Shloka 3.17.10
शूर्पणखाया आगमनम् — Surpanakha Approaches Rama
सुमुखं दुर्मुखी रामं वृत्तमध्यं महोदरी।विशालाक्षं विरूपाक्षी सुकेशं ताम्रमूर्धजा।।।।प्रीतिरूपं विरूपा सा सुस्वरं भैरवस्वरा।तरुणं दारुणा वृद्धा दक्षिणं वामभाषिणी।।।।न्यायवृत्तं सुदुर्वृत्ता प्रियमप्रियदर्शना।शरीरजसमाविष्टा राक्षसी वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।।।
sumukhaṃ durmukhī rāmaṃ vṛttamadhyaṃ mahodarī | viśālākṣaṃ virūpākṣī sukeśaṃ tāmramūrdhajā ||
prītirūpaṃ virūpā sā susvaraṃ bhairavasvarā | taruṇaṃ dāruṇā vṛddhā dakṣiṇaṃ vāmabhāṣiṇī ||
nyāyavṛttaṃ sudurvṛttā priyam apriyadarśanā | śarīrajasamāviṣṭā rākṣasī vākyam abravīt ||
Rāma was fair-faced; she was foul-faced. He was slender-waisted; she was huge-bellied. His eyes were wide; hers were misshapen. His hair was beautiful; hers was copper-red. He was pleasing in form; she was repulsive. His voice was sweet; hers was harsh and terrifying. He was young; she was dreadfully old. He was courteous and upright; she spoke perversely. He was just in conduct; she was utterly wicked. Overcome by bodily desire, that rākṣasī spoke to Rāma.
Rama's face was lovely, Surpanakha's was hideous. Rama had a slender waist, she had a huge belly. His eyes were large, hers were deformed. His hair was black and beautiful, hers was coppercoloured. He was lovely in appearance, she was ugly. His voice was sweet, hers was shrill. He was young, she was dreadfully old. He was positive, she was perverted. Rama was wellbehaved, she was wicked. Rama was just and loving while she was overcome by lust. (This) demoness said to Rama :
It contrasts dharmic qualities (courtesy, justice, self-possession) with adharmic impulses (perversion of speech, wicked conduct, lust-driven action), showing how inner disposition shapes speech and behavior.
The narrator introduces Śūrpaṇakhā’s lustful approach by contrasting her traits with Rāma’s virtues, immediately before she addresses him.
Rāma’s nyāya-vṛtti—upright, just conduct—set against Śūrpaṇakhā’s uncontrolled kāma and distorted speech.