Ramayana — Aranya Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 17

खरस्य क्रोधः — शूर्पणखावृत्तान्तकथनम्

Khara’s Wrath and Śūrpaṇakhā’s Report

Devanagari script

तरुणी रूपसम्पन्ना सर्वाभरणभूषिता।दृष्टा तत्र मया नारी तयोर्मध्ये सुमध्यमा।।।।

Transliteration

taruṇī rūpasampannā sarvābharaṇa-bhūṣitā | dṛṣṭā tatra mayā nārī tayor madhye su-madhyamā ||

Translation

Dort sah ich eine junge Frau zwischen den beiden – schön, geschmückt mit jedem Zierrat und von schlanker Taille.

Word by Word

• taruṇī: a young woman
• taruṇī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taruṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• rūpa-sampannā: beautiful
• rūpa-sampannā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + sampanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa, Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of 'taruṇī/nārī'

• sarva-ābharaṇa-bhūṣitā: adorned with all ornaments
• sarva-ābharaṇa-bhūṣitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣita (प्रातिपदिक; √bhūṣ + kta)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (sarvaiḥ ābharaṇaiḥ bhūṣitā), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• dṛṣṭā: was seen
• dṛṣṭā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle used predicatively (passive sense), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'was seen'

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (there)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• nārī: woman
• nārī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; apposition to 'taruṇī'

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Dvivacana

• madhye: in the middle/between
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti, Ekavacana

• su-madhyamā: slender-waisted
• su-madhyamā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + madhyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (su + madhyamā), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Context

I saw between them a young, beautiful woman of slender waist, adorned with all kinds of jewels.

Characters & Entities

• Shurpanakha
• Khara
• Sita
• Rama
• Lakshmana

FAQs

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

Implicitly, it sets the stage for maryādā: the presence of Sita between the brothers points to protected dignity that ought not be violated.

What is the narrative situation?

Shurpanakha reports seeing Sita with Rama and Lakshmana.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sita’s dignified presence is implied through description; the verse itself is primarily observational.