After the marriage of the two maidens, honored by King Janaka, Rama—having conquered Jamadagnya—departed with sage Vashishtha and others. As the journey continued, Narada recounts how Rama, with deep reverence, bowed to Vashishtha, his mothers, and the sage Atri, saluting also Anasuya, Atri’s wife, along with Sharabhanga and Sutikshna. He then paid respects to his brother Agastya, and, by Agastya’s favor, received a bow and a sword. Thus armed, Rama entered the dense Dandaka forest. There, he dwelled at Janasthana, in the beautiful Panchavati, on the banks of the Godavari river. It was here that Surpanakha, a terrifying rakshasi, arrived with the intent to devour them. Seeing Rama, handsome in form, she approached and asked, “Who are you? Why have you come here? Become my husband, as I request.” But when she declared, “I will devour these two,” she rushed at them. At Rama’s command, Lakshmana swiftly cut off her nose and ears. Bleeding, Surpanakha fled to her brother, Khara, and cried, “I will die without a nose, Khara; I live only thus.” She explained, “Sita is Rama’s wife, and Lakshmana is his younger brother. If you make me drink their warm blood, then I shall live.” Khara, agreeing to her plea, gathered thousands of fierce-eyed rakshasas, accompanied by Dushana and Trishira, and marched to fight. Rama met their challenge, striking the rakshasas with arrows and sending their army—elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers—to the abode of Yama. In battle, Trishira, Khara the fierce, and Dushana fell. Surpanakha, desperate, went to Lanka and fell before Ravana, urging him angrily, “You are not a king, nor a protector; come here and kill Rama, and seize Sita, his wife. I live only by drinking the blood of Rama and Lakshmana, not otherwise.” Hearing this, Ravana consented and turned to Maricha: “Go! Become a golden, spotted deer, and lure Rama and Lakshmana away. In Sita’s presence, I will seize her; otherwise, your death is certain.” Maricha replied, “Rama, the wielder of the bow, is death itself; it is better to die at Ravana’s hand, but one must die at Raghava’s hand. If I must certainly die, it is better by Rama than by Ravana.” With this resolve, Maricha transformed into a magical deer and wandered repeatedly before Sita. Urged by Sita, Rama pursued and killed the deer with an arrow. As Maricha was dying, he cried out, “Ha, Sita! Ha, Lakshmana!” Hearing these cries, Saumitri (Lakshmana), at Sita’s urging, went to find Rama, who was in distress. Ravana seized this opportunity, abducted Sita, and slew the noble vulture Jatayu who tried to protect her. Though wounded by Jatayu, Ravana took Janaki (Sita) onto his lap, carried her to Lanka, and confined her in the Ashoka grove, guarded by rakshasis. He spoke to her, “Become my chief wife; let this rakshasi guard you.” Meanwhile, Rama, having slain Maricha, reunited with Lakshmana and said, “That was a magical deer, O Saumitri, just as you have come here. In the same way, Sita was truly abducted, and I did not see her as I departed.” Rama grieved deeply, lamenting, “Where have you gone, leaving me?” Lakshmana consoled him, and together they began searching for Janaki. Upon encountering the dying Jatayu, Rama learned that Ravana had carried Sita away. After performing Jatayu’s funeral rites, Rama slew the rakshasa Kabandha. Narada continues: Rama, having gone forth, spent the night in sorrow. Then, with Hanuman’s help, he befriended Sugriva. To prove his strength, Rama pierced seven palm trees with a single arrow before their eyes, and with his foot, hurled Dundubhi’s body ten yojanas. Having slain his enemy, Bali—the hostile brother—Rama entrusted the kingdom of Kishkindha and Ruma to Sugriva. Sugriva, lord of the monkeys and king of Kishkindha, dwelling at Rishyamuka, promised Rama, “You will recover Sita, just as I will act for you.” Hearing this, Rama performed a four-month vow on Mount Malyavat, but Sugriva did not come to meet him in Kishkindha. As Rama had said, Lakshmana spoke, “Go to Raghava; the path is not obstructed, the way by which Bali was slain and departed. Keep to the appointed time, Sugriva; do not follow the path of Bali.” Sugriva replied, “Absorbed, I did not notice the passage of time.” Having said this, Sugriva went to Rama, bowed, and spoke to the lord of monkeys: “All the monkeys have been gathered for the search for Sita. On my command, I will send them; let them search for Janaki. Let them return within a month; after a month, I will destroy them.” Thus instructed, the monkeys went east, west, and north, journeying with Rama and Sugriva, but did not find Janaki. Hanuman, taking Rama’s ring, searched in the south with the monkeys near the cave of Suprabha. After a month had passed and Janaki was not found, the monkeys despaired, saying, “We shall die in vain; Jatayu alone is blessed.” For Sita’s sake, he had abandoned his life, slain by Ravana in battle. Hearing this, Sampati, who had once considered the monkeys as food, spoke: “That Jatayu was my brother; I was lifted up to the orb of the sun. Protected from the sun’s heat, I went, but my wings were burned and I fell from the sky.” Sampati continued, “From hearing news of Rama, my wings have grown again; now I see Janaki, who has entered the Ashoka grove, and is indeed in Lanka. In the salt ocean, vast for a hundred yojanas, at Trikuta, let the monkeys, having recognized Rama and Sugriva, indeed speak.” Narada concludes: Having heard Sampati’s words, Hanuman, Angada, and the others, gazed upon the ocean and wondered, “Who indeed can cross this ocean and survive?