Ramayana — Aranya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 12

शूर्पणखाविरूपणम्

The Disfigurement of Śūrpaṇakhā

Devanagari script

को हि रूपमिदं श्रेष्ठं संत्यज्य वरवर्णिनि।मानुषीषु वरारोहे कुर्याद्भावं विचक्षणः।।।।

Transliteration

ko hi rūpam idaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ saṃtyajya varavarṇini | mānuṣīṣu varārohe kuryād bhāvaṃ vicakṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

يا ذاتَ اللون البهيّ والهيئة الفاتنة، يا أسمى النساء: أيُّ رجلٍ بصيرٍ يترك جمالًا رفيعًا كهذا جمالُكِ ليعلّق قلبه بامرأةٍ من البشر؟

Word by Word

• कः: who
• कः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतुवाचक (particle: indeed/for)

• रूपम्: form/beauty
• रूपम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of rūpam)

• श्रेष्ठम्: best/excellent
• श्रेष्ठम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• संत्यज्य: having abandoned
• संत्यज्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + √tyaj (त्यज् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• वरवर्णिनि: O fair-complexioned lady
• वरवर्णिनि: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara + varṇinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारय

• मानुषीषु: among human women
• मानुषीषु: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānuṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वरारोहे: O woman of beautiful hips
• वरारोहे: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara + āroha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: वरः आरोहः (उरु/नितम्ब-प्रदेशः) यस्याः सा

• कुर्यात्: would make/feel
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भावम्: affection/desire
• भावम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विचक्षणः: wise/discerning
• विचक्षणः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ‘kaḥ’)

Context

O lady of fair complexion and beautiful hips, which wise man will fall in love with any other female giving up a fine figure like you ?

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Śūrpaṇakhā

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates how flattery can be used to mislead; dharma calls for truthfulness and for the listener to practice discernment rather than vanity.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa flatters Śūrpaṇakhā to intensify the prank, contrasting her (as she imagines) with ‘human women’ like Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śūrpaṇakhā’s vulnerability to praise (kāma/ahaṃkāra) is highlighted as a moral weakness driving the plot.