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स्त्री. १ रावणाच्या बहिणीचे नांव ; ताटिका . २ ( ल . ) जहांबाज , कजाख बायको ; त्राटिका . ३ ( ल . ) धिप्पाड , कुरुप स्त्री . [ सं . ]
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f The name of the sister of रावण A vixen.
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A vixen, virago, shrew, a Xanthippe. Applied also to a female considered as monstrous and hideous.
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TĀṬAKĀ A fierce demoness. It was because of a curse of the sage Agastya that Tāṭakā became a demoness. There was once a great Yakṣa named Suketu, a son of Surakṣa. He did penance to propitiate Brahmā to get a child and by the blessing of Brahmā Suketu got a daughter named Tāṭakā. Brahmā gave her the strength of a thousand elephants. Taṭakā was by nature interested in cruel and violent deeds and doing deeds of magic. She made Sunda, son of Jharjha, her husband. She got two sons named Mārīca and Subāhu. They also became mighty ones great in deeds by magic. Once Sunda attacked the āśrama of Agastya in a mood of intoxicated arrogance. Sunda was burnt to death in the fire of his fury. Tāṭakā coming to know of the death of her husband got angry and attacked the āśrama of Agastya with her sons. Agastya cursed them and made them into demons. Tāṭakā and her sons who immediately turned themselves into fierce-looking demons went first to Pātāla with Sumālī, father of the demon race and then went with Rāvaṇa, King of the demons, to Laṅkā and stayed there. With the help of Rāvaṇa, Tāṭakā conquered the great deep forest near Kārūṣa and stayed there with her sons. None, devas, demons or men, dared to step into that forest. Even the Sun or Clouds avoided passing above that forest. It was at that time that Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa came to that forest with Viśvāmitra. Tāṭakā attacked Śrī Rāma and Rāma killed her with one arrow. The heavy body of the demoness fell to the ground like a big mountain. Her soul then rose up as a beautiful Gandharva lady and Tāṭakā who was thus released from the curse praised Śrī Rāma and left the place. Chapters 24 to 26 of Bāla Kāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa and Kamba Rāmāyaṇa).
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