Rama

===Exile and war===
{{See also|Ravana|Jatayu|Hanuman|Vibhishana}}
[[File:Rama exiled to Forest.jpg|thumb|left|Rama, along with his younger brother [[Lakshmana]] and wife [[Sita]], exiled to the forest.]]
Rama heads outside the Kosala kingdom, crosses Yamuna river and initially stays at Chitrakuta, on the banks of river Mandakini, in the hermitage of sage [[Vasishtha]].<ref name="dalal99">{{harvnb|Dalal|2010|pp=99, 326–327}}</ref> During the exile, Rama meets one of his devotee, [[Shabari]] who happened to love him so much that when Rama asked something to eat she offered her [[ber]], a fruit. But every time she gave it to him she first tasted it to ensure that it was sweet and tasty as a testament to her devotion. Rama also understood her devotion and ate all the half-eaten bers given by her. Such was the reciprocation of love and compassion he had for his people. This place is believed in the Hindu tradition to be the same as [[Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh|Chitrakoot]] on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The region has numerous Rama temples and is an important Vaishnava pilgrimage site.<ref name="dalal99" /> The texts describe nearby hermitages of Vedic [[rishi]]s (sages) such as [[Atri]], and that Rama roamed through forests, lived a humble simple life, provided protection and relief to ascetics in the forest being harassed and persecuted by demons, as they stayed at different [[ashram]]s.<ref name="dalal99" /><ref name="hindery99">{{harvnb|Hindery|1978|pp=98–99}}</ref>

After ten years of wandering and struggles, Rama arrives at Panchavati, on the banks of river Godavari. This region had numerous demons (''rakshashas''). One day, a demoness called Shurpanakha saw Rama, became enamored of him, and tried to seduce him.<ref name="Dalal2010p326" /> Rama refused her. Shurpanakha retaliated by threatening [[Sita]]. Lakshmana, the younger brother protective of his family, in turn retaliated by cutting off the nose and ears of [[Shurpanakha]]. The cycle of violence escalated, ultimately reaching demon king [[Ravana]], who was the brother of Shurpanakha. Ravana comes to [[Panchavati]] to take revenge on behalf of his family, sees Sita, gets attracted, and kidnaps her to his [[Lanka|kingdom of Lanka]] ''(believed to be modern [[Sri Lanka]])''.<ref name="Dalal2010p326" /><ref name="hindery99" />

[[File:Rama and Hanuman fighting Ravana, an album painting on paper, c1820.jpg|thumb|Rama seated on back of Hanuman (right) fights Ravana, c. 1820]]
Rama and [[Lakshmana]] discover the kidnapping, worry about Sita's safety, despair at the loss and their lack of resources to take on Ravana. Their struggles now reach new heights. They travel south, meet [[Sugriva]], marshall an army of monkeys, and attract dedicated commanders such as [[Hanuman]] who was a minister of Sugriva.<ref name="Ramayana">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Wzg6wFJ5xwC | title=Ramayana | publisher=University of California Press | author=B. A van Nooten William | year=2000 | isbn=978-0-520-22703-3 | access-date=9 August 2020 | archive-date=31 January 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131062702/https://books.google.com/books?id=4Wzg6wFJ5xwC | url-status=live }}</ref> Meanwhile, Ravana harasses Sita to be his wife, queen or goddess.{{sfn|Goldman|1996|page=406|ps=:<br>16. ... Ravana is represented as merely requesting that Sita stop thinking of him as an enemy and that she abandon her mistaken notion that he wants her to be his wife. By mentioning his chief queen, he is really saying that he wants Sita to be the chosen goddess of both him and his chief queen, Mandodari.}} Sita refuses him. Ravana gets enraged and ultimately reaches Lanka, fights in a war that has many ups and downs, but ultimately Rama prevails, kills Ravana and forces of evil, and rescues his wife Sita. They return to [[Ayodhya]].<ref name="Dalal2010p326" />{{Sfn|Goldman|1996|p=90}}