SOORPNAKHA

Near Panchavati, lived an ugly demoness called Soorpankha. She was the sister of Ravana, the king of Lanka.

One day she saw Rama and felt attracted towards him. She took te form of a beautiful woman and approached Rama. She asked him, "Who are you? Why are you living in this forest of demons?"

Rama said, "I am the eldest son of king Dashratha of Ayodhya. I have come to the forest to fulfill my father's promise. My brother and wife have also come with me."

When Rama asked Soorpnakha to introduce herself, she said, "I am Soorpnakha, the sister of the powerful king Ravana. My brothers Kumbhakaran and Vibheeshan are acclaimed warriors. My other two brothers, Khara and Dooshan reign over Panchavati."

Soorpankha, enamored by Rama's youth and beauty, asked him to take her as his wife. Rama refused saying that he was already married. He told her to go to Lakshmana and try her luck with him.

Soorpnakha turned towards Lakshmana and felt attracted towards him too. When she asked Lakshmana to marry him, he said, "I am only a slave of Rama. What would you get by becoming the wife of one who is a slave? Go to my brother Rama. He is surely a better choice."

Seeing Sita beside Rama, Soorpnakha was enraged. She said, "It is she who stands between our unions."

When she ran to attack Sita, Lakshmana stepped ahead and cut off her nose.

Soorpnakha ran into the forest, howling with pain.

When she told her brothers, Khara and Dooshana how she had been disfigured and humilated, they sent fourteen of their mighty demons to kill Rama. Bujt Rama killed them. He even killed Soorpnakha's brothers Khara and Dooshana.

Soorpnakha, angry at the death of her two brothers, went to her elder brother, Ravana who was the king of Lanka.

Ravana was very angry when he heard Soorpnakha's tale of humilation and his brothers' death at the hands of te exiled princes of Ayodhya. He swore to take revenge. Hearing Soorpnakha describe the beauty of Sita, Ravana decided to abduct her and make her his wife. In this way, he planned to humiliate Rama and thereby take revenge for his sister's disgrace and his brothers' death.