Sita was sitting in Ashok Vatika, sad and forlorn, surrounded by Trijata and other rakshasnis (female demons). Ravana arrived there with Mandodari and his other queens. Ravana boasted of his fame and fortune. He said to Sita, “If you marry me, I will make you my Patrani (chiefqueen).”

Sita held a twig in her hand and reproached Ravana.She said, "How can you compare your self with Rama, the pride of the Raghu clan? You took me away on the sly, like a thief, you cruel tormentor. You will not get me even in your dreams."

Ravana is insulted by her out burst and threatened her and said, “I am giving you one month to make up your mind. If you do not marry me that time, I will use my Chandrahas sword to slay you.” He instructed the rakshasni guards to threaten and bully Sita into submission so that she agrees to his proposal. Then he went away.

Sita was filled with woe and grief. She said, "I made a great mistake by not listening to Lakshmana ." Her sorrow moved the guards and Trijata and the other rakshasnis console her instead of threatening her, as they had been told to do. They said, "Your grief will soon be over" and they went away leaving Sita alone.

Hanuman watched all this while seated on a branch of a tree in the Ashok Vatika. When the place was quiet, at sunset, he began to sing the story of Rama and dropped Rama ’s ring besides Sita . Sita was astonished to see the ring appear out of thin air. No one could create or duplicate that ring so she knew it belonged to Rama. She said aloud, “Tell me who you are, you who speak such soothing words that becalm my soul! Why don’t you come before me?”

Hanuman then leaped down and stood before her. He introduced himself as the messenger of Rama and told her of Rama’s friendship with Sugreeva and how he had arrived at Lanka. He gave her Rama’s message and assured her that soon Shri Rama would arrive with the vanara sena to kill Ravana and his rakshasas. When Sita was not convinced, he took his gigantic form to display his strength. When Sita was assured, he said mother, “Now give me permission to pluck some fruit from this garden as I am very hungry.” Sita happily gave him the go ahead. Using the excuse of eating fruit, Hanuman started to destroy the Ashok Vatika (garden of Ashoka trees). When the gardener Jambumali came to warn him, with his assistants, Hanuman pulled out a tree and killed the gardener. The rest scampered to report to Ravana.

Ravana sent his younger son Akshay Kumar to check and find out whom the brave vanara was who was creating havoc. “Kill him or catch him!” said Ravana. Akshay Kumar arrived with his men and fought Hanuman. But Hanuman killed Akshay Kumar and his men, using trees as weapons.