As Ramayana states, Lord Rama crossed the distance from India to Sri Lanka through a bridge of floating stones, to rescue his wife Maa Sita. Rama as he entered Lanka had a vision and he realized that Ravana had consecrated a form of the Devi Durga and has asked her to protect his kingdom. Rama knew he cannot enter the walls of Lanka until Devi Maa allows.
So one legend says that Shri Rama decided to worship the mother goddess. He created an earthen icon of the Devi and took a samkalpa to offer her one thousand Lotus flowers as gratitude to grant Victory in the war against Ravana. Shri Lakshman and Hanuman Ji arranged for the lotuses and others helped for further preparation of the puja. When the arrangements were complete Rama sat for the puja and began meditating on the universal mother, Maa Durga.
Devi was extremely delighted to observe Rama worshiping her. She saw it is not other than Shri Vishnu in a human form incarnated to worship her. Playfulness is the nature of the Goddess as well as Sri Hari, so she decided to test him. As Rama began offering one lotus flower after the other at her feet, she mystically took one flower out and kept it with herself. Rama offered nine hundredth ninth nine flowers but as he looked for the last one, it was gone.
He asked Shri Lakshman and others to search for the last flower and in case arrange for a new one but nothing could be done. Shri Rama in his devotion decided to offer one of his eyes to fulfill his samkalpa and took one arrow to pinch the eye ball out. Devi saw this and fully contented by his devotion, stopped him and gave him the last flower herself to complete his puja.
She blessed Rama to be victorious over Ravana in the war and disappeared. Despite Ravana consecrated her and remained a wonderful devotee towards her, actions like Maa Sitas abduction, instigating a situation of war and disrupting peace, lost Devi Maas graceful hand above his head which protected him and his kingdom since ages. She never cared whether he was a asura, she yields when she sees appropriate conscious actions and devotion in someone with no matter who they are! 🔱♥️🔱 ...