Over a period of time Surpanakha, now a mother of a son, Shambhri, divided her time between Lanka and the forests and it was one such trip to Panchavati, when she spotted Lord Ram and was smitten by him. When Rama did not respond to her overtures, she shifted attention to Lakshmana but he was so affronted that he cut off her nose, her left ear and according to some versions of the story, one breast. A snubbed Suparnakha shared her insult with her brother Khara who sent 14000 warriors to attack Rama. All of were killed except Akampana, Shurpanakha’s uncle who reported facts toRavana and that is when Ravana decided to abduct Sita and take revenge on Ram.
Some versions of the Ramayana state that Surpanakha’s revenge was not against Rama but her own brother Ravana for having killed her husband. Ravana had many axes to grind with Ram – death of his grandmother Tataka, his uncle Subahu and now the rejection of his sister. So Surpanakha very shrewdly laid the trap and patiently waited for the end.
To be continued