Shloka 1

अरण्यकाण्डे द्वात्रिंशः सर्गः

Śūrpaṇakhā’s Report to Rāvaṇa and the Panegyric of His Might

Devanagari script

ततश्शूर्पणखा दृष्ट्वा सहस्राणि चतुर्दश।हतान्येकेन रामेण रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्।।।।दूषणं च खरं चैव हतं त्रिशिरसा सह।दृष्ट्वा पुनर्महानादं ननाद जलदो यथा।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā dṛṣṭvā sahasrāṇi caturdaśa | hatāny ekena rāmeṇa rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām ||

dūṣaṇaṃ ca kharaṃ caiva hataṃ triśirasā saha | dṛṣṭvā punar mahānādaṃ nanāda jalado yathā ||

Translation

แล้วศูรปณขาเห็นว่า รามเพียงผู้เดียวได้สังหารยักษ์ผู้กระทำการอันน่าสะพรึงกลัวถึงหนึ่งหมื่นสี่พันตน และเห็นทูษณะกับขระ พร้อมทั้งตรีศิระถูกฆ่าลงแล้ว นางจึงคำรามอีกครั้งด้วยเสียงกึกก้องดุจเมฆฝนคำรน

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; temporal adverb

• śūrpaṇakhā: Śūrpaṇakhā
• śūrpaṇakhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūrpaṇakhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), 'having seen'

• sahasrāṇi: thousands
• sahasrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; with numeral caturdaśa: 'thousands'

• caturdaśa: fourteen
• caturdaśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral; indeclinable-like in many uses; here qualifying sahasrāṇi: 'fourteen' (द्विगु-समास as numeral formation)

• hatāni: killed
• hatāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √han धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; past passive participle qualifying sahasrāṇi: 'killed'

• ekena: by one (alone)
• ekena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; qualifying rāmeṇa: 'by one/alone'

• rāmeṇa: by Rāma
• rāmeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• rakṣasām: of demons
• rakṣasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• bhīma-karmaṇām: of terrible deeds
• bhīma-karmaṇām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; कर्मधारयः: 'terrible-deeded' qualifying rakṣasām

Context

Seeing Dusana, Khara and also Trisira along with the fourteen thousand demon warriors of terrific performance killed by Rama, single-handed, Surpanakha roared like a cloud.

Characters & Entities

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rāma
• Rākṣasas
• Dūṣaṇa
• Khara
• Triśiras

FAQs

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

Adharma-driven aggression meets rightful resistance; the verse frames the aftermath of violence initiated by rākṣasas and the resulting consequences, reinforcing accountability as a dharmic principle.

What is the narrative situation?

After the destruction of Khara’s force by Rāma, Śūrpaṇakhā reacts with furious grief and rage, setting up her move to incite Rāvaṇa further.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s valor and steadfastness in protecting the righteous in the forest; Śūrpaṇakhā’s reaction highlights uncontrolled passion rather than virtue.