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3. Aranya Kand
The Book of the Forest · 75 sargas
The exile years pass in the Dandaka forest, where Rama protects the sages. Shurpanakha is humiliated, Khara and Dushana are killed, and Ravana takes his revenge — Maricha becomes a golden deer to draw Rama away, the line is crossed, and Sita is carried off. The aged Jatayu gives his life trying to stop it.
Key Episodes
- Meeting the sage Atri and Anasuya
- The Shurpanakha episode, and the killing of Khara and Dushana
- Maricha's golden deer, and the abduction of Sita
- Jatayu fights Ravana and dies of his wounds
- Shabari and her tasted berries
- Rama and Lakshmana set out to search for Sita
Shlokas
Aranya Kand
रामो विग्रहवान्धर्मः साधुः सत्यपराक्रमः । राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य देवानामिव वासवः ॥
rāmo vigrahavān dharmaḥ sādhuḥ satya-parākramaḥ / rājā sarvasya lokasya devānām iva vāsavaḥ
Rama is dharma itself, given a body — noble, whose valour is truth; he is king of all the worlds, as Indra is of the gods. Spoken by Maricha, warning Ravana against the abduction.