Shloka 3.17.11
शूर्पणखाया आगमनम् — Surpanakha Approaches Rama
सुमुखं दुर्मुखी रामं वृत्तमध्यं महोदरी।विशालाक्षं विरूपाक्षी सुकेशं ताम्रमूर्धजा।।3.17.10।।प्रीतिरूपं विरूपा सा सुस्वरं भैरवस्वरा।तरुणं दारुणा वृद्धा दक्षिणं वामभाषिणी।।3.17.11।।न्यायवृत्तं सुदुर्वृत्ता प्रियमप्रियदर्शना।शरीरजसमाविष्टा राक्षसी वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।3.17.12।।
jaṭī tāpasarūpeṇa sabhāryaḥ śaracāpadhṛt | āgatas tvam imaṃ deśaṃ kathaṃ rākṣasasevitam || kim āgamanakṛtyaṃ te tattvam ākhyātum arhasi |
With matted hair and in an ascetic’s guise—yet accompanied by your wife and bearing bow and arrows—how have you come to this region frequented by rākṣasas? What is your purpose in coming? You ought to tell me the truth.
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 :
Even from an adharmic character, the demand is for truth (tattva): speech should align with reality, and one should give an honest account of one’s purpose.
Śūrpaṇakhā confronts the ascetic-looking Rāma—armed and with Sītā—and questions his presence in a demon-haunted forest, pressing him to explain.
Rāma’s commitment to truthful disclosure is foreshadowed by the explicit request for tattva (truth).