mythical dilemmas

It is not us mere mortals alone who have to deal with awful dilemmas at the workplace and in our families. The gods have to do the same and our myths are full of the ingenious ways in which these dilemmas are resolved.

One instance is in the Ramayana, when Ram is asked to attack Taraka Rakshashi (yakshi). He is distraught. He appeals to Viswamitra, who had left behind a sobbing Dasarath in Ayodhya for the specific purpose of getting rid of Taraka. Now Ram’s dilemma had to be addressed if he had to get the work done.

Ram asked him: How can I attack a female? Would that not be the ultimate sin?

Viswamitra tells him that Ram is merely following the natural order of things. It is sin to fight a woman, but under extreme circumstances as this one was, it can be justified. And since he is an avatar who walks the earth to rid mankind of its problems and sins, he and not anybody else, can take this on.

He goes on to tell him the story of Taraka’s birth and curse that convinced Ram that the need of the hour was to kill the yakshi.

Taraka, Viswamitra says, was the result of a boon and a curse.

The boon: Taraka’s father was Suketu,a formidable yaksha but very devout. He prayed for a child and was granted a boon by Bramha. Bramha granted him the boon of a daughter who was beautiful and had the strength of a 1000 elephants. But Bramha did not grant him a son because he believed that a yaksha would be more harmful to the world than a yakshi.
Taraka grew up and married Sunda, son of Jambha. Soon she had a son and he was named Mareecha. (This is the same Mareecha who disguised as a golden deer would trigger off the battle; also Ravana’s uncle and thus in a manner typical to our mythology, Taraka, Mareecha and Ravana get looped in a circle of relationships).

The curse: Agastya, a sage was angered by Sunda (Taraka’s husband) and he turned him to dust. Enraged, Taraka rushed at him to end his life and Agastya cursed her saying that she would lose her beauty and her form and exist as a monstrous yakshi for ever after. And her son Mareecha would become a demon (I assume a lesser yaksha). Taraka retired to the forest and began harassing the rishis and destroying the birds and animals that had earlier lived in peace.

Viswamitra explained to Rama that he was justified in killing Taraka because if he did not do that, she would destroy faith, belief and life on this universe.