Ramayana — Aranya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 22

शूर्पणखाविरूपणम्

The Disfigurement of Śūrpaṇakhā

Devanagari script

निकृत्तकर्णनासा तु विस्वरं सा विनद्य च।यथागतं प्रदुद्राव घोरा शूर्पणखा वनम्।।।।

Transliteration

nikṛttakarṇanāsā tu visvaraṃ sā vinadya ca |

yathāgataṃ pradudrāva ghorā śūrpaṇakhā vanam ||

Translation

காதும் மூக்கும் வெட்டப்பட்ட அந்தப் பயங்கர சூர்ப்பணகை கரகரப்பான குரலில் அலறிக்கொண்டு, வந்த வழியே காட்டிற்குள் ஓடிப் போனாள்.

Word by Word

• nikṛttakarṇanāsā: with ears and nose cut off
• nikṛttakarṇanāsā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikṛttakarṇanāsā (प्रातिपदिक) = ni-kṛtta + karṇa + nāsā
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'nikṛtte karṇe nāsā ca yasyāḥ' (whose ears and nose are cut off); nikṛtta = PPP from √kṛt (कृत्/कर्त्) with ni-

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (निपातः), adversative/emphatic

• visvaram: hoarsely
• visvaram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: visvara (विस्वर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Used adverbially (क्रियाविशेषणवत्), accusative singular neuter functioning as adverb: 'in a hoarse/discordant voice'

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana

• vinadya: having cried out
• vinadya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nad (नद् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), with upasarga vi-; 'having cried out'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चयः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• yathāgatam: as she had come
• yathāgatam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāgata (यथागत प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound used adverbially: yathā + āgata; accusative singular neuter as adverb = 'as (she) came/just as before'

• pradudrāva: ran away
• pradudrāva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dru (द्रु धातु)
• Form: Liṭ lakāra (Perfect), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; with upasarga pra-

• ghorā: dreadful
• ghorā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (घोर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying śūrpaṇakhā

• śūrpaṇakhā: Śūrpaṇakhā
• śūrpaṇakhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūrpaṇakhā (शूर्पणखा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; proper name

• vanam: to the forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (वन प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka (n.), Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Ekavacana

Context

Dreadful Surpanakha with her ears and nose cut off, roared in a hoarse voice and ranaway into the forest in the same direction as she came.

Characters & Entities

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Adharma brings immediate consequence: violent aggression rebounds upon the aggressor, and society is safeguarded when danger is driven away.

What is the narrative situation?

After being disfigured, Śūrpaṇakhā screams and retreats into the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The protective effectiveness of decisive action—harm is halted and the threat withdraws.