Śrī Vālmīki describes the hermitages of the ascetics in Daṇḍakāraṇya. When Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā entered their hermitages, the ascetics got up, offered their blessings invoking auspiciousness and worshiped them with arghya and so on. They pleased Rāma by honoring Him, praying to Him to protect them, glorifying Him, offering Him obeisances and so on.

After accepting the hospitality of the sages, Rāma entered the forest with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa. He then saw a terrible rākṣasa named Virādha there. Virādha took away Sītā, criticized the two descendants of Raghu and declared that he would kill Them. Upon seeing Sītā-devī in such a situation, Rāma criticized Queen Kaikeyī and lamented. Lakṣmaṇa consoled Him and declared that He would kill Virādha.

When Lakṣmaṇa asked Virādha about him, Virādha counterquestioned Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa about Them. When Rāma answered, Virādha informed Him of his father’s name and his prowess. He then told Rāma to give up Sītā and run away. Painfully struck by Rāma’s arrows, Virādha placed Sītā on the ground, took Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa on his shoulders and entered the middle of the forest.

When Rāma left Virādha’s forest and entered Śarabhaṅga’s āśrama, He noticed Indra talking to Śarabhaṅga after getting down from his chariot. Rāma showed Indra and his associates to Lakṣmaṇa. He instructed Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa to stay there and went towards Śarabhaṅga and Indra. When Indra noticed Rāma approaching, he told Śarabhaṅga that it was inappropriate for him to meet Rāma, took permission from the sage and departed for his abode. Along with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa, Rāma offered His respectful obeisances unto Śarabhaṅga and asked him why Indra had come. Śarabhaṅga told him the reason and requested Him to go to Sutīkṣṇa’s āśrama. Then in Rāma’s presence, he gave up his body in fire and departed for the spiritual world.

The sages in Śarabhaṅga’s āśrama spoke to Lord Śrī Rāma about the duties of a king, informed Him of the tortures inflicted upon them by the rākṣasas and prayed to Him to kill them. With great respect, Rāmacandra granted them fearlessness and departed to Sutīkṣṇa’s āśrama.

Rāma went to Sutīkṣṇa’s āśrama with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa. He offered His respects to the sage and requested him to show a place where He could reside for the years to come. Sutīkṣṇa told Rāma that his āśrama had nice features for His residence and that the only defect in his āśrama was that herds of deer came to disturb the meditation of the ascetics there. Rāma then decided to refrain from making this place his residence.

Early the next morning, Rāma performed His morning duties and informed Sutīkṣṇa that He was very eager to see Daṇḍakāraṇya and sought his permission to depart. When the sage permitted Him, Lord Rāma circumambulated him and departed to Daṇḍakāraṇya.

At the time of proceeding towards Daṇḍakāraṇya, Sītā cited an historical incident and pointed out the problems arising from wielding weapons. She then beseeched Him to give up those weapons.

Rāma praises Sītā and informs her that when the sages had surrendered unto Him, He had promised to kill the rākṣasas obstructing their asceticism. He also tells her that fulfilling His promises is more important to Him than even His very life. Therefore, He will certainly do what He had promised these sages.

While going to Daṇḍakāraṇya, Rāma heard the sounds of songs and musical instruments from within the water of a lake named Pañcāpsarā but He couldn’t see the singers and their musical instruments. Out of astonishment, He asked one of the accompanying sages about it. That excellent sage explained the history of that lake while Rāma listened. Rāma then saw a cluster of āśramas of sages. With Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa, He stayed in each āśrama for a few months. He thus spent ten years and then returned to Sutīkṣṇa’s āśrama. He then expressed His eagerness to visit Agastya Muni’s āśrama and asked Sutīkṣṇa how He can go there. Sutīkṣṇa explained how to reach the āśrama of Agastya’s brother and requested Him to stay there for a night before proceeding to Agastya’s āśrama. While nearing the āśrama of Agastya’s brother, Rāma described Agastya’s destruction of two demons Ilvala and Vātāpi to Lakṣmaṇa. They met Agastya’s brother in the evening, offered him Their respects, and stayed there overnight. Early in the morning, when they reached Agastya’s āśrama, Rāma informed Lakṣmaṇa of Agastya’s prowess, for Agastya had restrained the growth of the Vindhya Mountain. Rāmacandra then instructed Lakṣmaṇa to inform Agastya about His arrival.

Lakṣmaṇa requested Agasya’s disciple to inform him of Rāma’s arrival. On Agastya’s order, that disciple then brought Rāma with Sītā-devī and Lakṣmaṇa into the āśrama. Looking at the altars for Brahmā and other deities, Rāma proceeded forward while Agastya approached Him. Rāma then offered His obeisances unto Agastya’s feet. After respectfully receiving and honoring Śrī Rāma as his guest, Agastya gave Him Lord Viṣṇu’s bow and other weapons that had been given to him by Indra. Agastya then informed Rāma that Daṇḍakāraṇya had become a desert by the curse of a descendant of Bhṛgu. By his prowess, he had brought it back to its flourishing state with trees, rivers, lakes and so on. He then prayed to Lord Rāma to discipline the rākṣasas and protect the sages.

Agastya informed Śrī Rāmacandra about the evil nature of worldly women and praised Sītā-devī for being distinct from such women. Rāma asked Agastya about a place suitable for their residence. The sage replied that Pañcavaṭī would be fit for their residence and pointed out the way to reach there. Lord Rāma, Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa then offered their respectful obeisances unto Agastya and with his permission departed to Pañcavaṭī.

While Lord Rāma was going to Pañcavaṭī, He saw Jaṭāyu on the way and inquired about him. After describing the creation of all species of life, Jaṭāyu informed Him that he was the son of Aruṇa. As a friend of Daśaratha, he wanted to assist Rāma by protecting Sītā during their residence in the forest. Rāma greatly honored Jaṭāyu and embraced him. He then departed to Pañcavaṭī with Sītā-devī, Lakṣmaṇa and Jaṭāyu.

On the order of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa constructed a leaf cottage in an āśrama in Pañcavaṭī near Godāvarī. Rāma was delighted to see the beauty of the leaf cottage. He praised Lakṣmaṇa for His work and happily resided there with Sītā-devī.

After winter arrived, Lakṣmaṇa described the season early in the morning one day while following Rāma and Sītā to the Godāvarī to take bath. Lakṣmaṇa then began to speak about Bharata’s activities and criticized Kaikeyī. Rāma restrained Lakṣmaṇa and praised Bharata. They then bathed in the river and performed sandhyā-vandana and other rituals.

Rāma returned to His leaf cottage with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa from the bank of the Godāvarī. One day, Śūrpaṇakhā arrived and inquired about Rāma. Rāma informed her about Himself and inquired about her. She then informed Rāma about her and requested Him to accept her as His wife. She also declared that she would eat up Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa.

Rāma smilingly explained why He could not marry Śūrpaṇakhā and asked her to accept Lakṣmaṇa as her husband. Lakṣmaṇa logically explained to Śūrpaṇakhā that she should marry Rāma. When she requested Rāma to marry her and tried to eat up Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa cut off her ears and nose on the order of Rāma. Śūrpaṇakhā then approached Khara.

Khara asked Śūrpaṇakhā about the one who dared to deform her. She informed him about Rāma and told him that on His order Lakṣmaṇa had deformed her. Khara then ordered fourteen rākṣasas to kill Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. Accompanied by Śūrpaṇakhā, they then went to Rāma’s āśrama.

When Rāma noticed the rākṣasas who had arrived with Śūrpaṇakhā, He instructed Lakṣmaṇa to protect Sītā-devī and departed to fight with the rākṣasas. When Śrī Rāma singlehandedly faced the rākṣasas, He identified Himself and then threatened them with harsh words. When the rākṣasas stayed on, prepared to fight, He killed them. Śūrpaṇakhā then went back to Khara and informed him about the destruction of the fourteen rākṣasas.

When Śūrpaṇakhā returned to Khara and cried, he consoled her and asked her why she was crying. She informed him that Rāma had killed the rākṣasas sent by him and harshly impelled him to attack Rāma.

Khara consoled Śūrpaṇakhā and ordered Dūṣaṇa to prepare his army for war. Khara then got on the chariot brought by Dūṣaṇa and departed with fourteen thousand rākṣasas and Dūṣaṇa.

Though Khara noticed the evil omens at the time of his departure for war, he proudly disregarded them and left with Dūṣaṇa and other rākṣasas.

Rāma told Lakṣmaṇa that the omens at the time of Khara’s departure for war indicated that he would lose and that Rāma would win. Lord Rāma then requested Lakṣmaṇa to shift to a mountain cave with Sītā-devī for her protection. When Śrī Rāma was ready to fight, devas, gandharvas and other celestials descended to the sky to watch the battle as Khara’s army marched towards Rāmacandra.

Rāma engaged in a fierce battle with Khara’s army.

Furious that his army had been partially destroyed, Dūṣaṇa deputed five thousand rākṣasas to deal with Rāma. Rāma destroyed them along with Dūṣaṇa’s three commanders-in-chief. Khara then sent twelve army supervisors to destroy Śrī Rāmacandra. Rāma destroyed them and their followers. Khara then personally approached Rāma.

While Khara approached Rāma, Triśirā requested him to desist and let him handle Rāma. When Rāma killed Triśirā too, Khara personally approached Rāma for battle.

When Khara cut Rāma’s bow, Rāma became furious and took up the bow given to Him by Agastya. Using it, He shot arrows at Khara and dislodged him from his chariot. When Khara stood on the ground with a club in hand, the devas on celestial airplanes and great sages glorified Śrī Rāmacandra in great happiness.

Lord Śrī Rāma spoke heroically to Khara while criticizing him. When Khara threw his mace at Rāmacandra, He broke it into pieces with His arrows.

Khara became agitated after hearing Rāma’s words of heroism. Because he had no weapons, in anger he threw a tree at Him but Lord Rāmacandra cut down that tree. When Khara’s body was pierced by Śrī Rāma’s arrows, blood oozed profusely out of his body and he quickly tried to jump over Rāma. Out of disgust, Śrī Rāma retreated a bit and shot an arrow at Khara’s chest, thus killing him. Celestial sages and others then showered flowers on Rāma and glorified Him. Sītā-devī came out of the cave with Lakṣmaṇa and happily embraced Him when He entered His āśrama.

A rākṣasa named Akampana reached Laṅkā and informed Rāvaṇa that Śrī Rāma had vanquished Khara and all the other rākṣasas. When Rāvaṇa declared that he would kill Rāma and got ready to go to Janasthāna, Akampana described Rāma’s glories, stated that He cannot be killed by anyone and told Rāvaṇa that Rāma can be killed by kidnapping Sītā away from Him. Rāvaṇa then went to Mārīca’s āśrama, informed him that Rāma had killed Khara and other rākṣasas and sought his assistance to kidnap Sītā. Mārīca informed Rāvaṇa about Rāma’s capabilities, and after pointing out that He cannot be conquered by anyone, sent Rāvaṇa back to Laṅkā.

Dejected upon the death of Khara and other rākṣasas, Śūrpaṇakhā went to Laṅkā and dis-played her disfigured condition to Rāvaṇa.

In his assembly, Śūrpaṇakhā informs Rāvaṇa about the incident that took place at Janasthāna. She establishes that he had none of the qualities of a bona fide king and criticizes him.

Rāvaṇa inquired from Śūrpaṇakhā about Rāma’s qualities and asked her why she had been disfigured. She told him about the qualities of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā, and that when she prepared to kidnap Sītā for Rāvaṇa, she was disfigured. She requested him to kidnap Sītā.

Rāvaṇa decided to kidnap Sītā and got on his chariot. As he traveled above the sea coast, he saw apsarās, celestial airplanes and other wonderful sights on the way. He then crossed the ocean and reached Mārīca’s āśrama where he saw Mārīca.

Rāvaṇa again spoke to Mārīca about the Janasthāna incident and requested him to help him kidnap Sītā-devī. As soon as Mārīca heard about Rāma, he became frightened and dejected in mind. He then started to give good instructions to Rāvaṇa.

Mārīca describes the abundant prowess of Sītā-devī and Lord Rāma to Rāvaṇa. He informs Rāvaṇa that to kidnap Sītā-devī is to bring about death and so advises him to desist for his own benefit.

Earlier, when Viśvāmitra had become intolerant of Mārīca’s torments in the form of his disruption of fire sacrifices and so on, the great sage had brought Rāma to his āśrama to protect his sacrifices. Śrī Rāma had then used a single arrow to throw Mārīca very far away into the ocean. After informing Rāvaṇa of these incidents, Mārīca instructed him that since stealing Sītā would bring about great disasters to Rāvaṇa in his current life and in the next, he should refrain from doing so.

Mārīca continued to maintain an attitude of hostility towards Lord Rāma and wanted to kill Him. He and his two rākṣasa accomplices assumed the forms of deer and came to Daṇḍakāraṇya. When Mārīca attempted to kill Rāma, the Lord killed Mārīca’s two accomplices with an arrow each. Mārīca then escaped from Rāma’s third arrow, which was directed at him. Having informed Rāvaṇa about these events, Mārīca told him to either bear with the damage or fight with Rāma in battle. Thus he instructed Rāvaṇa to desist from his endeavor to kidnap Sītā-devī.

Rāvaṇa criticized Mārīca with harsh words and told him that if Mārīca does not assume the form of a magical, freckled deer and allure Sītā, he would certainly kill Mārīca.

Mārīca again boldly and harshly criticized Rāvaṇa. He told Rāvaṇa that the kidnap of Sītā-devī will lead to a great disaster and lamented for Rāvaṇa’s future plight.

With difficulty Mārīca accepted Rāvaṇa’s order, got onto his chariot with him and came near Rāma’s āśrama at Daṇḍakāraṇya. On the order of Rāvaṇa, he then got down from the chariot and assumed the form of a wonderful deer by dint of his magical powers. With attractive features, Mārīca in the form of a deer then sported by the gateway to Śrī Rāma’s āśrama. Having come out of the āśrama, Sītā-devī, who was plucking flowers, noticed this magical deer sporting most wonderfully.

In delight Sītā-devī called out to Śrī Rāma and Śrī Lakṣmaṇa and showed Them the magical deer. Though Lakṣmaṇa informed Rāma that it would be the magic of Mārīca because it is impossible for an ordinary deer to have such jewelled spots and so on, Sītā disregarded His words and with great eagerness requested Rāma to bring the deer. Rāmacandra told Lakṣmaṇa that even if the deer was Mārīca in disguise, He would certainly kill him just as Agastya killed Vātāpi in disguise. Lord Rāma then declared that after killing the deer He would bring its skin and requested Lord Lakṣmaṇa to protect Sītā-devī in the meanwhile.

Lord Rāma chased the deer with a bow in His hand. When the deer kept changing its course by dint of its magical powers and allured Him, He angrily killed it with an arrow. When Mārīca was about to die, he gave up the body of a deer and assumed his own form. Imitating the voice of Śrī Rāma, he loudly cried out, “Ah, Sītā! Lakṣmaṇa!” Upon hearing Mārīca’s loud cry, Rāmacandra sorrowfully considered that Sītā-devī and Lakṣmaṇa could become distressed and turned back to return to His āśrama.

Sītā-devī heard Mārīca’s loud cry, “Ah, Sītā! Lakṣmaṇa!” Since his voice resembled the voice of Śrī Rāmacandra, she feared that He might be in danger and so instructed Lakṣmaṇa to rush to protect Him. Lakṣmaṇa described Rāmacandra’s glory to Sītā-devī and thus established that there is no question of any danger to Him. When she spoke inappropriate and harsh words that were unfit to be heard, Lakṣmaṇa rushed along the path that Rāma had taken.

When Lakṣmaṇa departed to check on Rāma on the order of Sītā-devī, Rāvaṇa got his opportunity to approach Sītā. He assumed the form of a sannyāsī and went near her. He praised Sītā’s beauty and asked her why she came to the forest. She honored him by giving him water for washing his feet and other articles of worship.

Fearful that Rāvaṇa in the guise of a sannyāsī might curse her, Sītā-devī described about herself and the reason for her having come to the forest. She then asked him about himself. Now that Rāvaṇa had gotten this opportunity, he revealed his identity to Sītā, glorified himself and requested her to become his wife. Sītā-devī spoke about the transcendental qualities of Lord Rāma and informed Rāvaṇa that she desired no one other than her husband. She then described the enormous disparity between Lord Rāma and Rāvaṇa, and censured him in many ways.

When Sītā-devī criticized Rāvaṇa, he praised his lineage, prowess and prosperity, accused Rāmacandra of being defective, and again requested Sītā to accept him. Sītā angrily condemned him and informed him that he will be destroyed for desiring her.

Rāvaṇa gave up his appearance of a sannyāsī and revealed his real form. He then caught Sītā-devī by her hair, put her on his chariot and departed for Laṅkā. Sītā humbly requested the mountains, trees, Godāvarī and so on to inform Lord Rāma about these incidents. Standing on the chariot, she cried out for help in various ways when she noticed Jaṭāyu on the way. She loudly requested him to inform Rāma of the events that had taken place.

Hearing Sītā-devī’s loud cries, Jaṭāyu woke up from sleep and noticed Rāvaṇa and her. He then identified himself and requested Rāvaṇa to release Mother Sītā. When Rāvaṇa didn’t do so, Jaṭāyu angrily criticized him. Challenging him to enter into a duel with him, Jaṭāyu obstructed Rāvaṇa.

While Jaṭāyu fought with Rāvaṇa, he broke Rāvaṇa’s chariot and so on. Rāvaṇa fell on the ground, but when Jaṭāyu became slightly tired, Rāvaṇa took advantage of that—he again took Sītā-devī and escaped. Jaṭāyu angrily chased him, clawed Rāvaṇa’s back using his sharp talons and cut off his left arms with his beak. Rāvaṇa’s arms reappeared and he dropped Sītā. For a while he fought with Jaṭāyu and then cut off his wings, flanks and feet. Sītā-devī embraced Jaṭāyu who lay on the ground with his life ebbing away and lamented.

Sītā-devī benedicted Jaṭāyu with the ability to sustain his life until he could inform Śrī Rāma and Śrī Lakṣmaṇa about the events that had taken place. While she touched his body and lamented, Rāvaṇa again grabbed Sītā by her hair and took her away to the skies. At that time, the deer and other creatures condemned Rāvaṇa and lamented in distress. By the force of Rāvaṇa’s flight, Sītā-devī’s necklace, anklet and other ornaments fell to the ground.

While Sītā-devī was being carried by Rāvaṇa in the sky, she chastised him in various ways.

When Rāvaṇa carried Sītā through the skies, she saw Sugrīva and some other vānaras on the summit of Mount Ṛśyamūka. Unknown to Rāvaṇa, she then wrapped her ornaments in her upper cloth and threw it amidst the vānaras. Rāvaṇa quickly reached Laṅkā and placed her in his inner quarters. He then sent eight soldiers to Janasthāna to learn about Śrī Rāma’s activities.

Rāvaṇa came to Sītā-devī and forcibly showed her his very astonishing residence, towers, gardens and so on. He spoke many words of flattery with a desire to allure her.

Rāvaṇa’s allurements had no effect on Sītā-devī’s mind. She placed a blade of grass between him and her, criticized him in many ways and proceeded to describe the power of Lord Rāmacandra. After informing Rāvaṇa that he would be killed by her husband, she became silent. Rāvaṇa told Sītā that if she didn’t accept him within a year, he would kill her. He then ordered his rākṣasīs to take Sītā to Aśoka-vana and bring her under control through threats, allurements and so on. They took Sītā to Aśoka-vana and attentively guarded her.

While Mārīca died, Śrī Rāma heard him cry out in a voice that imitated His own voice. After this He also noticed evil omens. He therefore became apprehensive that Sītā-devī might be in critical danger and rushed towards His āśrama when He met Lakṣmaṇa on the way. He chastised Lakṣmaṇa for having come to Him after leaving Sītā alone in the forest. Śrī Rāmacandra also pointed out that the evil omens indicated that Sītā could have been killed or kidnapped.

Rāma describes Sītā-devī’s qualities and states that He will be unable to live without her. While lamenting in many ways, He considers that Sītā might have sent Lakṣmaṇa to help Him upon hearing Mārīca’s voice and that the rākṣasas might have killed Sītā with a desire to avenge Rāma’s killing of Khara.

Rāma asked Lakṣmaṇa why He left Sītā-devī and came to Him. Lakṣmaṇa told Him that upon hearing Mārīca’s cries, Śrī Sītā became dejected. Lakṣmaṇa then related that when He had consoled her, she had responded in a very harsh manner. Śrī Rāmacandra was nevertheless dissatisfied with Lakṣmaṇa’s reply. He chastised Lakṣmaṇa that it was inappropriate for Lakṣmaṇa to have come to Him. He then described to Lakṣmaṇa the deer that He had chased.

By seeing the evil omens, Rāma feared that Sītā might be in danger. He then quickly entered His leaf-cottage with Lakṣmaṇa. He didn’t find her even after He searched for her in the places where she used to sport. In distress, He then asked the trees, deer and so on whether they had seen Sītā-devī. When He didn’t find Sītā anywhere, He thought of various possibilities—she might have been eaten up by the rākṣasas and so on. He then repeatedly lamented in various ways and ran through the forest in search of her.

Despite searching for Sītā in the leaf-cottage and surrounding areas, Śrī Rāma and Śrī Lakṣmaṇa didn’t find her. Lord Rāma then lamented in various ways. Lakṣmaṇa pacified Him and told Him that They should again search for her in the forest. After again searching for Sītā in the forests, mountain caves and so on, Lord Rāma still didn’t find her. When Lakṣmaṇa tried to pacify Him again, He simply cried out to Sītā.

When Lord Rāma does not see Sītā-devī, He speaks several words of lamentation to Lord Lakṣmaṇa.

When Lord Rāma did not see Sītā-devī, He addressed Lakṣmaṇa and contemplated the possibility of her being subjected to various difficulties and lamented about her. Lakṣmaṇa then consoled His brother Rāmacandra who wailed in various ways like a mad man.

Lord Rāma asked the river Godāvarī about Sītā-devī because He considered that she might have gone there to pluck lotuses. Out of fear of Rāvaṇa, the river didn’t tell Him anything about Sītā. Rāmacandra then became dejected and asked the deer since He knew about their gestures. Lakṣmaṇa understood from their gestures that Śrī Sītā had gone towards the southwest, and so both of Them set out in that direction. They noticed a series of flowers fallen on the ground. Śrī Rāma recognized them to be the flowers worn by Sītā-devī. He then observed the footprints of Sītā and Rāvaṇa, and came across the chariot, charioteer, his armor, bow and so on that had been destroyed by Jaṭāyu. When no one including the devas informed Him about what happened to Mother Sītā, He angrily declared that He would turn all the worlds into ashes and placed an arrow on His bow

Angry that Sītā-devī was kidnapped, Śrī Rāma was fully prepared to destroy all the worlds. Lakṣmaṇa then spoke words of reason and consoled Him.

While Rāmacandra lamented upon being separated from Sītā-devī, Lakṣmaṇa consoled Him by stating that one has to certainly experience the results of his former actions and gave the examples of Vasiṣṭha and others in this regard. He also stated that Śrī Rāma should stop trying to destroy the worlds and that He should rather identify the one who abducted Sītā-devī and take away his life.

After Lakṣmaṇa consoled Him, Rāma gave up His anger. Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa then searched for Sītā-devī when They came across Jaṭāyu. Rāma thought that he was actually a rākṣasa disguised as a vulture who must have killed Sītā, and so prepared to kill the vulture. The vulture then informed Śrī Rāma that Rāvaṇa had kidnapped Sītā and that he had destroyed Rāvaṇa’s chariot and so on. He told Rāmacandra that when he became tired because of his old age and so on, Rāvaṇa had cut off his wings and then took Vaidehī with him to the skies. Out of affection for His father’s friend, Śrī Rāma embraced Jaṭāyu and lamented. He then fell on the ground in distress.

When Lord Rāma asked Jaṭāyu about Sītā-devī’s abduction, before he could speak about it, he consoled Him by saying that she was kidnapped during the muhūrta named Vinda which indicates that she would be retrieved by the glory of that muhūrta. Jaṭāyu gave up his body while describing Rāvaṇa. Śrī Rāma then lamented over his death and blessed him to attain Viṣṇuloka. He then cremated Jaṭāyu’s body and offered him water and piṇḍa.

After offering water to Jaṭāyu, Śrī Rāma and Śrī Lakṣmaṇa went far towards the south-west and came across a rākṣasī in the middle of the forest. She identified herself as Ayomukhī. When she called Lakṣmaṇa to enjoy her and got ready to embrace Him, He cut off her breasts, ears and nose. Then the two descendants of Raghu noticed evil omens and considered that something undesirable could happen. Therefore, they walked carefully when they saw a great rākṣasa named Kabandha whose body was a headless trunk. With his hands that were a yojana long, he grabbed the two brothers. When Lakṣmaṇa was dejected in fear, Rāma pacified him. Kabandha asked Them about Their purpose of visit and declared that he would eat Them. Rāmacandra then lamented to Lakṣmaṇa that time was the very powerful root cause of the sorrows of even great souls.

Lakṣmaṇa told Rāma that since Kabandha was incapable of fighting back, They shouldn’t kill him; instead, They should just cut off his arms. When Kabandha heard that, he grabbed Them and was about to put Them into his mouth when They cut off his arms. When Kabandha fell on the ground, he asked Them about Their identities. Lakṣmaṇa informed him of all events up to the abduction of Sītā-devī and then asked Kabandha about his identity and how he got such a form.

Kabandha informed Śrī Rāma about his past and promised to inform Him of who could help Him find Sītā-devī after his ugly rākṣasa body was burnt. He said that he would be able to provide that information only after the curse, due to which he had to attain such a body, was nullified.

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa placed Kabandha’s body on a pyre and set fire on it. The soul of Kabandha then flew out of that pyre in a celestial body. Standing on a celestial chariot yoked to horses in the sky, he informed Lord Rāma about Sugrīva and told Him to go to Ṛśyamūka mountain and make friends with Sugrīva, who would then search for Sītā-devī with the help of his assistant monkeys.

Kabandha described Pampā, the forests and other places on the way to Ṛśyamūka. He requested Lord Rāma and Lord Lakṣmaṇa to go to Śabarī’s āśrama. He then described the greatness of Mount Ṛśyamūka due to the asceticism of Maharṣi Mataṅga and stated that Sugrīva lived in a cave in that mountain. Śrī Rāma and Śrī Lakṣmaṇa then permitted Kabandha to return to his abode.

Śrī Rāma and Śrī Lakṣmaṇa went to Śabarī’s āśrama on the western bank of Pampā through the path shown by Kabandha. She respectfully worshipped Them with extremely sweet fruits and roots that she had stored for a long time. Upon the request of Lord Rāma, she showed Him the effect of the austerities performed by the disciples of the great sage Mataṅga in that forest. With the permission of Lord Śrī Rāma, she then gave up her body in fire and attained a transcendental form. She then went to the divine world that her ācāryas had attained.

After praising the glory of Mataṅga Ṛṣi and his disciples, Śrī Rāma bathed in that holy place. He then departed from Śabarī’s āśrama with Lakṣmaṇa and reached Pampā.