Shloka 13

शूर्पणखाया आगमनम्

Surpanakha Approaches Rama

Devanagari script

जटी तापसरूपेण सभार्यश्शरचापधृत्।आगतस्त्वमिमं देशं कथं राक्षससेवितम्।।।।किमागमनकृत्यं ते तत्त्वमाख्यातुमर्हसि।

Transliteration

jaṭī tāpasarūpeṇa sabhāryaḥ śaracāpadhṛt | āgatas tvam imaṃ deśaṃ kathaṃ rākṣasasevitam || kim āgamanakṛtyaṃ te tattvam ākhyātum arhasi |

Translation

ജടാധാരിയായി തപസ്വിയുടെ വേഷം ധരിച്ചു, ഭാര്യയോടുകൂടി വില്ലും അമ്പും കൈവശം വച്ച് നീ—രാക്ഷസർ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന ഈ ദേശത്തിലേക്ക് എങ്ങനെ വന്നു? വരവിന്റെ ഉദ്ദേശം എന്ത്? സത്യമായ തത്ത്വം എനിക്കു പറയേണ്ടതാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• जटी: having matted hair
• जटी: कर्तृ (subject-complement to त्वम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative, singular)

• तापसरूपेण: in the form/guise of an ascetic
• तापसरूपेण: करण (instrument/means: 'in the guise of')
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस + रूप (प्रातिपदिकयोः समासः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (neut., instrumental, singular); समासः: तापसस्य रूपम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सभार्यः: with (your) wife
• सभार्यः: कर्तृ (attribute of त्वम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक; उपपद-समासभावः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative, singular); समासार्थः: भार्यया सह (सह-समास/उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• शरचापधृत्: holding arrows and bow
• शरचापधृत्: कर्तृ (attribute of त्वम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर + चाप + धृ (धातु) → धृत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative, singular); कृदन्तः: धृ-धातोः कृत्-प्रत्ययः 'क्विप्' (धृत् = धारयन्/धारकः); समासः: शरौ च चापं च (द्वन्द्व) + धृत् (उपपद-समासभावः)

• आगतः: having come / have come
• आगतः: क्रिया (predicate of त्वम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त-भूतकृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययः), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (past participle used predicatively: 'has come')

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रयोगः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (pronoun, nominative, singular)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: कर्म (object of implied motion 'to/into')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., accusative, singular); देशम् इति विशेषणम्

• देशम्: place, region
• देशम्: कर्म (goal/place reached with आगतः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., accusative, singular)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: क्रियाविशेषण (modifies आगतः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययम् (interrogative adverb)

• राक्षससेवितम्: frequented/haunted by demons
• राक्षससेवितम्: विशेषण (qualifies देशम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राक्षस + सेवित (सेव् धातु → क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., accusative, singular); कृदन्तः: सेव्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययः (सेवित = सेवितः/आसेवितः); समासः: राक्षसैः सेवितम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• किम्: what
• किम्: विशेषण (interrogative qualifier of आगमनकृत्यम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (neut., nominative/accusative, singular); आगमनकृत्यम् इति विशेषणम्

• आगमनकृत्यम्: purpose/reason for coming
• आगमनकृत्यम्: कर्म/विषय (object/topic of आख्यातुम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगमन + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिकयोः समासः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (neut., nominative, singular); समासः: आगमनस्य कृत्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ते: your (of you)
• ते: सम्बन्ध (possessor: 'your')
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (genitive, singular)

• तत्त्वम्: truth, reality
• तत्त्वम्: कर्म (object of आख्यातुम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (neut., accusative, singular)

• आख्यातुम्: to tell, to explain
• आख्यातुम्: प्रयोजन (complement to अर्हसि: 'ought to')
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु) → आख्यातुम्
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तः (infinitive), क्रियार्थक-अव्ययभावः (to tell/declare)

• अर्हसि: you should / you are fit to
• अर्हसि: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), मध्यम-पुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम् (singular); परस्मैपदम्

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

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rāma
• Rākṣasas
• Bow
• Arrows

FAQs

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

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.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā confronts the ascetic-looking Rāma—armed and with Sītā—and questions his presence in a demon-haunted forest, pressing him to explain.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s commitment to truthful disclosure is foreshadowed by the explicit request for tattva (truth).