Shloka 10
शूर्पणखाया आगमनम्
Surpanakha Approaches Rama
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।।।।
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 ||
Rama berwajah elok; dia berwajah hodoh. Rama berpinggang ramping; dia berperut besar. Mata Rama luas; matanya cacat. Rambut Rama indah; rambutnya merah tembaga. Rama menawan; dia menjijikkan. Suara Rama merdu; suaranya garau dan menggerunkan. Rama muda; dia tua yang mengerikan. Rama sopan dan lurus; dia berkata songsang. Rama adil dalam laku; dia amat jahat. Dikuasai nafsu jasmani, rākṣasī itu pun berkata-kata kepada Rama.
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 :
FAQs
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.
The narrator introduces Śūrpaṇakhā’s lustful approach by contrasting her traits with Rāma’s virtues, immediately before she addresses him.
Rāma’s nyāya-vṛtti—upright, just conduct—set against Śūrpaṇakhā’s uncontrolled kāma and distorted speech.