Shloka 11

शूर्पणखाविरूपणम्

The Disfigurement of Śūrpaṇakhā

Devanagari script

एनां विरूपामसतीं करालां निर्णतोदरीम्।भार्यां वृद्धां परित्यज्य त्वामेवैष भजिष्यति।।।।

Transliteration

enāṃ virūpām asatīṃ karālāṃ nirṇatodarīm | bhāryāṃ vṛddhāṃ parityajya tvām evaiṣa bhajiṣyati ||

Translation

เขาจะทอดทิ้งภรรยาชราผู้อัปลักษณ์ ไร้สัตย์ น่าหวาดหวั่น และท้องย้อยนั้น แล้วจักเลือกยึดถือแต่ท่านผู้เดียว

Word by Word

• एनाम्: her/this woman
• एनाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: enad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• विरूपाम्: ugly/deformed
• विरूपाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• असतीम्: unchaste/immoral
• असतीम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• करालाम्: terrible/fierce-looking
• करालाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निर्णतोदरीम्: drooping-bellied
• निर्णतोदरीम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirṇata + udarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: निर्णतं उदरं यस्याः (drooping-bellied)

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वृद्धाम्: old
• वृद्धाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + √tyaj (त्यज् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle: only/indeed)

• एषः: this man/he
• एषः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भजिष्यति: will choose/accept
• भजिष्यति: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhaj (भज् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Context

He will abandon this ugly-looking, unchaste, frightening old woman of drooping belly and accept you alone as his wife.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rāma
• Sītā (implied as the ‘wife’ being maligned)

FAQs

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

It demonstrates adharma in speech—falsehood and insult—showing how verbal harm can inflame conflict; the narrative warns that satya and restraint prevent escalation.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa intensifies the joke by disparaging the existing wife (Sītā), leading Śūrpaṇakhā to believe she has a chance with Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative lesson: the danger of uncontrolled speech (vāg-doṣa) and the ease with which desire turns credulous.