Shurpanakha Describes Rama and Sita, and Urges the Abduction

Shloka 1 (aranya.34.1)

ततः शूर्पणखां दृष्ट्वा ब्रुवन्तीं परुषं वचः । अमात्यमध्ये संक्रुद्धः परिपप्रच्छ रावणः ॥ 34.1 ॥

tataḥ śūrpaṇakhāṃ dṛṣṭvā bruvantīṃ paruṣaṃ vacaḥ | amātyamadhye saṃkruddhaḥ paripapraccha rāvaṇaḥ || 34.1 ||

Then, on seeing Shurpanakha speaking such harsh words in the presence of his ministers, Ravana, greatly enraged, questioned her.

Shloka 2 (aranya.34.2)

कश्च रामः कथंवीर्यः किंरूपः किंपराक्रमः । किमर्थं दण्डकारण्यं प्रविष्टश्च सुदुस्तरम् ॥ 34.2 ॥

kaśca rāmaḥ kathaṃvīryaḥ kiṃrūpaḥ kiṃparākramaḥ | kimarthaṃ daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ praviṣṭaśca sudustaram || 34.2 ||

"Who is this Rama? What is the measure of his might? What is his form? What is his valor? And for what purpose has he entered this well-nigh impassable Dandaka forest?

Shloka 3 (aranya.34.3)

आयुधं किं च रामस्य येन ते राक्षसा हताः । खरश्च निहतः संख्ये दूषणस्त्रिशिरास्तथा ॥ 34.3 ॥

āyudhaṃ kiṃ ca rāmasya yena te rākṣasā hatāḥ | kharaśca nihataḥ saṃkhye dūṣaṇastriśirāstathā || 34.3 ||

What weapon does that Rama wield, by which your demons were slain? In battle Khara too was killed, and Dushana, and Trishira as well.

Shloka 4 (aranya.34.4)

तत्त्वं ब्रूहि मनोज्ञाङ्गि केन त्वं च विरूपिता । इत्युक्ता राक्षसेन्द्रेण राक्षसी क्रोधमूर्च्छिता ॥ 34.4 ॥

tattvaṃ brūhi manojñāṅgi kena tvaṃ ca virūpitā | ityuktā rākṣasendreṇa rākṣasī krodhamūrcchitā || 34.4 ||

Tell me all this, O lady of lovely limbs — and tell me too who has disfigured you." Thus questioned by the lord of demons, that demoness, all but swooning with fury,

Shloka 5 (aranya.34.5)

ततो रामं यथान्यायमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे । दीर्घबाहुर्विशालाक्षश्चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरः ॥ 34.5 ॥

tato rāmaṃ yathānyāyamākhyātumupacakrame | dīrghabāhurviśālākṣaścīrakṛṣṇājināmbaraḥ || 34.5 ||

began to describe Rama exactly as it had happened: "Long-armed, wide-eyed, wearing bark-garments and the black skin of an antelope for his raiment,

Shloka 6 (aranya.34.6)

कन्दर्पसमरूपश्च रामो दशरथात्मजः । शक्रचापनिभं चापं विकृष्य कनकाङ्गदम् ॥ 34.6 ॥

kandarpasamarūpaśca rāmo daśarathātmajaḥ | śakracāpanibhaṃ cāpaṃ vikṛṣya kanakāṅgadam || 34.6 ||

and comely as the god of love himself, he is the son of King Dasharatha. Drawing a bow adorned with golden fittings, gleaming like Indra's own bow,

Shloka 7 (aranya.34.7)

दीप्तान् क्षिपति नाराचान् सर्पानिव महाविषान् । नाददानं शरान् घोरान् विमुञ्चन्तं महाबलम् ॥ 34.7 ॥

dīptān kṣipati nārācān sarpāniva mahāviṣān | nādadānaṃ śarān ghorān vimuñcantaṃ mahābalam || 34.7 ||

he lets fly blazing iron shafts that seem like deadly, venomous serpents. Yet whether that mighty one is drawing his fearsome arrows from the quiver, or loosing them,

Shloka 8 (aranya.34.8)

न कार्मुकं विकर्षन्तं रामं पश्यामि संयुगे । हन्यमानं तु तत्सैन्यं पश्यामि शरवृष्टिभिः ॥ 34.8 ॥

na kārmukaṃ vikarṣantaṃ rāmaṃ paśyāmi saṃyuge | hanyamānaṃ tu tatsainyaṃ paśyāmi śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ || 34.8 ||

or bending his bow — in the thick of battle I could never quite see Rama doing it. All I saw was that army being cut down under a downpour of his arrows,

Shloka 9 (aranya.34.9)

इन्द्रेणेवोत्तमं सस्यमाहतं त्वश्मवृष्टिभिः । रक्षसां भीमवीर्याणां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश ॥ 34.9 ॥

indreṇevottamaṃ sasyamāhataṃ tvaśmavṛṣṭibhiḥ | rakṣasāṃ bhīmavīryāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa || 34.9 ||

as though a fine crop were being devastated by Indra's hailstorm. Fourteen thousand demons of fearsome might

Shloka 10 (aranya.34.10)

निहतानि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तेनैकेन पदातिना । अर्धाधिकमुहूर्तेन खरश्च सहदूषणः ॥ 34.10 ॥

nihatāni śaraistīkṣṇaistenaikena padātinā | ardhādhikamuhūrtena kharaśca sahadūṣaṇaḥ || 34.10 ||

were struck down by that one lone foot-soldier with his piercing arrows, along with Dushana and Khara too, in less time than an hour and a half.

Shloka 11 (aranya.34.11)

ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः ॥ 34.11 ॥

ṛṣīṇāmabhayaṃ dattaṃ kṛtakṣemāśca daṇḍakāḥ || 34.11 ||

He gave safety to the sages and made the Dandaka forest secure.

Shloka 12 (aranya.34.12)

एका कथंचिन्मुक्ताहं परिभूय महात्मना । स्त्रीवधं शङ्कमानेन रामेण विदितात्मना ॥ 34.12 ॥

ekā kathaṃcinmuktāhaṃ paribhūya mahātmanā | strīvadhaṃ śaṅkamānena rāmeṇa viditātmanā || 34.12 ||

"I alone was somehow let off, humiliated, by that great-souled, self-realized Rama, who was wary of the sin of killing a woman.

Shloka 13 (aranya.34.13)

भ्राता चास्य महातेजा गुणतस्तुल्यविक्रमः । अनुरक्तश्च भक्तश्च लक्ष्मणो नाम वीर्यवान् ॥ 34.13 ॥

bhrātā cāsya mahātejā guṇatastulyavikramaḥ | anuraktaśca bhaktaśca lakṣmaṇo nāma vīryavān || 34.13 ||

His brother too is highly resplendent, equal to him in valor and virtue — devoted, adoring, and stout-hearted; his name is Lakshmana.

Shloka 14 (aranya.34.14)

अमर्षी दुर्जयो जेता विक्रान्तो बुद्धिमान् बली । रामस्य दक्षिणो बाहुर्नित्यं प्राणो बहिश्चरः ॥ 34.14 ॥

amarṣī durjayo jetā vikrānto buddhimān balī | rāmasya dakṣiṇo bāhurnityaṃ prāṇo bahiścaraḥ || 34.14 ||

Quick to anger, unconquerable, ever victorious, valiant, wise, and mighty — he is Rama's right arm always, and, as it were, his very life moving about outside his body.

Shloka 15 (aranya.34.15)

रामस्य तु विशालाक्षी पूर्णेन्दुसदृशानना । धर्मपत्नी प्रिया नित्यं भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता ॥ 34.15 ॥

rāmasya tu viśālākṣī pūrṇendusadṛśānanā | dharmapatnī priyā nityaṃ bhartuḥ priyahite ratā || 34.15 ||

Rama's wedded wife, wide-eyed, her face like the full moon, is ever devoted to the welfare of her beloved husband.

Shloka 16 (aranya.34.16)

सा सुकेशी सुनासोरूः सुरूपा च यशस्विनी । देवतेव वनस्यास्य राजते श्रीरिवापरा ॥ 34.16 ॥

sā sukeśī sunāsorūḥ surūpā ca yaśasvinī | devateva vanasyāsya rājate śrīrivāparā || 34.16 ||

Lovely-haired, fine of nose and thigh, beautiful and glorious, she shines there like the presiding goddess of that forest — like another embodiment of Shri herself.

Shloka 17 (aranya.34.17)

तप्तकाञ्चनवर्णाभा रक्ततुङ्गनखी शुभा । सीता नाम वरारोहा वैदेही तनुमध्यमा ॥ 34.17 ॥

taptakāñcanavarṇābhā raktatuṅganakhī śubhā | sītā nāma varārohā vaidehī tanumadhyamā || 34.17 ||

Radiant of hue like refined gold, with rosy, raised nails, of auspicious form, shapely-limbed and slender-waisted, that princess of Videha is named Sita.

Shloka 18 (aranya.34.18)

नैव देवी न गन्धर्वी न यक्षी न च किंनरी । तथारूपा मया नारी दृष्टपूर्वा महीतले ॥ 34.18 ॥

naiva devī na gandharvī na yakṣī na ca kiṃnarī | tathārūpā mayā nārī dṛṣṭapūrvā mahītale || 34.18 ||

Neither goddess, nor gandharva-maiden, nor yakshi, nor kinnari — never before on this earth have I seen a woman of such beauty.

Shloka 19 (aranya.34.19)

यस्य सीता भवेद् भार्या यं च हृष्टा परिष्वजेत् । अभिजीवेत् स सर्वेषु लोकेष्वपि पुरंदरात् ॥ 34.19 ॥

yasya sītā bhaved bhāryā yaṃ ca hṛṣṭā pariṣvajet | abhijīvet sa sarveṣu lokeṣvapi puraṃdarāt || 34.19 ||

Whoever has Sita for a wife, and whom she gladly embraces, that man lives more gloriously in every world than even Indra himself.

Shloka 20 (aranya.34.20)

सा सुशीला वपुःश्लाघ्या रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि । तवानुरूपा भार्या सा त्वं च तस्याः पतिर्वरः ॥ 34.20 ॥

sā suśīlā vapuḥślāghyā rūpeṇāpratimā bhuvi | tavānurūpā bhāryā sā tvaṃ ca tasyāḥ patirvaraḥ || 34.20 ||

She is virtuous, her body worthy of praise, incomparable in beauty on this earth — she is a fitting wife for you, and you are a fitting husband for her.

Shloka 21 (aranya.34.21)

तां तु विस्तीर्णजघनां पीनोत्तुङ्गपयोधराम् । भार्यार्थे तु तवानेतुमुद्यताहं वराननाम् ॥ 34.21 ॥

tāṃ tu vistīrṇajaghanāṃ pīnottuṅgapayodharām | bhāryārthe tu tavānetumudyatāhaṃ varānanām || 34.21 ||

Broad-hipped, her bosom full and firmly rounded, that lovely-faced one — I set out to bring her here to be your wife,

Shloka 22 (aranya.34.22)

विरूपितास्मि क्रूरेण लक्ष्मणेन महाभुज । तां तु दृष्ट्वाद्य वैदेहीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् ॥ 34.22 ॥

virūpitāsmi krūreṇa lakṣmaṇena mahābhuja | tāṃ tu dṛṣṭvādya vaidehīṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanām || 34.22 ||

when that cruel Lakshmana, O mighty-armed one, disfigured me. Were you to see that Vaidehi today, her face like the full moon,

Shloka 23 (aranya.34.23)

मन्मथस्य शराणां च त्वं विधेयो भविष्यसि । यदि तस्यामभिप्रायो भार्यात्वे तव जायते । शीघ्रमुद्ध्रियतां पादो जयार्थमिह दक्षिणः ॥ 34.23 ॥

manmathasya śarāṇāṃ ca tvaṃ vidheyo bhaviṣyasi | yadi tasyāmabhiprāyo bhāryātve tava jāyate | śīghramuddhriyatāṃ pādo jayārthamiha dakṣiṇaḥ || 34.23 ||

you yourself would fall under the sway of the arrows of the god of love. If, then, the wish arises in you to make her your wife, then for the sake of success, put forward your right foot at once.

Shloka 24 (aranya.34.24)

रोचते यदि ते वाक्यं ममैतद् राक्षसेश्वर । क्रियतां निर्विशङ्केन वचनं मम रावण ॥ 34.24 ॥

rocate yadi te vākyaṃ mamaitad rākṣaseśvara | kriyatāṃ nirviśaṅkena vacanaṃ mama rāvaṇa || 34.24 ||

O lord of the demons, if this counsel of mine pleases you, then, O Ravana, act upon my words without hesitation.

Shloka 25 (aranya.34.25)

विज्ञायैषामशक्तिं च क्रियतां च महाबल । सीता तवानवद्याङ्गी भार्यात्वे राक्षसेश्वर ॥ 34.25 ॥

vijñāyaiṣāmaśaktiṃ ca kriyatāṃ ca mahābala | sītā tavānavadyāṅgī bhāryātve rākṣaseśvara || 34.25 ||

O lord of the demons, O mighty one! Recognize your own power and act — make that flawless-limbed Sita your wife.

Shloka 26 (aranya.34.26)

निशम्य रामेण शरैरजिह्मगैः हतान् जनस्थानगतान् निशाचरान् । खरं च दृष्ट्वा निहतं च दूषणं त्वमद्य कृत्यं प्रतिपत्तुमर्हसि ॥ 34.26 ॥

niśamya rāmeṇa śarairajihmagaiḥ hatān janasthānagatān niśācarān | kharaṃ ca dṛṣṭvā nihataṃ ca dūṣaṇaṃ tvamadya kṛtyaṃ pratipattumarhasi || 34.26 ||

"Bearing in mind that Rama, with his unerring, straight-flying arrows, has slain the night-wanderers stationed in Janasthana, and having seen Khara and Dushana too struck down, it behooves you now to undertake what must be done." Thus did Shurpanakha goad Ravana on.