Shloka 16

Devanagari script

तत्र शूर्पणखा नाम राक्षसी चात्तुमागता / निकृत्य कर्णो नासे च रामेणाथापवारिता

Transliteration

tatra śūrpaṇakhā nāma rākṣasī cāttumāgatā / nikṛtya karṇo nāse ca rāmeṇāthāpavāritā

Translation

അവിടെ ശൂർപ്പണഖാ എന്ന രാക്ഷസി ഭക്ഷിക്കാനായി വന്നു. അപ്പോൾ രാമൻ അവളുടെ ചെവിയും മൂക്കും മുറിച്ച് അവളെ അകറ്റി ഓടിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: "there")

• शूर्पणखा: Śūrpaṇakhā
• शूर्पणखा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर्पणखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक-अव्यय (particle: "by name")

• राक्षसी: a demoness
• राक्षसी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अत्तुम्: to eat
• अत्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अद् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी; अर्थः—"खादितुम्"

• आगता: came
• आगता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अर्थः—"आगतवती"

• निकृत्य: having cut off
• निकृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-कृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund); अर्थः—"छित्त्वा/कर्त्वा"

• कर्णौ: (her) ears
• कर्णौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन

• नासे: (her) nostrils
• नासे: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रामेण: by Rāma
• रामेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• अपवारिता: was repelled/prevented
• अपवारिता: Karma (Patient/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-वार् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अर्थः—"निवारिता"

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda, Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protection of the innocent and restraint of violent adharma through proportionate force.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as the sustaining order (ṛta/dharma) upheld by the avatāra; adharma meets its immediate consequence.

Application: Confront predatory harm decisively; set boundaries against abuse while minimizing collateral harm.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: forest-ashrama vicinity

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.143 (Rāma-kathā sequence continuing through Sītā-haraṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Shurpanakha

FAQs

What is the importance of the Śūrpaṇakhā episode in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse uses an Itihāsa example to show how adharma (violent predation) is checked by dharmic protection, with Rāma preventing harm by decisive action.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it is a moral illustration—predatory, harmful intent is treated as adharma and is restrained; such narratives support the Purāṇa’s broader emphasis that actions have consequences shaping one’s fate.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid harm and exploitation, and uphold protective boundaries against wrongdoing—dharma includes preventing injury to others and stopping destructive behavior.