Shloka 3.17.30

शूर्पणखाया आगमनम् — Surpanakha Approaches Rama

Devanagari script

इत्येवमुक्तः काकुत्स्थः प्रहस्य मदिरेक्षणाम्।।।।इदं वचनमारेभे वक्तुं वाक्यविशारदः।

Transliteration

siṃhoraskaṃ mahābāhuṃ padmapatranibhekṣaṇam | ājānubāhuṃ dīptāsyam atīva priyadarśanam || gajavikrāntagamanaṃ jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇam | sukumāraṃ mahāsattvaṃ pārthivavyañjanānvitam || rāmam indīvaraśyāmaṃ kandarpasadṛśaprabham | babhūvendropamaṃ dṛṣṭvā rākṣasī kāmamohitā ||

Translation

Seeing Rāma—lion-chested, mighty-armed, with lotus-petalled eyes; his arms reaching to his knees, his face radiant and most pleasing to behold; moving with the stride of an elephant, wearing a circle of matted locks; delicate yet of immense power, bearing the marks of royalty; dark as a blue lotus and splendid like Kāma—the rākṣasī, deluded by desire, was bewitched and took him to be like Indra.

Context

Thus addressed, Rama, skilled in speech, laughed and started speaking to that woman of bewitching eyes.इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे सप्तदशस्सर्गः।।Thus ends the seventeenth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Śūrpaṇakhā (implied as rākṣasī)
• Indra
• Kandarpa (Kāma)

FAQs

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

Uncontrolled kāma (desire) clouds discernment; dharma requires mastery over attraction and the ability to see persons rightly, not as objects of impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

The poet describes Rāma’s appearance in detail to explain why Śūrpaṇakhā becomes infatuated and approaches him with improper intent.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s royal-luminous bearing even in exile—outer splendour reflecting inner steadiness—contrasted with Śūrpaṇakhā’s desire-driven delusion.