Shloka 7

शूर्पणखाया आगमनम्

Surpanakha Approaches Rama

Devanagari script

सिंहोरस्कं महाबाहुं पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणम्।आजानुबाहुं दीप्तास्यमतीव प्रियदर्शनम्।।।।गजविक्रान्तगमनं जटामण्डलधारिणम्।सुकुमारं महासत्त्वं पार्थिवव्यञ्जनान्वितम्।।।।राममिन्दीवरश्यामं कन्दर्पसदृशप्रभम्।बभूवेन्द्रोपमं दृष्ट्वा राक्षसी काममोहिता।।।।

Transliteration

siṃhoraskaṃ mahābāhuṃ padmapatranibhekṣaṇam | ājānubāhuṃ dīptāsyam atīva priyadarśanam || gajavikrāntagamanaṃ jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇam | sukumāraṃ mahāsattvaṃ pārthivavyañjanānvitam || rāmam indīvaraśyāmaṃ kandarpasadṛśaprabham | babhūvendropamaṃ dṛṣṭvā rākṣasī kāmamohitā ||

Translation

เมื่อเห็นพระรามผู้มีอกผายไหล่ผึ้งดั่งราชสีห์ มีพระเนตรดั่งกลีบบัว และงดงามดั่งกามเทพ นางยักษ์ก็หลงใหลด้วยความรัก

Word by Word

• siṃha-uraskam: having a lion-like chest
• siṃha-uraskam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + uras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (siṃhasya uras iva)

• mahā-bāhum: mighty-armed
• mahā-bāhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; कर्मधारयः (mahān bāhuḥ yasya)

• padma-patra-nibha-īkṣaṇam: whose eyes resemble lotus petals
• padma-patra-nibha-īkṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक) + nibha (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (padmapatrasya nibham īkṣaṇam yasya)

• ā-jānu-bāhum: with arms reaching the knees
• ā-jānu-bāhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā (उपसर्ग) + jānu (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः प्रयोगः: ā-jānu (up to the knees) + bāhu; अर्थः: 'jānūparyanta-bāhuḥ'

• dīpta-āsyam: with a radiant face
• dīpta-āsyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīpta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; कर्मधारयः (dīptam āsyaṃ yasya)

• atīva: exceedingly
• atīva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण-अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/परिमाणवाचक (adverb of degree)

• priya-darśanam: pleasing to behold
• priya-darśanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; कर्मधारयः (priyam darśanam yasya)

• gaja-vikrānta-gamanam: having an elephant-like gait
• gaja-vikrānta-gamanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrānta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + gamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (gajasya vikrāntaṃ gamanam iva yasya)

• jaṭā-maṇḍala-dhāriṇam: wearing a circle of matted hair
• jaṭā-maṇḍala-dhāriṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (jaṭāmaṇḍalaṃ dhārayati iti)

• sukumāram: delicate, tender
• sukumāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• mahā-sattvam: of great strength/valor
• mahā-sattvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; कर्मधारयः (mahat sattvam yasya)

• pārthiva-vyañjana-anvitam: endowed with royal marks
• pārthiva-vyañjana-anvitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक) + vyañjana (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (pārthivasya vyañjanaiḥ anvitaḥ)

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• indīvara-śyāmam: dark like a blue lotus
• indīvara-śyāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: indīvara (प्रातिपदिक) + śyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; कर्मधारयः (indīvara-iva śyāmaḥ)

• kandarpa-sadṛśa-prabham: radiant like Cupid
• kandarpa-sadṛśa-prabham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kandarpa (प्रातिपदिक) + sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhā/prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (kandarpasya sadṛśī prabhā yasya)

• babhūva: became
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, Imperfect/Past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• indra-upamam: like Indra
• indra-upamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (indra-sadṛśam)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्ययभाव), 'having seen'

• rākṣasī: the demoness
• rākṣasī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• kāma-mohitā: deluded by desire
• kāma-mohitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + mohita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (kāmena mohitā)

Context

Thus addressed, Rama, skilled in speech, laughed and started speaking to that woman of bewitching eyes.इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे सप्तदशस्सर्गः।।Thus ends the seventeenth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Śūrpaṇakhā (implied as rākṣasī)
• Indra
• Kandarpa (Kāma)

FAQs

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

Uncontrolled kāma (desire) clouds discernment; dharma requires mastery over attraction and the ability to see persons rightly, not as objects of impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

The poet describes Rāma’s appearance in detail to explain why Śūrpaṇakhā becomes infatuated and approaches him with improper intent.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s royal-luminous bearing even in exile—outer splendour reflecting inner steadiness—contrasted with Śūrpaṇakhā’s desire-driven delusion.