Rama, while going with the Sage Vishwamitra, encountered three women of three different temperaments. The first woman he encountered was Tataki of Tamasika temperament. The Tamasika nature makes a person mistake truth for untruth and untruth for truth. It robs one of the capacity for discrimination. Rama killed Tataki while keeping guard over performance of Vishwamitra’s Yajna. The two brothers saw to it that Yajna was performed without any obstruction.

After successful completion of the Yajna, Vishwamitra proceeded to Mithila, accompanied by Rama and Lakshmana. On the way Rama came to the hermitage of the Sage Gautama. There he absolved Ahalya of the curse which had turned her into a stone. Ahalya might be deemed a woman of Rajasika temperament. After imparting moral advice to Ahalya, Rama went to Mithila with Vishwamitra.