The Story of Ramayana
Canto 1: Ayodhyakanda (Ayodhya)
King Dasharatha of Ayodhya has three wives but no heirs. He performs a fire sacrifice (putra kameshti) and receives a divine porridge (payasam) from the gods. His wives bear four sons: Rama (from Kaikeyi), Bharata (from Kaikeyi using wrong wish), Lakshmana and Shatrughna (from Sumitra and Kausalya).
Rama wins the hand of Sita by breaking Shiva's bow at Janakpur. Dasharatha plans to crown Rama, but Kaikeyi's maid Manthara plants doubt. Kaikeyi demands Rama's exile for 14 years and Bharata's coronation. Rama accepts exile willingly to uphold his father's honor. Sita and Lakshmana follow him.
Canto 2: Aranyakanda (Forest)
In exile, they live at Panchavati near Nashik. The demon Shurpanakha (Ravana's sister) tries to seduce Rama and Lakshmana, loses her nose and ears, and incites her brothers Khara and Dushana to attack. All fourteen thousand demons are killed. Shurpanakha goes to Lanka and tells Ravana about Sita. Ravana hatches a plan.
Maricha, transformed as a golden deer, distracts Rama. Sita, seeing the deer, begs Rama to catch it. He pursues it, and Lakshmana is left guarding Sita with strict instructions not to leave under any circumstances.
Canto 3: Kishkindhakanda (Kishkindha)
Rama kills the deer (Maricha in disguise) but calls out to Lakshmana before dying. Sita panics and forces Lakshmana to go help Rama. Lakshmana draws a line (Lakshmana Rekha) around the hut and tells Sita not to cross it.
Ravana, in the guise of a hermit, approaches Sita for alms. She offers food to the "hermit" but he reveals his true form and abducts her, taking her to Lanka in his pushpaka vimana. Jatayu, the vulture king, tries to rescue her but is mortally wounded.
Canto 4: Sundarakanda (Beautiful)
Hanuman leads the search for Sita. He finds her in Ashok Vatika, a garden in Lanka. He reassures her that Rama will rescue her. He burns Lanka (setting back Ravana's army), discovers Ravana's vulnerabilities, and returns to report.
Canto 5: Yuddhakanda (Battle)
Rama, Lakshmana, Hanuman and the monkey army build a bridge (Rama Setu) to Lanka. The great battle lasts ten days. Rama kills Ravana's brothers and finally Ravana himself. Ravana's Vibhishana is crowned. Sita undergoes a trial by fire (Agni Pariksha) to prove her purity and emerges unharmed.
Canto 6: Uttarakanda (Final)
Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya in pushpaka vimana. The 14 years have passed. At the border, Rama learns that his subjects doubt Sita's purity. He banishes pregnant Sita to the forest. She gives birth to Lava and Kusha who later defeat Rama's army. When Sita proves her purity through another ordeal, Rama and Sita reconcile. Sita returns to the earth she came from.
