Shurpanakha's Lament to Khara

Shloka 1 (aranya.19.1)

ताम् तथा पतिताम् दृष्ट्वा विरूपाम् शोणित उक्षिताम् | भगिनीम् क्रोध संतप्तः खरः पप्रच्छ्ह राक्षसः ॥ 19.1 ॥

tām tathā patitām dṛṣṭvā virūpām śoṇita ukṣitām | bhaginīm krodha saṃtaptaḥ kharaḥ papracchha rākṣasaḥ || 19.1 ||

Seeing his sister thus fallen before him, misshapen and drenched in blood, the demon Khara, burning with rage, questioned her.

Shloka 2 (aranya.19.2)

उत्तिष्ठ तावत् आख्याहि प्रमोहम् जहि संभ्रमम् | व्यक्तम् आख्याहि केन त्वम् एवम् रूपा विरूपिता ॥ 19.2 ॥

uttiṣṭha tāvat ākhyāhi pramoham jahi saṃbhramam | vyaktam ākhyāhi kena tvam evam rūpā virūpitā || 19.2 ||

"Rise, and first tell me — put away your fright and confusion, and say plainly by whom you have been disfigured in this way.

Shloka 3 (aranya.19.3)

कः कृष्ण सर्पम् असीनम् आशी विषम नागसम् | तुदति अभिसमापन्नम् अ.ंगुलि अग्रेण लीलया ॥ 19.3 ॥

kaḥ kṛṣṇa sarpam asīnam āśī viṣama nāgasam | tudati abhisamāpannam a.ṃguli agreṇa līlayā || 19.3 ||

Who is it that, for mere sport, pokes with his fingertip at a black, venom-fanged serpent that has drawn near while offering no offence?

Shloka 4 (aranya.19.4)

काल पाशम् समासज्य कण्ठे मोहात् न जानते | यः त्वाम् अद्य समासाद्य पीतवान् विषम् उत्तमम् ॥ 19.4 ॥

kāla pāśam samāsajya kaṇṭhe mohāt na jānate | yaḥ tvām adya samāsādya pītavān viṣam uttamam || 19.4 ||

Who, in accosting you this day, has, unknowingly, swallowed the deadliest of poisons, or in his folly fastened the very noose of Death about his own neck?

Shloka 5 (aranya.19.5)

बल विक्रम संपन्ना कामगा काम रूपिणी | इमाम् अवस्थाम् नीता त्वम् केन अंतक समा गता ॥ 19.5 ॥

bala vikrama saṃpannā kāmagā kāma rūpiṇī | imām avasthām nītā tvam kena aṃtaka samā gatā || 19.5 ||

Gifted with strength and prowess, a rover at will, a changer of shape at your pleasure, the very equal of Death — to whom did you go, and by whom have you been brought to this plight?

Shloka 6 (aranya.19.6)

देव गन्धर्व भूतानाम् ऋषीणाम् च महात्मनाम् | को अयम् एवम् महावीर्यः त्वाम् विरूपाम् चकार ह ॥ 19.6 ॥

deva gandharva bhūtānām ṛṣīṇām ca mahātmanām | ko ayam evam mahāvīryaḥ tvām virūpām cakāra ha || 19.6 ||

Who is this being of such tremendous might, among gods, gandharvas, other beings, or even great-souled sages, who has dared to disfigure you thus?

Shloka 7 (aranya.19.7)

न हि पश्यामि अहम् लोके यः कुर्यात् मम विप्रियम् | अमरेषु सहस्राक्षम् महएन्द्रम् पाकशासनम् ॥ 19.7 ॥

na hi paśyāmi aham loke yaḥ kuryāt mama vipriyam | amareṣu sahasrākṣam mahaendram pākaśāsanam || 19.7 ||

For indeed I see none in this world who could bring displeasure upon me — not even among the immortals, not even thousand-eyed Indra, the queller of the demon Paka.

Shloka 8 (aranya.19.8)

अद्य अहम् मार्गणैः प्राणान् आदास्ये जीवितांतगैः | सलिले क्षीरम् आसक्तम् निष्पिबन् इव सारसः ॥ 19.8 ॥

adya aham mārgaṇaiḥ prāṇān ādāsye jīvitāṃtagaiḥ | salile kṣīram āsaktam niṣpiban iva sārasaḥ || 19.8 ||

This very day I shall take the life of that wretch with arrows that end all life, as a swan draws pure milk to the last drop even when mingled with water.

Shloka 9 (aranya.19.9)

निहतस्य मया संख्ये शर संकृत्त मर्मणः | सफेनम् रुधिरम् कस्य मेदिनी पातुम् इच्छ्हसि ॥ 19.9 ॥

nihatasya mayā saṃkhye śara saṃkṛtta marmaṇaḥ | saphenam rudhiram kasya medinī pātum icchhasi || 19.9 ||

Whose frothing blood, once I have cut through his vital organs with my arrows and felled him in combat, does the earth long to drink?

Shloka 10 (aranya.19.10)

कस्य पत्ररथाः कायात् मांसम् उत्कृत्य संगताः | प्रहृष्टा भक्षयिष्यन्ति निहतस्य मया रणे ॥ 19.10 ॥

kasya patrarathāḥ kāyāt māṃsam utkṛtya saṃgatāḥ | prahṛṣṭā bhakṣayiṣyanti nihatasya mayā raṇe || 19.10 ||

From whose body, once I have slain him in battle, will the birds of the air gladly gather to tear the flesh and feast?

Shloka 11 (aranya.19.11)

तम् न देवा न गंधर्वा न पिशाचा न राक्षसाः | मया अपकृष्टम् कृपणम् शक्ताः त्रातुम् इह आहवे ॥ 19.11 ॥

tam na devā na gaṃdharvā na piśācā na rākṣasāḥ | mayā apakṛṣṭam kṛpaṇam śaktāḥ trātum iha āhave || 19.11 ||

That wretch, once brought down by me here in battle, neither gods, nor gandharvas, nor evil spirits, nor demons shall be able to save.

Shloka 12 (aranya.19.12)

उपलभ्य शनैः संज्ञाम् तम् मे शंसितुम् अर्हसि | येन त्वम् दुर्विनीतेन वने विक्रम्य निर्जिता ॥ 19.12 ॥

upalabhya śanaiḥ saṃjñām tam me śaṃsitum arhasi | yena tvam durvinītena vane vikramya nirjitā || 19.12 ||

Recover yourself slowly, and then it behoves you to tell me — by what base and ill-mannered creature were you overpowered and worsted in the forest?"

Shloka 13 (aranya.19.13)

इति भ्रातुर् वचः श्रुत्वा क्रुद्धस्य च विशेषतः | ततः शूर्पणखा वाक्यम् सबाष्पम् इदम् अब्रवीत् ॥ 19.13 ॥

iti bhrātur vacaḥ śrutvā kruddhasya ca viśeṣataḥ | tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā vākyam sabāṣpam idam abravīt || 19.13 ||

Hearing these words of her brother, so full of especial fury, Shurpanakha then spoke these words, weeping:

Shloka 14 (aranya.19.14)

तरुणौ रूप संपन्नौ सुकूमारौ महाबलौ | पुण्डरीक विशालाक्षौ चीर कृष्ण अजिन अंबरौ ॥ 19.14 ॥

taruṇau rūpa saṃpannau sukūmārau mahābalau | puṇḍarīka viśālākṣau cīra kṛṣṇa ajina aṃbarau || 19.14 ||

"Two young men, endowed with beauty, delicate yet mighty, lotus-eyed and broad of gaze, clad in bark-garments and black deerskin,

Shloka 15 (aranya.19.15)

फल मूल अशिनौ दान्तौ तापसौ ब्रह्मचारिणौ | पुत्रौ दशरथस्य आस्ताम् भ्रातरौ राम लक्ष्मनौ ॥ 19.15 ॥

phala mūla aśinau dāntau tāpasau brahmacāriṇau | putrau daśarathasya āstām bhrātarau rāma lakṣmanau || 19.15 ||

subsisting on fruit and roots, self-controlled ascetics, celibate — they are the sons of Dasharatha, the brothers Rama and Lakshmana.

Shloka 16 (aranya.19.16)

गन्धर्व राज प्रतिमौ पार्थिव व्यन्जन अन्वितौ | देवौ वा दानवौ - मानुषौ - वा तौ न तर्कयितुम् उत्सहे ॥ 19.16 ॥

gandharva rāja pratimau pārthiva vyanjana anvitau | devau vā dānavau - mānuṣau - vā tau na tarkayitum utsahe || 19.16 ||

Rivalling the kings of the gandharvas, bearing every mark of royalty, I could not tell whether the two of them were gods or demons.

Shloka 17 (aranya.19.17)

तरुणी रूपसंपन्ना सर्वाअभरण भूषिता | दृष्टा तत्र मया नारी तयोर् मध्ये सुमध्यमा ॥ 19.17 ॥

taruṇī rūpasaṃpannā sarvāabharaṇa bhūṣitā | dṛṣṭā tatra mayā nārī tayor madhye sumadhyamā || 19.17 ||

There, between the two of them, I saw a young woman, richly beautiful and adorned with every ornament, of the loveliest waist.

Shloka 18 (aranya.19.18)

ताभ्याम् उभाभ्याम् संभूय प्रमदाम् अधिकृत्य ताम् | इमाम् अवस्थाम् नीता अहम् यथा अनाथा सती तथा ॥ 19.18 ॥

tābhyām ubhābhyām saṃbhūya pramadām adhikṛtya tām | imām avasthām nītā aham yathā anāthā satī tathā || 19.18 ||

It was on account of that woman that, the two of them acting together, I have been reduced to this plight, like a helpless woman without a protector.

Shloka 19 (aranya.19.19)

तस्याः च अनृजु वृत्तायाः तयोः च हतयोर् अहम् | सफेनम् पातुम् इच्छ्हामि रुधिरम् रण मूर्धनि ॥ 19.19 ॥

tasyāḥ ca anṛju vṛttāyāḥ tayoḥ ca hatayor aham | saphenam pātum icchhāmi rudhiram raṇa mūrdhani || 19.19 ||

I long to drink, at the head of the battle, the frothing blood of that scheming woman, together with that of the two men once they are slain.

Shloka 20 (aranya.19.20)

एष मे प्रथमः कामः कृतः तत्र त्वया भवेत् | तस्याः तयोः च रुधिरम् पिबेयम् अहम् आहवे ॥ 19.20 ॥

eṣa me prathamaḥ kāmaḥ kṛtaḥ tatra tvayā bhavet | tasyāḥ tayoḥ ca rudhiram pibeyam aham āhave || 19.20 ||

This is my foremost desire — let it be fulfilled by you: that in battle I myself may drink the blood of her and of those two."

Shloka 21 (aranya.19.21)

इति तस्याम् ब्रुवाणायाम् चतुर् दश महाबलान् | व्यादिदेश खरः क्रुद्धो राक्षसान् अंतकोपमान् ॥ 19.21 ॥

iti tasyām bruvāṇāyām catur daśa mahābalān | vyādideśa kharaḥ kruddho rākṣasān aṃtakopamān || 19.21 ||

While she was speaking thus, Khara, enraged, summoned fourteen demons of great might, each the equal of Death.

Shloka 22 (aranya.19.22)

मानुषौ शस्त्र संपन्नौ चीर कृष्ण अजिन अंबरौ | प्रविष्टौ दण्डकारण्यम् घोरम् प्रमदया सह ॥ 19.22 ॥

mānuṣau śastra saṃpannau cīra kṛṣṇa ajina aṃbarau | praviṣṭau daṇḍakāraṇyam ghoram pramadayā saha || 19.22 ||

"Two human men, armed with weapons, clad in bark and black deerskin, have entered, together with a young woman, this dreadful Dandaka forest.

Shloka 23 (aranya.19.23)

तौ हत्वा ताम् च दुर्वृत्ताम् उपावर्तितुम् अर्हथ | इयम् च रुधिरम् तेषाम् भगिनी मम पास्यति ॥ 19.23 ॥

tau hatvā tām ca durvṛttām upāvartitum arhatha | iyam ca rudhiram teṣām bhaginī mama pāsyati || 19.23 ||

Having slain the two of them, and that wayward woman as well, you shall return; and their blood this sister of mine shall drink.

Shloka 24 (aranya.19.24)

मनोरथो अयम् इष्टो अस्या भगिन्या मम राक्षसाः | शीघ्रम् संपद्यताम् गत्वा तौ प्रमथ्य स्व तेजसा ॥ 19.24 ॥

manoratho ayam iṣṭo asyā bhaginyā mama rākṣasāḥ | śīghram saṃpadyatām gatvā tau pramathya sva tejasā || 19.24 ||

This, O demons, is the cherished desire of my sister — go swiftly and, crushing those two by your own might, fulfil it at once."

Shloka 25 (aranya.19.25)

युष्माबिः निर्हतो दृष्ट्वा तौ उभौ भ्रातौ रणे | इयम् प्रहृष्टा मुदिता रुधिरम् युधि पास्यति ॥ 19.25 ॥

yuṣmābiḥ nirhato dṛṣṭvā tau ubhau bhrātau raṇe | iyam prahṛṣṭā muditā rudhiram yudhi pāsyati || 19.25 ||

"Seeing that you have flatly slain those two brothers in battle, she, overjoyed and delighted, shall drink their blood upon the field."

Shloka 26 (aranya.19.26)

इति प्रतिसमादिष्टा राक्षसाः ते चतुर् दश | तत्र जग्मुः तया सार्धम् घना वातेरिताः यथा ॥ 19.26 ॥

iti pratisamādiṣṭā rākṣasāḥ te catur daśa | tatra jagmuḥ tayā sārdham ghanā vāteritāḥ yathā || 19.26 ||

Thus commanded, those fourteen demons set out together with her, like storm-driven clouds swept along by the gale.

Shloka 27 (aranya.19.27)

ततस्तु ते तम् समुदर्ग तेजसम् तथापि तीक्ष्ण प्रदरा निशाचरा | न शेकुर् एनम् सहसा प्रमर्दितुम् वनद्विपा दीप्त्वम् इव अग्निम् उथितम् ॥ 19.27 ॥

tatastu te tam samudarga tejasam tathāpi tīkṣṇa pradarā niśācarā | na śekur enam sahasā pramarditum vanadvipā dīptvam iva agnim uthitam || 19.27 ||

But then those night-roving demons, for all their sharp arrows, proved unable to overpower him whose splendour blazed ever higher — even as wild forest elephants prove unable to master a roaring, rising wildfire.