejoicing at the aashrama; the rishis offered water and fruits according to custom. Raama told Viswaamitra that he might begin the preparations for his yaaga immediately and Viswaamitra took the vows that very night.

Getting up very early the next morning, the princes went to Viswaamitra and asked when the Raakshasas were expected so that they might hold themselves in readiness to receive them.

Viswaamitra was under a vow of silence, and could not answer, but the rishis, his juniors, told the princes that they should be ceaselessly vigilant for six nights and days to safeguard the sacrifice.

The princes, fully armed, kept vigil for six days and nights. On the morning of the sixth day Raama told Lakshmana: "Brother, now is the time for the enemies to come. Let us be Wary."

Even as he was saying this, flames shot up from the sacrificial fire, for Agni, the God of Fire, knew that the Raakshasas had arrived. As the rites were being performed, there was heard from the sky a great roar.

Raama looked up and saw Maareecha and Subaahu and their followers preparing to shower unclean things on the sacrificial fire. The army of Raakshasas covered the sky like a great black cloud.

Raama said, "Look Lakshmana," and let go the Maanavaastra at Maareecha. As was intended, it did not kill Maareecha, but wrapping him up in resistless force hurled him a full hundred yojanas near the sea.

With the Aagneyaastra Raama killed Subaahu; and then the two princes utterly destroyed the entire arm of Raakshasas.

The sky was bright again.

Viswaamitra was supremely happy at the completion of his yaaga. "I am grateful to King Dasaratha," he said. "You have fulfilled the promise, princes. I admire your fortitude. This aashrama has through you become again a scene of success, Siddhaashrama." ('Siddha' means success).

The next day, Raama and Lakshmana, after their morning prayers, went to Viswaamitra and asked for further orders.

The purpose of Raama's birth was not unknown to Sage Viswaamitra. And he knew too the powers of the weapons he had given to Raama. Still the actual fact when experienced is something more than expectation. Sage Viswaamitra was happy beyond words, and his face glowed like a flame. He then thought of the service that he still had to do for Raama. This was the prince's marriage with Seeta.

The rishis assembled there said to Raama: "We intend proceeding to the kingdom of Videha where, in the capital city of Mithila, Janaka, the illustrious philosopher king, intends to perform a great sacrifice.

"All of us are going there and it will be good if you and the prince, your brother, accompany us. It is meet and proper that the Prince of Ayodhya should see the marvellous bow in the court of Janaka."

So it was decided, and Raama and Lakshmana went with Viswaamitra to Janaka's city.