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SUMMARY
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arrives there.
with his army to the site of the incident. Lakṣmana proceeds to meet the enemy, asking Rama who was scheduled to stay with Sita, to come to his help if he makes a lion's roar. In the meanwhile Ravana also As soon as he catches sight of the beautiful figure of Sītā, he gets overpowered by cupid. By the power of his lores he recognises Sitä and comes to know the signal of danger proposed by Lakṣmana. He utters a lion's roar. At this signal Rama leaves Sītā under the protection of Jatayu and hastens to help his brother. Taking advantage of the situation, Rāvaņa immediately removes Sītā by force, overpowers the intimidating Jatayu and speeds up towards Laikā in his aerial-car (Puspaka-Vimāna). As he is conscious of his vow of not enjoying with any lady without her consent, he makes no attempt to rape her. When Rama reaches the site of the battle-field, Laksmana gets surprised to find his brother there. He at once sends him back with a caution to safeguard Sitā. When Rāma returns, he does not find Sītā there. While searching for Sītā he finds Jatayu in a precarious condition. Jatayu dies there and Rama bewails the loss of Sītā.
45. There, by chance, Lakṣmaņa gets an ally in Vidyadhara Viradhita, an enemy of Kharaduṣaṇa. He kills Kharadūṣaṇa and takes Viradhita to Rama. Lakṣmaņa now comes to know of the sad incident. Viradhita commissions his soldiers to make search for Sita, but in vain. In the meanwhile Ravana in his flight is interrupted by Khecara Ratnajațin. The former overpowers the latter by seizing his lores and resumes his flight with Sita who is all the time crying very bitterly. There Viradhita escorts Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to Patālaṁkārapura. They defeat Sunda, the other son of Candranakha and occupy his palace. Sunda and his mother flee away to Lanka.
46. Ravana also reaches Lanka and keeps Sītā in the Devaramaņa park. Sītā takes an oath to observe abstinence from food until she gets some news about her husband. Ravana goes to his palace, consoles Candranakha and sends his wife, Mandodari to persuade Sītā to marry him. Mandodari's attempts prove futile. Ravana also fails in frightening Sita by conjuring up many terrible objects. Vibhīşana gives a sympathetic ear to the grief of Sītā. He requests Ravana to desist from such an indecent behaviour but in vain. Ravana then arranges for her residence under the Aśoka trees growing abundantly in the Padmavaraudyana. Finding Ravana completely drowned in the ocean of sensual lust, Vibhişana gets Laňkāpuri fully prepared for any emergency.
47. Gautama continues to narrate that Sugrīva, the Vanara king of Kişkindhipura, along with his minister, Jambunada goes to Patălankarapura to seek help from Rama. Jambūnada tells Rama that
