Shloka 15

शूर्पणखाविरूपणम्

The Disfigurement of Śūrpaṇakhā

Devanagari script

एनां विरूपामसतीं करालां निर्णतोदरीम्।वृद्धां भार्यामवष्टभ्य मां न त्वं बहुमन्यसे।।।।

Transliteration

enāṃ virūpām asatīṃ karālāṃ nirṇatodarīm | vṛddhāṃ bhāryām avaṣṭabhya māṃ na tvaṃ bahumanyase ||

Translation

Weil du an jener Gattin festhältst—hässlich, treulos, schrecklich, mit schlaffem Bauch und alt—achtest du mich nicht und schenkst mir keine Wertschätzung.

Word by Word

• एनाम्: her
• एनाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: enad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विरूपाम्: ugly
• विरूपाम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• असतीम्: unchaste
• असतीम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• करालाम्: terrible
• करालाम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निर्णतोदरीम्: drooping-bellied
• निर्णतोदरीम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirṇata + udarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वृद्धाम्: old
• वृद्धाम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अवष्टभ्य: having held on to
• अवष्टभ्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + √stambh (स्तम्भ् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having held/leaned on’

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बहुमन्यसे: esteem/honour (me)
• बहुमन्यसे: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bahu + √man (मन् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; बहु-उपसर्गपूर्वक: ‘to esteem greatly’

Context

You are holding on to this lady who is ugly, unchaste, fierce-looking, flat-bellied and aged and not caring for me.

Characters & Entities

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rāma
• Sītā (as the maligned ‘wife’)

FAQs

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

Adharma appears as slander and the attempt to break a righteous marriage; dharma upholds fidelity, respect, and non-injury through speech.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā, believing Lakṣmaṇa’s insinuations, insults Sītā and accuses Rāma of ignoring her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, Rāma’s commitment to Sītā (patnī-vrata) is the virtue under attack and thereby foregrounded.