Shloka 6

Devanagari script

कथंशूर्पणखावृद्धाकरालानिर्णतोदरी ।आससादवनेरामंकन्दर्पमिवरूपिणम् ।।।।

Transliteration

kathaṃ śūrpaṇakhā vṛddhā karālā nirnatodarī | āsasāda vane rāmaṃ kandarpam iva rūpiṇam ||

Translation

Wie konnte die betagte Śūrpaṇakhā — schrecklich und entstellt — sich im Wald Rāma nähern, dessen Schönheit der des Kāma selbst glich?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: सम्बन्ध/प्रकार (प्रश्न-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• शूर्पणखा: Surpanakha
• शूर्पणखा: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर्पणखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वृद्धा: aged
• वृद्धा: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of शूर्पणखा)

• कराला: dreadful
• कराला: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• निर्णतोदरी: with a hideous belly
• निर्णतोदरी: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्णत + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुषभावः (niraṇata-udara: having a hideous belly); विशेषण

• आससाद: approached
• आससाद: क्रिया (मुख्य क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वने: in the forest
• वने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कन्दर्पम्: Cupid (god of love)
• कन्दर्पम्: उपमान (Upamāna/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्दर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपमान (standard of comparison)

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-सूचक (comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• रूपिणम्: handsome/beautiful-formed
• रूपिणम्: कर्म-विशेषण (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of रामम्)

Context

"On seeing and hearing of the others left over, the night rangers felt bewildered and piteous with agony coming together, moving in groups, those who lost husband, son, kin and protectors along with associates crying, stricken with grief."

Characters & Entities

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rāma
• Forest (vana)
• Kandarpa/Kāma

FAQs

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

Unchecked kāma (desire) and impropriety can ignite chain reactions of harm. Dharma includes self-restraint and respect for boundaries, especially regarding others’ relationships and consent.

What is the narrative situation?

The rākṣasī women retrospectively question how Śūrpaṇakhā initiated events by approaching Rāma in the forest—an origin point for later hostilities.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s attractiveness is noted poetically, but the ethical focus is on restraint: the disaster stems from violating dharmic conduct under the impulse of desire.