At daybreak having performed the morning rituals Rama and Lakshmana arrived on the banks of Ganga preceded by Visvamithra. The noble hermits of the Kama hermitage procured a boat for their honored guests, wished them a safe journey and bade them farewell with their blessings. Paying respectful homage to the pious hosts Visvamitra along with the young Ikshvakus crossed the gushing Ganga.
As the boat reached mid-stream, Rama and Lakshmana heard a deafening noise and when Rama asked Visvamitra about it, he said, "In the mind of Brahma was born a vision, which manifested itself on mount Kailas as a lake. It was conceived in the intellect of Brahma it came to be known as Manasa sarovar. The river Sarayu flows from Manasa and the great noise that you hear emanates from the turbulence of its waters. The roar of the bounding flow reaches a crescendo when its waters clash with those of the Ganga, at the confluence of the two mighty rivers. Do pay homage to these two holy rivers". Rama and Lakshmana did so and then reached the southern bank of the river. Marching forward at a brisk pace they soon came upon the most fearsome of forests. Trackless and dense it showed no signs of any human having ever ventured into it. Filled with beasts and birds of prey swarming with insects shrill with the incessant call of crickets and the shrieking of vultures, the forest was a cacophony of multitude sounds. The wooded canopy thick and dark was made up of Bilva, Asvakarna, Kabuka, Tinduka and Patella under which lions, tigers, boars and elephants roamed.
"What forbidding forest is this?" Asked Rama and Visvamitra said, "Long ago this land flourished as Malada and Karasu. Abounding in wealth and grain it was built by divine beings. At that period of time Indra killed Vritrasura. Doomed and overpowered by the sin of slaying a Brahmin, Indra was cursed with impurity and endless hunger. Taking pity on his plight, the devas aided by the spiritual and ascetic powers of heavenly sages cleansed him of that transgression. The impurity and taint shed by Indra was deposited at this spot. Purified and freed of his monstrous hunger Indra bestowed a wonderful boon on the land for having absorbed his taint to absolve him of his sin. By the power of the boon Malada and Karusa became flourishing cities of great renown. As the years went they became increasingly prosperous. Blessed with riches and plentiful grain, there was no dearth of anything in the land. Several years later a yakshni called Tataka arrived upon that affluence in the form of fear and destruction. With the strength of a thousand elephants and capable of taking any form at will the ignoble Tataka was the wife of an intelligent yaksha by name Sunda. Her son Maricha was gigantic and his powers matched to those of Indra. The wicked mother and the son struck terror and wrought havoc on Malada and Karusa. It is here that the yakshini dwells, infesting the forest and obstructing free passage. None can traverse it as she hungers for human flesh. Repulsive, unconquerable and revolting of form, she strikes fear in the hearts of all living beings and also reigns supreme rendering in this region devoid of all human life. O! Rama, slay Tataka with the might of your arms and rid the forest of her diabolic presence. Freed of evil, the land will once again become habitable".
"What forbidding forest is this?" Asked Rama and Visvamitra said, "Long ago this land flourished as Malada and Karasu. Abounding in wealth and grain it was built by divine beings. At that period of time Indra killed Vritrasura. Doomed and overpowered by the sin of slaying a Brahmin, Indra was cursed with impurity and endless hunger. Taking pity on his plight, the devas aided by the spiritual and ascetic powers of heavenly sages cleansed him of that transgression. The impurity and taint shed by Indra was deposited at this spot. Purified and freed of his monstrous hunger Indra bestowed a wonderful boon on the land for having absorbed his taint to absolve him of his sin. By the power of the boon Malada and Karusa became flourishing cities of great renown. As the years went they became increasingly prosperous. Blessed with riches and plentiful grain, there was no dearth of anything in the land. Several years later a yakshni called Tataka arrived upon that affluence in the form of fear and destruction. With the strength of a thousand elephants and capable of taking any form at will the ignoble Tataka was the wife of an intelligent yaksha by name Sunda. Her son Maricha was gigantic and his powers matched to those of Indra. The wicked mother and the son struck terror and wrought havoc on Malada and Karusa. It is here that the yakshini dwells, infesting the forest and obstructing free passage. None can traverse it as she hungers for human flesh. Repulsive, unconquerable and revolting of form, she strikes fear in the hearts of all living beings and also reigns supreme rendering in this region devoid of all human life. O! Rama, slay Tataka with the might of your arms and rid the forest of her diabolic presence. Freed of evil, the land will once again become habitable".