Markandeya said: "O bull of the Bharatas, incomparable suffering befell Rama: his wife Janaki was carried off by a rakshasa mightier than he. The lord of the rakshasas, Ravana, bore her away from the ashrama through the sky, resorting to illusion and swiftly slaying the vulture Jatayu. Rama won her back, relying on the strength of Sugriva, building a bridge across the ocean and burning Lanka with sharp arrows." Yudhishthira said: "In what lineage was Rama born? What was his strength, and what his valor? Whose son was Ravana, and what enmity did he bear toward Rama? Blessed one, tell me all of this in full. I wish to hear of the deeds of Rama, whose works knew no weariness." Markandeya said: "There was a king named Aja, a great descendant of the line of Ikshvaku. His son was Dasharatha, ever devoted to sacred study and pure. Four sons were born to him, versed in dharma and artha: Rama, Lakshmana, Shatrughna, and the mighty Bharata. Rama's mother was Kausalya; Bharata's mother was Kaikeyi; Lakshmana and Shatrughna, subduers of foes, were sons of Sumitra. King Janaka of Videha had a daughter, Sita, O lord; Tvashtar himself made her Rama's beloved queen. Thus has the birth of Rama and Sita been told to you. Now, lord of men, I shall explain to you the birth of Ravana as well. Ravana's great-grandfather was the god Prajapati himself, the Self-born, lord of all the worlds, creator and great ascetic. He had a beloved son, born of the mind, named Pulastya. To Pulastya, by Gavi, was born a lord named Vaishravana. Leaving his father, he went to serve his grandfather instead. Because of this anger, the father, O king, created himself out of himself. Thus from half of his body was born the twice-born one named Vishravas, wrathful, as a counterweight to Vaishravana. The Pitamaha, his soul well pleased, then gave Vaishravana immortality, lordship over wealth, and the rank of guardian of the world; likewise friendship with Ishana, a son named Nalakubara, and the capital city of Lanka together with its hosts of rakshasas."