When ten years of his forest life were past, Rama sets off for the hermitage of Agastya, a man who had gained great merit by his austerities. There they build a cottage, but are not able to live in peace very long. As Rama and Sita are sitting together under a tree, a giantess named Suparnakha, the sister of Ravana, passes by, and falls madly in love with Rama.

"She, grim of eye and foul of face,
Loved his sweet glance and forehead's grace;
She of unlovely figure, him
Of stately form and shapely limb;
She whose dim locks disordered hung,
Him whose bright hair on high brows clung." [*+]

The giantess questions Rama as to the reason of his being in the forest. After giving a full account of himself

and Sita, he inquires who she may be. She says she is Ravana's sister, and openly avows her love:

"This poor misshapen Sita leave,
And me, thy worthier bride, receive.
Look on my beauty, and prefer
A spouse more meet than one like her;
I'll eat that ill-formed woman there;
Thy brother, too, her fate shall share.
But come, beloved, thou shalt roam
With me through all our woodland home." [**]

Rama, smiling, told her that as he was married he could not accept her kind offer, but advised her to try his brother. She acts upon this advice; but Lakshman sends her back to Rama. Thinking that Sita was the obstacle to the attainment of her wishes, she was about to slay her; Rama prevented her from doing this, and Lakshman cut off her nose and ears. She fled to her brother Khara, whose anger she roused by the tale of her mutilation, who sent fourteen giants, giving them strict orders to kill Rama, Sita, and Lakshman. These giants are easily slain. Khara is terribly angry when he hears of their death; and, quickly raising an army of 14,000 warriors, goes against his foes. Rama, single-handed, destroyed them nearly all.

One of the giants, named Akampan, rushed away to inform Ravana of the catastrophe. Ravana, intensely angry, asks--

"Who is the wretch shall vainly try
In earth, heaven, hell, from me to fly?
Vaisravan, Indra, Vishnu, He
A Who rules the dead, must reverence me;
For not the mightiest lord of these
Can brave my will, and live at ease. . . .
With unresisted influence, I
Can force e'en Death himself to die." [*+]

He then asks particulars of the fight, and determines to avenge his sister. The messenger informs him that it is useless for him to attempt to conquer Rama by force, and advises him rather to carry off Sita; for,

"Reft of his darling wife, be sure
Brief days the mourner will endure." [**]