Ramayana — Aranya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 19

शूर्पणखाविरूपणम्

The Disfigurement of Śūrpaṇakhā

Devanagari script

क्रूरैरनार्यै स्सौमित्रे परिहासः कथञ्चन।न कार्यः पश्यवैदेहीं कथञ्चित्सौम्य जीवतीम्।।।।

Transliteration

krūrair anāryaiḥ saumitre parihāsaḥ kathañcana |

na kāryaḥ paśya vaidehīṃ kathañcit saumya jīvatīm ||

Translation

«يا سَوْمِترا، لا ينبغي قطّ المزاح مع القساة عديمي المروءة. انظر: فَيدِهي قد نُجّيت على نحوٍ ما، وما تزال حيّة.»

Word by Word

• krūraiḥ: by cruel (ones)
• krūraiḥ: Karaṇa (करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krūra (क्रूर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.)/Napुṃsaka possible by context; here instrumental plural, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instr/3rd), Bahuvacana; qualifying anāryaiḥ

• anāryaiḥ: by ignoble (ones)
• anāryaiḥ: Karaṇa (करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anārya (अनार्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr/3rd), Bahuvacana; 'by ignoble people'

• saumitre: O Saumitra (Lakṣmaṇa)
• saumitre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधनम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitra (सौमित्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana; address to Lakṣmaṇa

• parihāsaḥ: mockery/joking
• parihāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parihāsa (परिहास प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana

• kathañcana: at all
• kathañcana: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcana (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic adverb (कथञ्चन = in any way/at all)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेधः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपातः)

• kāryaḥ: should be done
• kāryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (कार्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective: 'to be done/proper' (with implied 'parihāsaḥ')

• paśya: see
• paśya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (Imperative), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; 'see!'

• vaidehīm: Vaidehī (Sītā)
• vaidehīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (वैदेही प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Ekavacana

• kathañcit: somehow
• kathañcit: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcit (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (कथञ्चित् = somehow/by some means)

• saumya: O gentle one
• saumya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधनम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumya (सौम्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana; affectionate address

• jīvatīm: living/alive
• jīvatīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jīvat (जीवत् प्रातिपदिक) < jīv (जीव् धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ present active participle, Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifying vaidehīm

Context

O handsome Lakshmana! it is not proper to cut jokes with wicked, uncivilized persons. Now see Sita who has somehow survived.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitra)
• Sītā (Vaidehī)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes restraint in speech: mocking the wicked can invite danger and is improper when lives are at stake; seriousness and vigilance are required.

What is the narrative situation?

After stopping Śūrpaṇakhā’s violent rush, Rāma admonishes Lakṣmaṇa not to treat such a threat lightly and points to Sītā’s narrow escape.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s prudence and protective leadership—he corrects frivolity and centers attention on safeguarding Sītā.