Character

Shurpanakha

शूर्पणखाŚūrpaṇakhā

verses
224
books
15
chapters
49
Sibling of
Ravana

What the texts say

In the Ramayana, Shurpanakha is a rakshasi and sister of the rakshasa Ravana. Ramayana 3.17.6, 3.36.2 In the forest she approaches Rama, who presents his younger brother Lakshmana and his wife Sita. Ramayana 6.95.6, 3.17.17 At Rama's command, Lakshmana cuts off her ears and nose with a sword. Ramayana 6.129.16, 3.18.21 Seeing Rama alone slay fourteen thousand rakshasas, and Ravana's brother Khara too, she roars with a great cry. Ramayana 3.32.1 She then tells Ravana that Sita is unmatched in beauty and a fitting wife for him. Ramayana 3.34.19, 3.34.15 Ravana resolves to abduct Sita, citing his sister's mutilation. Ramayana 3.36.12

Where to read

Every verse that names Shurpanakha, book by book.

  1. Ramayana

    160 verses · 19 chapters

    All 160 verses in the Ramayana
    • 3.18.1

      Then Rāma, seeing Śūrpaṇakhā bound fast by the noose of passion, spoke to her with a smile, in words that were clear and gentle.

    • 3.34.1

      Then, seeing Śūrpaṇakhā speaking harshly in the midst of his ministers, Rāvaṇa—angered—questioned her further.

    • 3.20.1

      Thereafter the dreadful Śūrpaṇakhā came to Rāma’s hermitage and pointed out to the rākṣasas the two brothers along with Sītā.

  2. Narasimha Purana

    19 verses · 1 chapter

    • 1.49.36

      She saw Rama seated in the forest with Sita. Then, the terrible Shurpanakha, who had taken on an auspicious (beautiful) illusory form...

    • 1.49.38

      'One who rejects a woman who offers herself incurs a great sin.' Addressed thus by Shurpanakha, the king Rama spoke to her:

    • 1.49.59

      The weeping Shurpanakha then went to Ravana. Seeing his sister with her nose cut off, Ravana then...

  3. Mahabharata

    9 verses · 2 chapters

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 7 verses

    • 3.261.41

      While Rāma was living there, an incident involving Śūrpaṇakhā occurred; as a result, a major enmity arose with Khara, the resident of Jana-sthāna.

    • 3.259.8

      Mālinī bore a single son, Vibhīṣaṇa. From Rākā a pair was born as well—Khara and Śūrpaṇakhā.

    • 3.261.44

      After those rākṣasas had been killed, Śūrpaṇakhā again went—her nose and lips cut—to Laṅkā, to her brother’s residence.

  4. Ramcharitmanas

    8 verses · 4 chapters

    • 3.2.66

      Hearing of the discipline of devotion, Lakshmana felt great joy and bowed his head at the Lord's feet. In this way some days passed as they spoke of detachment, wisdom, virtue and right conduct. Shurpanakha, the sister of Ravana, was…

    • 3.3.76

      When the Lord of the Raghus had conquered his enemies in battle, the fear of the gods, men and sages was all ended. Then Lakshmana brought Sita back; as she fell at the Lord's feet, he joyfully took her to his heart. Sita gazed on his dark…

    • 6.4.53

      "My husband, consider in your mind and give up this evil counsel. It does not become you to fight against the Lord of the Raghus. Rama's younger brother drew a slender line, and you could not cross even that: such is your manhood! My…

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Shurpanakha matters most.

  1. The Disfigurement of Śūrpaṇakhā

    Ramayana 3.18 · 25 verses

    Embodiment of ungoverned kāma turning to krodha

  2. Śūrpaṇakhā Reports to Rāvaṇa; Rāma’s Might and Sītā’s Description

    Ramayana 3.34 · 25 verses

    Messenger-survivor

  3. The Events of Aranya Kanda: Sita's Abduction and Rama's Journey

    Narasimha Purana 1.49 · 19 verses

  4. The Slaying of the Fourteen Demons Sent by Śūrpaṇakhā

    Ramayana 3.20 · 7 verses

    Instigator and escalation-agent

  5. Śūrpaṇakhā’s Report to Rāvaṇa and the Panegyric of His Might

    Ramayana 3.32 · 6 verses

    Narrative relay and instigator: flees from Janasthāna to Laṅkā…

  6. The Ogresses’ Threats to Sita and Her Vow of Fidelity

    Ramayana 5.24 · 2 verses

    Notorious instigator figure

  7. Rāma’s Abhiṣeka Plan, Kaikeyī’s Boon, and the Initiation of the Exile (Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account)

    Mahabharata 3.261 · 6 verses

    Bridge from forest episode to Laṅkā’s retaliation

  8. Sarga 95: Lamentation in Laṅkā and the Causal Chain of Enmity

    Ramayana 6.95 · 4 verses

    Causal trigger in the lament’s chain-of-enmity analysis

  9. This Sopāna is the ‘Vana-sādhanā’ step: the soul leaves the social city (rājya, maryādā) and enters the inner forest where desire, fear, and deception appear unclothed. The wilderness becomes a crucib

    Ramcharitmanas 3.2 · 2 verses

  10. Śrī Rāmacandra-avatāra: Vow, Exile, Laṅkā-vijaya, and Rāma-rājya (Concise Bhāgavata Account)

    Bhagavatam 9.10 · 1 verse

    Trigger for escalation

Key episodes

  1. Shurpanakha at Panchavati

    Ramayana 3.17-3.18

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