Shloka 20

शूर्पणखाया आगमनम्

Surpanakha Approaches Rama

Devanagari script

इह वा किंनिमित्तं त्वमागता ब्रूहि तत्त्वत:।।।।साब्रवीद् वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षसी मदनार्दिता।

Transliteration

iha vā kiṃnimittaṃ tvam āgatā brūhi tattvataḥ | sābravīd vacanaṃ śrutvā rākṣasī madanārditā ||

Translation

«أخبريني بالحقّ: لأيّ غرضٍ جئتِ إلى هنا؟» فلمّا سمعتْ هذه الكلمات، أجابتِ الراكشسي وقد أضناها الهوى.

Word by Word

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• kimnimittam: for what purpose
• kimnimittam: Prayojana/Hetu (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + nimitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; प्रश्न-तत्पुरुषः—"for what reason"

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• āgatā: have come
• āgatā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + gam (धातु) + tā (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; अर्थः—"(you) have come"

• brūhi: tell
• brūhi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• tattvataḥ: truly
• tattvataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tattvatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: "truly/in reality")

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• vacanam: words; speech
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अर्थः—"having heard"

• rākṣasī: demoness
• rākṣasī: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• madanārditā: tormented by passion
• madanārditā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madana + ardita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (madanena arditā)

Context

Tell me truly what you have come here for. Having heard the words of Rama and overtaken by passion, the demoness said:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Śūrpaṇakhā
• madana (desire/personified Love)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Commitment to truth (tattvataḥ) in speech and inquiry; ethical interaction requires honest disclosure of intent.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma demands the real motive for the stranger’s arrival; the narration signals Śūrpaṇakhā’s desire-driven response.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s insistence on truthful clarification before proceeding.