Shloka 23

शूर्पणखाविरूपणम्

The Disfigurement of Śūrpaṇakhā

Devanagari script

सा विरूपा महाघोरा राक्षसी शोणितोक्षिता।ननाद विविधान्नादान्यथा प्रावृषि तोयदः।।।।

Transliteration

sā virūpā mahāghorā rākṣasī śoṇitokṣitā |

nanāda vividhān nādān yathā prāvṛṣi toyadaḥ ||

Translation

Entstellt und höchst schrecklich, blutüberströmt, brüllte die Rākṣasī mit vielerlei Schreien, wie eine Regenwolke in der Monsunzeit.

Word by Word

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• virūpā: disfigured
• virūpā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virūpa (विरूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• mahāghorā: very dreadful
• mahāghorā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahāghora (महाघोर प्रातिपदिक) = mahā + ghora
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'very dreadful'

• rākṣasī: the demoness
• rākṣasī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (राक्षसी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• śoṇitokṣitā: drenched in blood
• śoṇitokṣitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoṇitokṣitā (प्रातिपदिक) = śoṇita + ukṣita
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'śoṇitena ukṣitā' (sprinkled/drenched with blood); ukṣita = PPP from √ukṣ (उक्ष्)

• nanāda: roared/cried
• nanāda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nad (नद् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ lakāra (Perfect), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana

• vividhān: various
• vividhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (विविध प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Bahuvacana; qualifying nādān

• nādān: sounds/cries
• nādān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāda (नाद प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Bahuvacana

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, simile/comparative conjunction

• prāvṛṣi: in the rainy season
• prāvṛṣi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāvṛṣ (प्रावृष् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana; 'in the rainy season'

• toyadaḥ: a cloud
• toyadaḥ: Upamāna (उपमानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toyada (तोयद प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'toyaṃ dadāti' = cloud

Context

The dreadful demoness who thus was disfigured. Drenched in blood, she thundered like a cloud in rainy season.

Characters & Entities

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rākṣasī (demoness)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores karmic consequence in narrative form: wrongdoing culminates in suffering and public exposure of one’s violent intent.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā, bleeding and disfigured, cries out thunderously as she flees.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a virtue but a warning: uncontrolled passion and aggression lead to ruin.