The Forest Episode
Rama, Sita and Lakshman wander in the forest and come across the hermitage of a sage called Atri.
Atri sees them approaching and is overcome with great joy.
Sita is embraced by Atri's wife, Anasuya.
Anusuya talks to Sita at length about the duties of a devoted wife.

Rama, Sita and Lakshman venture further into the forest and encounter Viradha.
Viradha attempts to capture Sita.
Rama kills him by burying him in a ditch.
They then visit the ashram of Sage Sarabhanga.
Rama asks him of where he should go for shelter in the forest.
He is advised to visit the sage Sutiksna.
As Rama approaches Sutiksna, the latter comes out of his meditation.
He tells Rama that he had been awaiting his arrival and had even turned down the offer of entering the heavenly planets.

Thirteen years pass.
Continuing on their journey through the forest, they meet with Sage Agastya where Rama pays his respect to the sage.
Agastya gifts divine weapons to Rama and advises him to venture further into the forest and into the region of Dandaka.
Rama meets with the eagle, Jatayu.
 Rama, Sita and Lakshman take up abode at Panchavati and build a beautiful ashram, as per the advice of Agastya.
Lakshman becomes nostalgic of the past and begins to talk harshly about Kaikeyi.
Rama pacifies him and explains that it is sinful to speak of his mother in such a way.

The story takes a new turn, as Rama, Sita and Lakshman are approached by the sister of the demon-king Ravana, called Surpanakha.
She immediately takes a liking to Rama and falls in love with him.
She disguises herself and talks to Rama in sweet tones.
 Rama rejects her advances explaining that he is already married and advises her to approach Laksman as he is unmarried.
However, Laksman also rejects her advances.
Surpanakha takes it as a great insult to be spurned like this, and attempts to hurt Sita.
Laksman takes hold of his sword and lops off Surpanakha's ear lobes and nose.
Feeling humiliated, Surpanakha leaves the forest and goes to the abode of her brothers Khara and Dusana.
They are angry at the treatment meted out to their sister and leave with the intention of killing Rama.
Both the brothers are vanquished by Rama.

Surpanakha is greatly upset and visits Ravana at his residence in Lanka.
She explains all that has happened, after which Ravana calls for his old friend Maricha.
Ravana hatches a plot and asks Maricha to disguise himself as a golden deer, so that Ravana may then kidnap Sita.
Maricha has already felt the power of Rama (as mentioned in Bālakāṇḍa) and is apprehensive, however, he thinks that he is going to die either way since Ravana will kill him in rage for refusing him.
Ravana and Marich immediately leave for Rama's forest abode.

Maricha takes his position and instantly Sita is attracted by his deer form.
Rama knows that Ravana's intentions and orders Sita to place her shadow (Maya Sita) in her place, while she would hide in the fire.
 She asks Rama time and time again to hunt for the deer and bring it to her.
Rama runs after the deer and is soon quite a far distance away from the ashram.
Rama releases an arrow and hits the deer.
Impersonating Rama's voice, Marich shouts out to Lakshman to help him.
Maya Sita (hereafter called simply Sita) hears the cry and orders Laksman to go help his brother.
Ravana, while posing as a begging minstrel, uses this opportunity to forcibly kidnap Sita from the ashram.

Jatayu, the eagle, sees Ravana's sinful act and attempts to fight with him, but Ravana has too much power and cuts off Jatayu's wings and leaves him for dead.
Rama and Lakshman return to find the ashram empty.
They anxiously set out to find Sita and find the severely wounded eagle.
Jatayu dies in Rama's lap and receives liberation.

As they continue to look for Sita they come across the hermitage of Shabari.
Tulsidas says that Shabari washes the feet of Ram with tears from her eyes and feeds him half eaten wild berries to ensure he gets only sweet ones.
She is given liberation by Rama.
The brothers then head towards the Pampasarovar lake.
The Forest Episode
Rama, Sita and Lakshman wander in the forest and come across the hermitage of a sage called Atri. Atri sees them approaching and is overcome with great joy. Sita is embraced by Atri's wife, Anasuya. Anusuya talks to Sita at length about the duties of a devoted wife.
Rama, Sita and Lakshman venture further into the forest and encounter Viradha. Viradha attempts to capture Sita. Rama kills him by burying him in a ditch. They then visit the ashram of Sage Sarabhanga. Rama asks him of where he should go for shelter in the forest. He is advised to visit the sage Sutiksna. As Rama approaches Sutiksna, the latter comes out of his meditation. He tells Rama that he had been awaiting his arrival and had even turned down the offer of entering the heavenly planets.
Thirteen years pass. Continuing on their journey through the forest, they meet with Sage Agastya where Rama pays his respect to the sage. Agastya gifts divine weapons to Rama and advises him to venture further into the forest and into the region of Dandaka. Rama meets with the eagle, Jatayu.  Rama, Sita and Lakshman take up abode at Panchavati and build a beautiful ashram, as per the advice of Agastya. Lakshman becomes nostalgic of the past and begins to talk harshly about Kaikeyi. Rama pacifies him and explains that it is sinful to speak of his mother in such a way.
The story takes a new turn, as Rama, Sita and Lakshman are approached by the sister of the demon-king Ravana, called Surpanakha. She immediately takes a liking to Rama and falls in love with him. She disguises herself and talks to Rama in sweet tones.  Rama rejects her advances explaining that he is already married and advises her to approach Laksman as he is unmarried. However, Laksman also rejects her advances. Surpanakha takes it as a great insult to be spurned like this, and attempts to hurt Sita. Laksman takes hold of his sword and lops off Surpanakha's ear lobes and nose. Feeling humiliated, Surpanakha leaves the forest and goes to the abode of her brothers Khara and Dusana. They are angry at the treatment meted out to their sister and leave with the intention of killing Rama. Both the brothers are vanquished by Rama.
Surpanakha is greatly upset and visits Ravana at his residence in Lanka. She explains all that has happened, after which Ravana calls for his old friend Maricha. Ravana hatches a plot and asks Maricha to disguise himself as a golden deer, so that Ravana may then kidnap Sita. Maricha has already felt the power of Rama (as mentioned in Bālakāṇḍa) and is apprehensive, however, he thinks that he is going to die either way since Ravana will kill him in rage for refusing him. Ravana and Marich immediately leave for Rama's forest abode.
Maricha takes his position and instantly Sita is attracted by his deer form. Rama knows that Ravana's intentions and orders Sita to place her shadow (Maya Sita) in her place, while she would hide in the fire.  She asks Rama time and time again to hunt for the deer and bring it to her. Rama runs after the deer and is soon quite a far distance away from the ashram. Rama releases an arrow and hits the deer. Impersonating Rama's voice, Marich shouts out to Lakshman to help him. Maya Sita (hereafter called simply Sita) hears the cry and orders Laksman to go help his brother. Ravana, while posing as a begging minstrel, uses this opportunity to forcibly kidnap Sita from the ashram.
Jatayu, the eagle, sees Ravana's sinful act and attempts to fight with him, but Ravana has too much power and cuts off Jatayu's wings and leaves him for dead. Rama and Lakshman return to find the ashram empty. They anxiously set out to find Sita and find the severely wounded eagle. Jatayu dies in Rama's lap and receives liberation.
As they continue to look for Sita they come across the hermitage of Shabari. Tulsidas says that Shabari washes the feet of Ram with tears from her eyes and feeds him half eaten wild berries to ensure he gets only sweet ones. She is given liberation by Rama. The brothers then head towards the Pampasarovar lake.
Ramcharitmanas