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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 30: Śūrpaṇakhā reaches Rāvaṇa’s court
Summary. The narrative recalls his conquests, tapas and protection from nonhuman enemies, leaving him vulnerable to a human
Sequence
- Seeing the army and its three leaders destroyed, Śūrpaṇakhā cries out and goes to Laṅkā (3.30.1–3)
- she finds Rāvaṇa seated among his ministers on a golden throne in his palace (3.30.4–5)
- the narrator describes his ten heads, twenty arms, royal splendor, and scars from battles with the Devas (3.30.6–10)
- his past exploits include defeating Vāsuki and Takṣaka, abducting Takṣaka's wife, and seizing the Puṣpaka vehicle from Kubera on Kailāsa (3.30.11–14)
- the narrator recalls how he laid waste the Caitraratha and Nandana groves, a divine lotus-pool, and the Devas' gardens (3.30.15)
- he could hold back the rising sun and moon with his arms (3.30.16)
- during ten thousand years of austerity, he offered his own heads to Brahmā (3.30.17)
- he is protected from death in battle at the hands of Devas, dānavas, gandharvas, piśācas, birds, and serpents, but a human can still kill him (3.30.18)
- against this portrait of his power and violence, the bloodied, disfigured Śūrpaṇakhā presents herself and begins to address him. (3.30.19–22)
Verses 3.30.1–22
3.30.1
tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā dṛṣṭvā sahasrāṇi caturdaśa
hatāny ekena rāmeṇa rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām
Then Śūrpaṇakhā, seeing that fourteen thousand rākṣasas of dreadful deeds had been slain by Rāma single-handed,
Words: tataḥ — then; śūrpaṇakhā — Śūrpaṇakhā; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; sahasrāṇi — thousand; caturdaśa — fourteen; hatāny — slain; ekena — by one, single-handed; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; rakṣasāṃ — of rākṣasas; bhīmakarmaṇām — of dreadful deeds
3.30.2
dūṣaṇaṃ ca kharaṃ caiva hataṃ triśirasaṃ raṇe
dṛṣṭvā punar mahānādaṃ nanāda jaladopamā
and seeing Dūṣaṇa and Khara and Triśiras too slain in battle, she, like a raincloud, once more let out a great roar.
Words: dūṣaṇaṃ — Dūṣaṇa; ca — and; kharaṃ — Khara; caiva — and also; hataṃ — slain; triśirasaṃ — Triśiras; raṇe — in battle; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; punar — again; mahānādaṃ — a great roar; nanāda — roared; jaladopamā — like a raincloud
3.30.3
sā dṛṣṭvā karma rāmasya kṛtam anyaiḥ suduṣkaram
jagāma paramaudvignā laṅkāṃ rāvaṇapālitām
Seeing this deed of Rāma, one hard for others to accomplish, she went, deeply agitated, to Laṅkā, guarded by Rāvaṇa.
Words: sā — she; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; karma — the deed; rāmasya — of Rāma; kṛtam — done; anyaiḥ — by others; suduṣkaram — very hard to do; jagāma — went; paramaudvignā — deeply agitated; laṅkāṃ — to Laṅkā; rāvaṇapālitām — guarded by Rāvaṇa
3.30.4
sa dadarśa vimānāgre rāvaṇaṃ dīptatejasaṃ
upopaviṣṭaṃ sacivair marudbhir iva vāsavam
She saw, atop the palace, Rāvaṇa of blazing splendour, seated among his ministers like Vāsava (Indra) among the Maruts.
Words: sa — she (source: sa); dadarśa — saw; vimānāgre — atop the palace / aerial car; rāvaṇaṃ — Rāvaṇa; dīptatejasaṃ — of blazing splendour; upopaviṣṭaṃ — seated; sacivair — with (his) ministers; marudbhir — with the Maruts; iva — like; vāsavam — Vāsava (Indra)
3.30.5
āsīnaṃ sūryasaṃkāśe kāñcane paramāsane
rukmavedigataṃ prājyaṃ jvalantam iva pāvakam
seated on a golden, excellent throne bright as the sun, mighty, set upon a golden dais, blazing like fire;
Words: āsīnaṃ — seated; sūryasaṃkāśe — bright as the sun; kāñcane — golden; paramāsane — on an excellent seat; rukmavedigataṃ — set upon a golden dais; prājyaṃ — mighty, abundant; jvalantam — blazing; iva — like; pāvakam — fire
3.30.6
devagandharvabhūtānām ṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām
ajeyaṃ samare śūraṃ vyāttānanam ivāntakam
unconquerable in battle by gods, gandharvas, spirits, and the great seers — a hero, like Death with gaping mouth;
Words: devagandharvabhūtānām — of gods, gandharvas, and spirits; ṛṣīṇāṃ — of the seers; ca — and; mahātmanām — of the great-souled; ajeyaṃ — unconquerable; samare — in battle; śūraṃ — a hero; vyāttānanam — with gaping mouth; ivāntakam — like Death (Antaka)
3.30.7
devāsuravimardeṣu vajrāśanikṛtavraṇam
airāvataviṣāṇāgrair utkṛṣṭakiṇavakṣasaṃ
his body scarred by the thunderbolt in the clashes of gods and asuras, his chest ridged with calluses gouged by the tusk-tips of Airāvata;
Words: devāsuravimardeṣu — in the clashes of gods and asuras; vajrāśanikṛtavraṇam — wounded by the thunderbolt; airāvataviṣāṇāgrair — by the tusk-tips of Airāvata; utkṛṣṭakiṇavakṣasaṃ — his chest ridged with calluses
3.30.8
viṃśadbhujaṃ daśagrīvaṃ darśanīyaparicchadam
viśālavakṣasaṃ vīraṃ rājalakṣmaṇalakṣitam
twenty-armed, ten-necked, with splendid attire, broad-chested, a hero marked with the signs of royalty;
Words: viṃśadbhujaṃ — twenty-armed; daśagrīvaṃ — ten-necked; darśanīyaparicchadam — with splendid attire; viśālavakṣasaṃ — broad-chested; vīraṃ — a hero; rājalakṣmaṇalakṣitam — marked with the signs of royalty
3.30.9
snigdhavaidūryasaṃkāśaṃ taptakāñcanakuṇḍalam
subhujaṃ śukladaśanaṃ mahāsyaṃ parvatopamam
resembling glossy cat's-eye gem, with earrings of refined gold, fine-armed, white-toothed, large-mouthed, like a mountain;
Words: snigdhavaidūryasaṃkāśaṃ — like glossy cat's-eye beryl; taptakāñcanakuṇḍalam — with refined-gold earrings; subhujaṃ — fine-armed; śukladaśanaṃ — white-toothed; mahāsyaṃ — large-mouthed; parvatopamam — like a mountain
3.30.10
viṣṇucakranipātaiś ca śataśo devasaṃyuge
āhatāṅgaṃ samastaiś ca devapraharaṇais tathā
his body struck a hundredfold in battles with the gods by the falling of Viṣṇu's discus, and by all the weapons of the gods as well;
Words: viṣṇucakranipātaiś — by the falls of Viṣṇu's discus; ca — and; śataśo — a hundredfold; devasaṃyuge — in battle with the gods; āhatāṅgaṃ — his body struck; samastaiś — by all; ca — and; devapraharaṇais — by the weapons of the gods; tathā — likewise
3.30.11
akṣobhyāṇāṃ samudrāṇāṃ kṣobhaṇaṃ kṣiprakāriṇam
kṣeptāraṃ parvatāgrāṇāṃ surāṇāṃ ca pramardanam
a disturber of the unshakable oceans, swift in action, a hurler of mountain-peaks, and a crusher of the gods;
Words: akṣobhyāṇāṃ — of the unshakable; samudrāṇāṃ — of the oceans; kṣobhaṇaṃ — the disturber; kṣiprakāriṇam — swift in action; kṣeptāraṃ — the hurler; parvatāgrāṇāṃ — of mountain-peaks; surāṇāṃ — of the gods; ca — and; pramardanam — the crusher
3.30.12
ucchettāraṃ ca dharmāṇāṃ paradārābhimarśanam
sarvadivyāstrayoktāraṃ yajñavighnakaraṃ sadā
a destroyer of the sacred laws, a molester of others' wives, a wielder of all divine weapons, ever a maker of obstacles to sacrifices;
Words: ucchettāraṃ — the destroyer, eradicator; ca — and; dharmāṇāṃ — of the sacred laws, duties; paradārābhimarśanam — molester of others' wives; sarvadivyāstrayoktāraṃ — wielder of all divine weapons; yajñavighnakaraṃ — a maker of obstacles to sacrifice; sadā — ever, always
3.30.13
purīṃ bhogavatīṃ gatvā parājitya ca vāsukim
takṣakasya priyāṃ bhāryāṃ parājitya jahāra yaḥ
who, going to the city Bhogavatī and defeating Vāsuki, and defeating Takṣaka, carried off Takṣaka's beloved wife;
Words: purīṃ — the city; bhogavatīṃ — Bhogavatī; gatvā — having gone; parājitya — having defeated; ca — and; vāsukim — Vāsuki; takṣakasya — of Takṣaka; priyāṃ — beloved; bhāryāṃ — wife; parājitya — having defeated; jahāra — carried off; yaḥ — who
3.30.14
kailāsaṃ parvataṃ gatvā vijitya naravāhanam
vimānaṃ puṣpakaṃ tasya kāmagaṃ vai jahāra yaḥ
who, going to Mount Kailāsa and conquering Kubera (whose bearers are men), carried off his Puṣpaka car that goes at will;
Words: kailāsaṃ — Kailāsa; parvataṃ — mountain; gatvā — having gone; vijitya — having conquered; naravāhanam — Kubera (borne by men); vimānaṃ — the aerial car; puṣpakaṃ — Puṣpaka; tasya — his; kāmagaṃ — going at will; vai — indeed; jahāra — carried off; yaḥ — who
3.30.15
vanaṃ caitrarathaṃ divyaṃ nalinīṃ nandanaṃ vanam
vināśayati yaḥ krodhād devodyānāni vīryavān
who in his might, out of wrath, lays waste the divine Caitraratha grove, the lotus-pool, the Nandana grove, and the gardens of the gods;
Words: vanaṃ — the grove; caitrarathaṃ — Caitraratha; divyaṃ — divine; nalinīṃ — the lotus-pool; nandanaṃ — Nandana; vanam — grove; vināśayati — lays waste; yaḥ — who; krodhād — out of wrath; devodyānāni — the gardens of the gods; vīryavān — the mighty
3.30.16
candrasūryau mahābhāgāv uttiṣṭhantau paraṃtapau
nivārayati bāhubhyāṃ yaḥ śailaśikharopamaḥ
who, resembling a mountain-peak, with his arms holds back the illustrious, foe-scorching Moon and Sun as they rise;
Words: candrasūryau — the Moon and the Sun; mahābhāgāv — the illustrious; uttiṣṭhantau — rising; paraṃtapau — foe-scorching; nivārayati — holds back, checks; bāhubhyāṃ — with (his) arms; yaḥ — who; śailaśikharopamaḥ — like a mountain-peak
3.30.17
daśavarṣasahasrāṇi tapas taptvā mahāvane
purā svayambhuve dhīraḥ śirāṃsy upajahāra yaḥ
who of old, steadfast, having performed austerities for ten thousand years in the great forest, offered up his own heads to the Self-existent (Brahmā);
Words: daśavarṣasahasrāṇi — ten thousand years; tapas — austerity; taptvā — having performed; mahāvane — in the great forest; purā — of old; svayambhuve — to the Self-existent (Brahmā); dhīraḥ — the steadfast; śirāṃsy — (his) heads; upajahāra — offered up; yaḥ — who
3.30.18
devadānavagandharvapiśācapatagoragaiḥ
abhayaṃ yasya saṃgrāme mṛtyuto mānuṣād ṛte
who has, in battle, no fear of death from gods, dānavas, gandharvas, piśācas, birds, or serpents — save only from a human;
Words: devadānavagandharvapiśācapatagoragaiḥ — by gods, dānavas, gandharvas, piśācas, birds, and serpents; abhayaṃ — fearlessness, safety; yasya — whose; saṃgrāme — in battle; mṛtyuto — from death; mānuṣād — from a human; ṛte — except
3.30.19
mantrar abhituṣṭaṃ puṇyam adhvareṣu dvijātibhiḥ
havirdhāneṣu yaḥ somam upahanti mahābalaḥ
who, mighty, snatches from the soma-vessels the holy Soma, propitiated with mantras by the twice-born at sacrifices; [mantrar: source spelling for mantrair, 'with mantras'.]
Words: mantrar — with mantras (source: mantrar); abhituṣṭaṃ — propitiated, well-pleased; puṇyam — holy; adhvareṣu — at the sacrifices; dvijātibhiḥ — by the twice-born; havirdhāneṣu — in the soma-vessels; yaḥ — who; somam — the Soma; upahanti — assails, snatches away; mahābalaḥ — the mighty
3.30.20
āptayajñaharaṃ krūraṃ brahmaghnaṃ duṣṭacāriṇam
karkaśaṃ niranukrośaṃ prajānām ahite ratam
rāvaṇaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ sarvalokabhayāvaham
cruel Rāvaṇa, seizer of completed sacrifices, slayer of brahmins, evil in conduct, harsh, pitiless, bent on the harm of creatures — a terror to all beings and to all the worlds:
Words: āptayajñaharaṃ — seizer of completed sacrifices; krūraṃ — cruel; brahmaghnaṃ — slayer of brahmins; duṣṭacāriṇam — of evil conduct; karkaśaṃ — harsh; niranukrośaṃ — pitiless; prajānām — of creatures; ahite — in the harm; ratam — intent on; rāvaṇaṃ — Rāvaṇa; sarvabhūtānāṃ — of all beings; sarvalokabhayāvaham — bringing fear to all the worlds
3.30.21
rākṣasī bhrātaraṃ krūraṃ sā dadarśa mahābalam
taṃ divyavastrābharaṇaṃ divyamālyopaśobhitam
rākṣasendraṃ mahābhāgaṃ paulastya kulanandanam
The rākṣasī beheld her cruel, mighty brother — clad in divine garments and ornaments, adorned with divine garlands, lord of the rākṣasas, illustrious, the delight of Pulastya's line.
Words: rākṣasī — the rākṣasī; bhrātaraṃ — brother; krūraṃ — cruel; sā — she; dadarśa — beheld; mahābalam — the mighty; taṃ — him; divyavastrābharaṇaṃ — clad in divine garments and ornaments; divyamālyopaśobhitam — adorned with divine garlands; rākṣasendraṃ — lord of the rākṣasas; mahābhāgaṃ — illustrious; paulastya — of Pulastya (Paulastya); kulanandanam — delight of the line
3.30.22
tam abravīd dīptaviśālalocanaṃ pradarśayitvā bhayamohamūrchitā
sudāruṇaṃ vākyam abhītacāriṇī mahātmanā śūrpaṇakhā virūpitā
Śūrpaṇakhā — she who moves about fearlessly, yet now stupefied with fear and confusion, disfigured by the great one (Lakṣmaṇa) — displaying herself, spoke a most dreadful word to him of the blazing, wide eyes.
Words: tam — to him; abravīd — spoke; dīptaviśālalocanaṃ — (him) of the blazing, wide eyes; pradarśayitvā — having displayed (herself); bhayamohamūrchitā — stupefied with fear and confusion; sudāruṇaṃ — most dreadful; vākyam — word, speech; abhītacāriṇī — she who moves about fearlessly; mahātmanā — by the great one; śūrpaṇakhā — Śūrpaṇakhā; virūpitā — disfigured
← 3.29 Rāma kills Khara with Indra’s arrow · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.31 Śūrpaṇakhā rebukes Rāvaṇa →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
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