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Shloka 25

अरण्यकाण्डे द्वात्रिंशः सर्गः

Śūrpaṇakhā’s Report to Rāvaṇa and the Panegyric of His Might

तमब्रवीद्दीप्तविशाललोचनं प्रदर्शयित्वा भयमोहमूर्छिता।सुदारुणं वाक्यमभीतचारिणी महात्मना शूर्पणखा विरूपिता।।।।

tam abravīd dīpta-viśāla-locanaṃ pradarśayitvā bhaya-moha-mūrchitā | sudāruṇaṃ vākyam abhīta-cāriṇī mahātmanā śūrpaṇakhā virūpitā ||

മഹാത്മാവായ ലക്ഷ്മണൻ വികൃതമാക്കിയ ശൂർപ്പണഖ—മുമ്പ് നിർഭയമായി സഞ്ചരിച്ചവൾ—ഇപ്പോൾ ഭയം, മോഹം, മൂർച്ച എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് വിറങ്ങലിച്ച്, തന്റെ വികൃതിയെ കാണിച്ചുകൊണ്ട്, ദീപ്തവും വിശാലവുമായ കണ്ണുകളുള്ളവനോട് (രാവണനോട്) അത്യന്തം ദാരുണമായ വാക്കുകൾ പറഞ്ഞു.

ततःthen
ततः:
Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)
शूर्पणखाŚūrpaṇakhā
शूर्पणखा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootशूर्पणखा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन
दीनाdistressed
दीना:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootदीन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; adjective to 'शूर्पणखा'
रावणम्Rāvaṇa
रावणम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootरावण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन
लोक-रावणम्one who makes the world cry
लोक-रावणम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootलोक + रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective to 'रावणम्' (making the world cry)
अमात्य-मध्येin the midst of ministers
अमात्य-मध्ये:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअमात्य + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative singular (in the midst of ministers)
सङ्क्रुद्धाenraged
सङ्क्रुद्धा:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्-√क्रुध् (धातु)
Formकृदन्त (क्त, PPP: सङ्क्रुद्ध); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'enraged'
परुषम्harsh
परुषम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective to 'वाक्यम्'
वाक्यम्speech; words
वाक्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन
अब्रवीत्spoke
अब्रवीत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (धातु)
Formलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; imperfect 3rd singular

Wearing burnished golden ear-rings, he looked bright like the glittering vaidurya. And with his well-formed arms, white teeth and wide mouth, he looked like a mountain.

Ś
Śūrpaṇakhā
L
Lakṣmaṇa
R
Rāvaṇa

FAQs

The verse illustrates how suffering can intensify adharma when it turns into cruel speech and vengeful intent. Dharma calls for truth and restraint in speech, even amid pain.

After being disfigured in the forest, Śūrpaṇakhā reaches Rāvaṇa and, showing her mutilation, speaks harshly to provoke him.

By contrast, the need for vāg-saṃyama (discipline of speech) is emphasized; Śūrpaṇakhā’s lapse into cruel words highlights how fear and delusion can eclipse discernment.