Ramanaya
Rama's brother, Bharata, was away from home when his brother was exiled and his brother died. He was supposed to be King, but vowed to not take the throne and to look for his brother, so he could return. However, first he had to tend to his dad's funeral. Then, he went into the forest and found his brother, begging him to return. He even offered to switch places for the 14 years and gave him sandals that were symbols of royal authority.
While Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana met many sages when they were in the forest. Sita shared the story of her birth to the wife of the sage Atri, Anasuya. Her dad found her when her was ploughing, on the ground. The next time they meet a sage, Agastya, he receives weapons from him.
Sita was abducted by the demon, Viradha. He cannot be wounded by a sharp weapon so it is hard to kill him. Rama and Lakshmana battled him to save Sita. Rama and Viradha's story had been connected since Viradha was cursed.
A rakshasa woman, Shurpanakha, and the sister of Ravana wanted to seduce Rama. She tried to persuade Rama to leave Sita, but Rama suggested she pursue Lakshmana because he was single. She then went to Lakshmana, but he jested with her. However, she did not like being rejected, and attacked Sita. Lakshmana protect Sita and cut off Shurpanakha's nose and ears. She went home and told her brother about what happened. This interaction led to another fight between Khara and Rama. Khara wanted to fight for his sister and avenge his brother's death. Rama won when he drew his bow and shot a blazing arrow. Shurpanakha then went to her other brother, Ravana, the King of Lanka.
He sought help to take on Rama by asking Maricha's help. They enchant Sita with by Maricha disguising himself as a golden deer. She asks Rama to get the deer for her. Rama shot the deer, killing it, but realized it was Maricha after he called out in an imitation of his voice. Lakshmana and Sita heard the imitation of Rama and thought he might have been slain. Ravana changed his shape to a sage of the forest to get close to Sita. Lakshmana had left the hermitage they were staying at. He changed into the shape of a demon and stole Sita. The bird Jatayu tried desperately to stop Ravana from taking Sita. She dropped her jewelry as a path for Rama to find her. However, Brahma was happy because he foresaw Ravana's death. Ravana brought Sita back with him to Lanka. He tried to seduce her because he wanted her as a wife, but she refused.
Lakshmana found Rama and they rushed back to their hut, but returned to find Sita was gone. They learned from Jatayu that they had headed south. Rama and Lakshmana head towards Lanka and meet another rakshasa, Kabandha. He bade them burn his body so he could leave his rakshasa form. He promised information regarding Sita. He told them where she was and that Ravana held her. On their way there, they found a hermitage and a woman named Shabari who was waiting for their arrival. It was part of her destiny that he was coming and she asked him to perform her funeral rites.
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