Living on fruits and roots, practicing self-control and ascetic discipline, devoted to chastity, the brothers Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, sons of King Daśaratha, dwelled in the wilderness. Their bearing and beauty were striking, resembling the king of the Gandharvas, adorned with royal marks. It was impossible to discern whether they were gods or demons, so extraordinary was their presence. Between them stood a young woman, slender-waisted and adorned in every ornament, her beauty radiant. Because of these two brothers and the woman with them, I, Śūrpaṇakhā, have been brought to this wretched and helpless state. My first and only desire is this: let me drink the blood of these two in battle—grant me this, I beg of you. As she spoke, Khara, her brother, became enraged and summoned fourteen mighty rākṣasas, fierce as the end of time itself. He commanded them: “Two men, armed with weapons, clad in bark and black antelope skin, have entered the dreadful Daṇḍaka forest with a woman. Slay those two and that wicked woman, and return. Then, for my sister’s sake, she shall drink their blood. This is the wish of my sister; let it be fulfilled at once. Go, overpower them with your own might. When you have slain those two brothers in battle, this one, delighted, will drink their blood as she desires.” Thus commanded, the fourteen rākṣasas departed with Śūrpaṇakhā, swift as clouds driven by the wind. Śūrpaṇakhā, terrible in her form, arrived at Rāma’s hermitage and reported the presence of the two brothers and Sītā to the rākṣasas. As they approached, they saw Rāma, strong and radiant, seated in the leaf-hut with Sītā and attended by Lakṣmaṇa. Seeing the demoness and the rākṣasas arrive, Rāma, blazing with energy, turned to his brother Lakṣmaṇa and said, “Wait here a moment, Saumitri, stay close to Sītā. I will destroy those who have come upon this path.” Lakṣmaṇa, honoring Rāma’s command, replied, “So be it.” Rāma, righteous and resolute, took up his great bow adorned with gold, strung it, and addressed the demons: “We are the sons of Daśaratha, brothers Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, who have entered the difficult Daṇḍaka forest together with Sītā. Living on fruits and roots, disciplined, ascetic, observing celibacy, we dwell here—why do you seek to harm us? Armed with bow and arrows, I have come at the command of the sages to slay you evil-hearted ones who commit outrages. Remain here if you wish, but if you value your lives, depart from this place, O night-dwellers.” Hearing Rāma’s words, the fourteen rākṣasas, murderers of Brahmins and wielding spears, replied in great anger. Their eyes bloodshot, they gazed at Rāma with harsh, mocking words: “By provoking the wrath of our master Khara, you alone will lose your life, slain by us in battle this very moment. What power do you have, alone, to stand before so many of us in battle? With these clubs, spears, and pikes, you will lose your life, your strength, and your bow.” With these words, the fourteen rākṣasas, weapons raised, rushed at Rāma. They hurled their spears at him, but Rāghava, unconquerable, cut them all down with arrows adorned in gold. Then, enraged, he took up nārāca arrows, shining like the sun, and seized fourteen sharp, stone-tipped arrows. Drawing his bow, he aimed at the demons. In an instant, the rākṣasas fell to the ground like serpents struck from their anthills, their hearts shattered, lying lifeless as trees with roots cut, bathed in blood and deformed. Seeing them fallen, the demoness Śūrpaṇakhā was seized with wrath. Blood still drying on her, she approached Khara, but, afflicted, fell again, like a vine deprived of its sap. Distressed with grief, she let out a great cry near her brother, tears streaming down her pale face. Seeing the demons struck down in battle, Śūrpaṇakhā fled and told her brother Khara everything—the slaughter of the rākṣasas, the destruction of all his warriors. When Khara saw his sister fallen before him, enraged, he spoke to her in clear words, for she had come seeking his help: “I sent those heroic, flesh-eating rākṣasas for your sake—why do you weep again? They are always devoted, loyal, and obedient to me; if they are being killed, they would not fail to obey my command.