Shloka 20

शूर्पणखाविरूपणम्

The Disfigurement of Śūrpaṇakhā

Devanagari script

इमां विरूपामसतीमतिमत्तां महोदरीम्।राक्षसीं पुरुषव्याघ्र विरूपयितुमर्हसि।।।।

Transliteration

imāṃ virūpām asatīm atimattāṃ mahodarīm |

rākṣasīṃ puruṣavyāghra virūpayitum arhasi ||

Translation

പുരുഷവ്യാഘ്രനേ! ഈ വിരൂപയായ, അസതിയായ, കാമമദത്തിൽ മത്തയായ, മഹോദരിയായ രാക്ഷസിയെ നീ വിരൂപമാക്കുന്നതു യുക്തമാണ്.

Word by Word

• imām: this (woman)
• imām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• virūpām: deformed/ugly
• virūpām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virūpa (विरूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifying imām/rākṣasīm

• asatīm: unchaste
• asatīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asatī (असती प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'unchaste/immoral woman'

• atimattām: wildly maddened
• atimattām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atimatta (अतिमत्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'excessively intoxicated/maddened'

• mahodarīm: big-bellied
• mahodarīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahodarī (महोदरी प्रातिपदिक) = mahā + udarī
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: 'mahān udaraḥ yasyāḥ'

• rākṣasīm: demoness
• rākṣasīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (राक्षसी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• puruṣavyāghra: O tiger among men
• puruṣavyāghra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधनम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣavyāghra (प्रातिपदिक) = puruṣa + vyāghra
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'puruṣāṇāṃ vyāghra iva'

• virūpayitum: to disfigure
• virūpayitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजनम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: virūpaya (विरूपय धातु-नामा/causative of virūpa)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्), 'to disfigure/deform'

• arhasi: you should
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; 'you ought/are fit'

Context

O tiger among men, this uncouth, big-bellied, unchaste and highly passionate demoness deserves to be formed.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Śūrpaṇakhā (rākṣasī)

FAQs

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

Dharma permits proportionate force (daṇḍa) to prevent ongoing harm; the intent is protection and deterrence when restraint alone is insufficient.

What is the narrative situation?

After Śūrpaṇakhā’s violent attack on Sītā, Rāma instructs Lakṣmaṇa to incapacitate her by disfiguring her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s role as protector and judge—he chooses a disabling punishment meant to stop further assault.