Shloka 6

शूर्पणखाविरूपणम्

The Disfigurement of Śūrpaṇakhā

Devanagari script

इति रामेण सा प्रोक्ता राक्षसी काममोहिता।विसृज्य रामं सहसा ततो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

iti rāmeṇa sā proktā rākṣasī kāmamohitā | visṛjya rāmaṃ sahasā tato lakṣmaṇam abravīt ||

Translation

Así interpelada por Rāma, la rākṣasī, extraviada por el deseo, lo dejó de improviso y luego habló a Lakṣmaṇa.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyopasaṃhāra (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: quotative particle

• rāmeṇa: by Rama
• rāmeṇa: Kartṛ (कर्ता/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• proktā: having been told/addressed
• proktā: Karta (कर्ता/subject of passive state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (वच्-धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP, क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि: ‘having been addressed’

• rākṣasī: the demoness
• rākṣasī: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kāmamohitā: deluded by lust
• kāmamohitā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma + mohita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: ‘कामेन मोहिता’ (deluded by desire); क्त-कृदन्त

• visṛjya: leaving
• visṛjya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + sṛj (सृज्-धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्यय; ‘having left/released’

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• sahasā: suddenly
• sahasā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: suddenly/forcibly)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक अव्यय (thereafter)

• lakṣmaṇam: Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू-धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Thus told by Rama, the demoness, deluded with lust, left him suddenly, and said toLakshmana:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Śūrpaṇakhā

FAQs

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

Unchecked desire (kāma) clouds discernment; dharma requires mastery of impulses so one does not act rashly or harmfully.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā, driven by lust, shifts her attention from Rāma to Lakṣmaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast to Śūrpaṇakhā’s impulsiveness, Rāma’s steadiness and self-control are implicitly highlighted.