Aranya Kanda · Sarga 34 of 76 · 26 verses
Shurpanakha Describes Sita
Seeing Shurpanakha speak so harshly, Ravana, angry, asks her among his ministers: “Who is Rama? What is his strength, his form, his valour? Why has he entered the very difficult Dandaka forest? What is Rama’s weapon, with which those rakshasas were killed, and Khara, Dushana and Trishiras killed in battle? Tell me truly, lovely-limbed one: by whom were you disfigured?” Asked so by the king of the rakshasas, the rakshasi, beside herself with anger, begins to describe Rama as he is: “Long-armed, large-eyed, wearing bark and black deerskin, with a form like the god of love, is Rama, son of Dasharatha. Drawing his bow like Indra’s, with golden bands, he hurls blazing iron arrows like snakes full of poison. I do not see the mighty Rama take the terrible arrows, or release them, or draw the bow in battle; I see only the army being killed by showers of arrows, like the best crop struck by Indra with showers of hail. Fourteen thousand rakshasas of terrible valour were killed with sharp arrows by him alone, on foot, in little more than half an hour, and Khara with Dushana. Safety has been given to the seers and the Dandakas made secure. I alone escaped somehow, scorned by the great soul; self-knowing Rama feared to kill a woman. His brother, of great splendour, his equal in virtue and valour, loyal and devoted, is the mighty Lakshmana: impatient, invincible, conquering, valiant, wise and strong, Rama’s right arm, always his life-breath walking outside him.
“But Rama’s lawful wife, large-eyed, her face like the full moon, always dear, devoted to her husband’s pleasure and good, with fine hair, a fine nose and thighs, beautiful and glorious, shines like the goddess of that forest, like a second Shri. Her complexion like refined gold, her nails red and raised, auspicious, she is named Sita, Vaidehi, with lovely hips and slender waist. Neither goddess, gandharvi, yakshi nor kinnari of such beauty have I seen on earth before. He whose wife Sita would be, whom she would embrace with delight, would live better than Purandara in all the worlds. Of good character, with a body to be praised, incomparable in beauty on earth, she is a fitting wife for you, and you a fitting husband for her. I was getting ready to bring her, with her broad hips, full, high breasts and lovely face, to be your wife, mighty-armed one, when I was disfigured by cruel Lakshmana. When you see Vaidehi today, her face like the full moon, you will be subject to the arrows of Manmatha. If the wish arises in you to make her your wife, quickly lift your right foot here for victory. If these words of mine please you, lord of the rakshasas, do what I say without hesitation, Ravana. Knowing their weakness, mighty one, make faultless-limbed Sita your wife, lord of the rakshasas. Having heard of the night-rangers in Janasthana killed by Rama with straight-flying arrows, and seeing Khara killed and Dushana, you should take action today.”
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ततः शूर्पणखां दृष्ट्वा ब्रुवन्तीं परुषं वचः । अमात्यमध्ये संक्रुद्धः परिपप्रच्छ रावणः ॥ १ ॥
Then, seeing Shurpanakha speaking harsh words, Ravana, angry, questioned her in the midst of his ministers:
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Shurpanakha Describes Sita 1 min read.
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कश्च रामः कथंवीर्यः किंरूपः किंपराक्रमः । किमर्थं दण्डकारण्यं प्रविष्टश्च सुदुस्तरम् ॥ २ ॥
“Who is Rama? Of what strength, of what form, of what valour? And why has he entered the very difficult Dandaka forest?
आयुधं किं च रामस्य येन ते राक्षसा हताः । खरश्च निहतः संख्ये दूषणस्त्रिशिरास्तथा ॥ ३ ॥
“And what is Rama’s weapon, by which those rakshasas were killed, and Khara killed in battle, and Dushana and Trishiras?
तत्त्वं ब्रूहि मनोज्ञाङ्गि केन त्वं च विरूपिता । इत्युक्ता राक्षसेन्द्रेण राक्षसी क्रोधमूर्च्छिता ॥ ४ ॥
“Tell the truth, lovely-limbed one: by whom were you disfigured?” Spoken to so by the king of the rakshasas, the rakshasi, beside herself with anger,
ततो रामं यथान्यायमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे । दीर्घबाहुर्विशालाक्षश्चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरः ॥ ५ ॥
then began to describe Rama as was proper: “Long-armed, large-eyed, wearing bark and black deerskin,
कन्दर्पसमरूपश्च रामो दशरथात्मजः । शक्रचापनिभं चापं विकृष्य कनकाङ्गदम् ॥ ६ ॥
“with a form like the god of love, is Rama, son of Dasharatha. Drawing his bow, like Shakra’s bow, with golden bands,
दीप्तान् क्षिपति नाराचान् सर्पानिव महाविषान् । नाददानं शरान् घोरान् विमुञ्चन्तं महाबलम् ॥ ७ ॥
“he hurls blazing iron arrows like snakes of great poison. Taking the terrible arrows, releasing them, very mighty,
न कार्मुकं विकर्षन्तं रामं पश्यामि संयुगे । हन्यमानं तु तत्सैन्यं पश्यामि शरवृष्टिभिः ॥ ८ ॥
“drawing the bow, I do not see Rama in battle; but I see that army being killed by showers of arrows,
इन्द्रेणेवोत्तमं सस्यमाहतं त्वश्मवृष्टिभिः । रक्षसां भीमवीर्याणां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश ॥ ९ ॥
“like the best crop struck by Indra with showers of hail. Fourteen thousand rakshasas of terrible valour
निहतानि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तेनैकेन पदातिना । अर्धाधिकमुहूर्तेन खरश्च सहदूषणः ॥ १० ॥
“were killed with sharp arrows by him alone, on foot, in little more than half an hour, and Khara with Dushana.
ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः ॥ ११ ॥
“Safety has been given to the seers, and the Dandakas made secure.
एका कथंचिन्मुक्ताहं परिभूय महात्मना । स्त्रीवधं शङ्कमानेन रामेण विदितात्मना ॥ १२ ॥
“I alone escaped somehow, scorned by the great soul, by Rama, who knows himself, fearing the killing of a woman.
भ्राता चास्य महातेजा गुणतस्तुल्यविक्रमः । अनुरक्तश्च भक्तश्च लक्ष्मणो नाम वीर्यवान् ॥ १३ ॥
“And his brother of great splendour, equal in valour by virtue, loyal and devoted, is the mighty one named Lakshmana,
अमर्षी दुर्जयो जेता विक्रान्तो बुद्धिमान् बली । रामस्य दक्षिणो बाहुर्नित्यं प्राणो बहिश्चरः ॥ १४ ॥
“impatient, invincible, conqueror, valiant, wise, strong, Rama’s right arm, always his life-breath moving outside.
रामस्य तु विशालाक्षी पूर्णेन्दुसदृशानना । धर्मपत्नी प्रिया नित्यं भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता ॥ १५ ॥
“But Rama’s lawful wife, large-eyed, her face like the full moon, always dear, devoted to her husband’s pleasure and good,
सा सुकेशी सुनासोरूः सुरूपा च यशस्विनी । देवतेव वनस्यास्य राजते श्रीरिवापरा ॥ १६ ॥
“with fine hair, fine nose and thighs, beautiful and glorious, shines like the goddess of this forest, like another Shri,
तप्तकाञ्चनवर्णाभा रक्ततुङ्गनखी शुभा । सीता नाम वरारोहा वैदेही तनुमध्यमा ॥ १७ ॥
“with the complexion of refined gold, with red, raised nails, auspicious, named Sita, with lovely hips, Vaidehi, with slender waist.
नैव देवी न गन्धर्वी न यक्षी न च किंनरी । तथारूपा मया नारी दृष्टपूर्वा महीतले ॥ १८ ॥
“Neither goddess, nor gandharvi, nor yakshi, nor kinnari: a woman of such beauty I have not seen before on the earth.
यस्य सीता भवेद् भार्या यं च हृष्टा परिष्वजेत् । अभिजीवेत् स सर्वेषु लोकेष्वपि पुरंदरात् ॥ १९ ॥
“He whose wife Sita would be, and whom she would embrace with delight, would live in all the worlds better than Purandara.
सा सुशीला वपुःश्लाघ्या रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि । तवानुरूपा भार्या सा त्वं च तस्याः पतिर्वरः ॥ २० ॥
“She, of good character, with a body to be praised, unequalled in beauty on earth, is a fitting wife for you, and you an excellent husband for her.
तां तु विस्तीर्णजघनां पीनोत्तुङ्गपयोधराम् । भार्यार्थे तु तवानेतुमुद्यताहं वराननाम् ॥ २१ ॥
“That broad-hipped one, with full, high breasts, with a lovely face, I was getting ready to bring for you as a wife,
विरूपितास्मि क्रूरेण लक्ष्मणेन महाभुज । तां तु दृष्ट्वाद्य वैदेहीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् ॥ २२ ॥
“when I was disfigured by cruel Lakshmana, mighty-armed one. Having seen that Vaidehi today, with a face like the full moon,
मन्मथस्य शराणां च त्वं विधेयो भविष्यसि । यदि तस्यामभिप्रायो भार्यात्वे तव जायते । शीघ्रमुद्ध्रियतां पादो जयार्थमिह दक्षिणः ॥ २३ ॥
“you will be subject to the arrows of Manmatha. If a wish arises in you for her as a wife, quickly let your right foot be lifted here for victory.
रोचते यदि ते वाक्यं ममैतद् राक्षसेश्वर । क्रियतां निर्विशङ्केन वचनं मम रावण ॥ २४ ॥
“If this word of mine pleases you, lord of the rakshasas, let my word be done without hesitation, Ravana.
विज्ञायैषामशक्तिं च क्रियतां च महाबल । सीता तवानवद्याङ्गी भार्यात्वे राक्षसेश्वर ॥ २५ ॥
“And knowing their weakness, very mighty one, let faultless-limbed Sita be made your wife, lord of the rakshasas.
निशम्य रामेण शरैरजिह्मगै- र्हताञ्जनस्थानगतान् निशाचरान् । खरं च दृष्ट्वा निहतं च दूषणं त्वमद्य कृत्यं प्रतिपत्तुमर्हसि ॥ २६ ॥
“Having heard of the night-rangers who were in Janasthana killed by Rama with straight-going arrows, and seeing Khara killed and Dushana, you should undertake the task today.”