Shloka 17

खर

शूर्पणखा-संवादः | Khara and Surpanakha: Lament, Reproach, and the Janasthana Crisis

Devanagari script

शूरमानी न शूरस्त्वं मिथ्यारोपितविक्रमः।।।।मानुषौ यो न शक्नोषि हन्तुं तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।

Transliteration

śūramānī na śūras tvaṁ mithyāropitavikramaḥ | mānuṣau yo na śaknoṣi hantuṁ tau rāmalakṣmaṇau ||

Translation

เจ้าคุยอวดว่าตนเป็นวีรบุรุษ แต่แท้จริงเจ้าไม่ใช่วีรบุรุษ—ความกล้าหาญของเจ้าเป็นเพียงคำอ้างลวง—เพราะแม้แต่มนุษย์สองคนนั้น คือพระรามและพระลักษมณ์ เจ้าก็ยังฆ่าไม่ได้

Word by Word

• शूरमानी: (you) hero-pretender
• शूरमानी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूरमानी (प्रातिपदिक: शूर + मानी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; 'one who thinks (himself) a hero'

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• शूरः: a hero
• शूरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate nominative

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular pronoun

• मिथ्यारोपितविक्रमः: with falsely claimed prowess
• मिथ्यारोपितविक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिथ्या-आरोपित-विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक: मिथ्या + आरोपित + विक्रम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective to त्वम्; 'whose valour is falsely ascribed'

• मानुषौ: two humans
• मानुषौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Accusative dual

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Relative pronoun, Nominative singular

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• शक्नोषि: are able
• शक्नोषि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 2nd sg: you are able

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (Infinitive), 'to kill'

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Accusative dual

• रामलक्ष्मणौ: Rama and Lakshmana
• रामलक्ष्मणौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम-लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक: राम + लक्ष्मण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Accusative dual; dvandva naming the pair

Context

You call yourself a hero, yet are not able to kill two humans like Rama and Lakshmana. Your claim to heroism is false. You are not a hero at all.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Khara

FAQs

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

The verse warns indirectly that pride without substance leads to moral and practical collapse. Dharma requires integrity—claims of strength should align with reality and righteous purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā shames Khara by calling his heroism false because Rama and Lakshmana—mere ‘humans’ in her framing—remain undefeated.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By negative example, it emphasizes authentic valor joined with truth; empty boasting (mithyā-vikrama) is condemned.