Shloka 10

शूर्पणखाया आगमनम्

Surpanakha Approaches Rama

Devanagari script

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।।।।

Transliteration

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 ||

Translation

രാമൻ സുമുഖൻ; അവൾ ദുർമുഖി. രാമൻ സുന്ദരമായി മദ്ധ്യഭാഗം ചുരുങ്ങിയവൻ; അവൾ മഹോദരി. രാമന്റെ കണ്ണുകൾ വിശാലം; അവളുടെത് വിരൂപം. രാമന്റെ മുടി മനോഹരം; അവളുടെത് ചെമ്പുനിറം. രാമൻ പ്രീതിരൂപൻ; അവൾ വികൃതരൂപിണി. രാമന്റെ സ്വരം മധുരം; അവളുടെത് ഭൈരവവും കഠോരവും. രാമൻ യൗവനവാൻ; അവൾ ദാരുണമായ വൃദ്ധ. രാമൻ ദക്ഷിണനും വിനയശീലനും; അവൾ വാമഭാഷിണി. രാമൻ ന്യായവൃത്തൻ; അവൾ അത്യന്തം ദുഷ്ടവൃത്ത. രാമൻ പ്രിയദർശി; അവൾ അപ്രിയദർശിനി. ശരീരജന്യ കാമത്തിൽ ആകുലയായ ആ രാക്ഷസി രാമനോട് ഇങ്ങനെ വചനം പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'thus')

• uktaḥ: addressed/asked
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: past participle (क्त, PPP) from vac; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'having been spoken to/asked'

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• rākṣasyā: by the demoness
• rākṣasyā: Kartṛ (कर्ता-करणे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd) Ekavacana (agent/instrument: 'by the demoness')

• śūrpaṇakhyā: by Surpanakha
• śūrpaṇakhyā: Kartṛ (कर्ता-करणे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūrpaṇakhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; proper noun

• parantapaḥ: scorcher of foes (Rama)
• parantapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parantapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; उपाधि/बहुव्रीहि-प्रायः; अर्थः 'foe-scorcher'

• ṛju-buddhitayā: due to straightforwardness
• ṛju-buddhitayā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛju (प्रातिपदिक) + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + -tā (तद्धित)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; भाववाचक तद्धित (-tā); तत्पुरुषः (ṛjubuddheḥ bhāvena)

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• ākhyātum: to tell
• ākhyātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-khyā (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-infinitive (तुमुन्)

• upacakrame: began
• upacakrame: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-kram (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ? actually Laṅ/Perfect-like form in epic: upacakrame = Perfect (Liṭ/लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada

Context

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 :

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rākṣasī (demoness)

FAQs

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

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.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator introduces Śūrpaṇakhā’s lustful approach by contrasting her traits with Rāma’s virtues, immediately before she addresses him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s nyāya-vṛtti—upright, just conduct—set against Śūrpaṇakhā’s uncontrolled kāma and distorted speech.