SAGE VISHWAMITRA’S PLEA

One day, Sage Vishwamitra came to meet King Dashratha. King Dashratha alighted from his throne and rushed to the palace gates to receive the great sage. After welcoming him respectfully, Dashratha said, “O great sage, I am honoured and blessed by your presence. You have traveled such a long distance to meet me. Is there any problem? How may I help you?”
Sage Vishwamitra said, “King of Ayodhya, I am here to seek your aid. Please send your eldest and most valiant son Rama with me. I know he can fight the demons that have been disrupting my Yagnas. I know with his valour and courage, he can kill those demons that have been troubling me for so long. They are Mareecha and Subahu.”
When King Dasahratha heard Sage Vishwamitra’s words, his heart sank for he knew that his son was too young to face such strong and fierce demons. Moreover, he could not dream of parting from Rama even for a single day. So he said, “O great sage, my son Rama is too young to fight such cruel demons. Please let my strong army to fight them in person.”
Sage Vishwamitra said, “Your son Rama is the bravest and the wisest of all. Only he can defect them. Do not hesitate in sending him with me. It will be a good test for him.” “Please do not hesitate,” Sage Vishwamitra advised King Dashratha. “Let Rama go with Vishwamitra. He will soon return Ayodhya after killing those demons.”
On Sage Vashwamitra’s assurance, King Dashratha relented with a heavy heart. Rama and Lakshmana were asked to accompany Sage Vishwamitra to the Dandaka forest.
The next day, Rama and Lakshmana went with sage Vishwamitra. They crossed the river Gangas and after a while eerie sound of animals and other strange sounds. Sage Vishwamitra warned Raman ad Lakshmana saying, “Be careful sons. This part of the forest is the abode of the evil demoness, Tadaka. She hears any movement in the forest and goes on to attack the creature. Her strength equals that of a thousand elephants. You must kill her, so that the sages and creatures in this part of the forest can live in peace.”