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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 32: Śūrpaṇakhā describes Sītā
Summary. She recounts Rāma’s victory, praises Sītā’s beauty and urges Rāvaṇa to kill the brothers and take her as his wife
Sequence
- Rāvaṇa asks who Rāma is, why he came to Daṇḍaka, and what weapons enabled him to destroy the army (3.32.1–3)
- Śūrpaṇakhā describes his appearance, bow, and extraordinary speed: she could see the army falling but could not follow the movements by which he shot (3.32.4–8)
- she reports that he fought alone on foot and destroyed Khara and Dūṣaṇa in little more than half a muhūrta → she says she survived because he would not kill a woman (3.32.9–11)
- she describes Lakṣmaṇa as Rāma's devoted, powerful companion (3.32.12–13)
- turning to Sītā, she praises her as more beautiful than any woman she has seen and tells Rāvaṇa that they would be fitting partners (3.32.14–17)
- she now claims that she had intended to bring Sītā to him as a wife (3.32.18)
- she urges him to act at once if he desires her: kill Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, avenge the rākṣasas, and take Sītā after removing her protectors. (3.32.19–24)
Verses 3.32.1–24
3.32.1
tataḥ śūrpaṇakhāṃ kruddhāṃ bruvatīṃ paruṣaṃ vacaḥ
amātyamadhye saṃkruddhaḥ paripapraccha rāvaṇaḥ
Then Rāvaṇa, himself enraged, questioned Śūrpaṇakhā—angry and speaking harsh words—in the midst of his ministers.
Words: tataḥ — then; śūrpaṇakhāṃ — Śūrpaṇakhā; kruddhāṃ — angry; bruvatīṃ — speaking; paruṣaṃ — harsh; vacaḥ — words, speech; amātyamadhye — in the midst of the ministers; saṃkruddhaḥ — enraged; paripapraccha — questioned, asked; rāvaṇaḥ — Rāvaṇa
3.32.2
kaś ca rāmaḥ kathaṃ vīryaḥ kiṃ rūpaḥ kiṃ parākramaḥ
kimarthaṃ daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ praviṣṭaś ca suduścaram
Who is this Rāma, what is his valour, what his form, what his prowess? And why has he entered the Daṇḍaka forest, so very hard to traverse?
Words: kaś ca — and who; rāmaḥ — Rāma; kathaṃ vīryaḥ — of what valour; kiṃ rūpaḥ — of what form; kiṃ parākramaḥ — of what prowess; kimarthaṃ — for what purpose, why; daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ — the Daṇḍaka forest; praviṣṭaś ca — and entered; suduścaram — very hard to traverse
3.32.3
āyudhaṃ kiṃ ca rāmasya nihatā yena rākṣasāḥ
kharaś ca nihataṃ saṃkhye dūṣaṇas triśirās tathā
And what is Rāma's weapon, by which the rākṣasas were slain, and Khara slain in battle, and Dūṣaṇa, and Triśiras as well?
Words: āyudhaṃ — weapon; kiṃ ca — and what; rāmasya — of Rāma; nihatā — slain; yena — by which; rākṣasāḥ — the rākṣasas; kharaś ca — and Khara; nihataṃ — (was) slain; saṃkhye — in battle; dūṣaṇas — Dūṣaṇa; triśirās — Triśiras; tathā — likewise
3.32.4
ity uktā rākṣasendreṇa rākṣasī krodhamūrchitā
tato rāmaṃ yathānyāyam ākhyātum upacakrame
Thus addressed by the lord of rākṣasas, the rākṣasī, beside herself with anger, then set about describing Rāma exactly as he was.
Words: ity uktā — thus addressed; rākṣasendreṇa — by the lord of rākṣasas; rākṣasī — the rākṣasī; krodhamūrchitā — stupefied with anger, beside herself; tato — then; rāmaṃ — Rāma; yathānyāyam — accurately, just as is proper; ākhyātum — to describe, relate; upacakrame — began, set about
3.32.5
dīrghabāhur viśālākṣaś cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaraḥ
kandarpasamarūpaś ca rāmo daśarathātmajaḥ
Long-armed, wide-eyed, clad in bark-cloth and black antelope-skin, and equal in beauty to Kandarpa, is Rāma, the son of Daśaratha.
Words: dīrghabāhur — long-armed; viśālākṣaś — wide-eyed; cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaraḥ — clad in bark-cloth and black antelope-skin; kandarpasamarūpaś ca — and equal in beauty to Kandarpa (the love-god); rāmo — Rāma; daśarathātmajaḥ — son of Daśaratha
3.32.6
śakracāpanibhaṃ cāpaṃ vikṛṣya kanakāṅgadam
dīptān kṣipati nārācān sarpān iva mahāviṣān
Drawing his bow, which resembles Indra's, and wearing golden armlets, he looses blazing iron arrows like great venomous serpents.
Words: śakracāpanibhaṃ — resembling Indra's bow; cāpaṃ — the bow; vikṛṣya — having drawn; kanakāṅgadam — (wearing) golden armlets; dīptān — blazing; kṣipati — hurls, looses; nārācān — iron arrows; sarpān — serpents; iva — like; mahāviṣān — greatly venomous
3.32.7
nādadānaṃ śarān ghorān na muñcantaṃ mahābalam
na kārmukaṃ vikarṣantaṃ rāmaṃ paśyāmi saṃyuge
So swift was he that I could not see mighty Rāma in the fray take up his dread arrows, or loose them, or draw his bow.
Words: nādadānaṃ — not (seen) taking up; śarān — arrows; ghorān — dread, terrible; na muñcantaṃ — nor releasing; mahābalam — the mighty one; na kārmukaṃ — nor the bow; vikarṣantaṃ — drawing; rāmaṃ — Rāma; paśyāmi — I see; saṃyuge — in the battle
3.32.8
hanyamānaṃ tu tat sainyaṃ paśyāmi śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ
indreṇaivottamaṃ sasyam āhataṃ tv aśmavṛṣṭibhiḥ
I saw only that army being cut down by his showers of arrows, as fine crops are beaten down by Indra with showers of hail.
Words: hanyamānaṃ — being cut down, slain; tu — but, indeed; tat sainyaṃ — that army; paśyāmi — I see, saw; śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ — by showers of arrows; indreṇaivottamaṃ — by Indra ... the excellent; sasyam — crop, grain; āhataṃ — struck, beaten down; tv — but, indeed; aśmavṛṣṭibhiḥ — by showers of stones, hail
3.32.9
rakṣasāṃ bhīmavīryāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa
nihatāni śarais tīkṣṇais tenaikena padātinā
Fourteen thousand rākṣasas of dreadful might were slain with sharp arrows by him alone, and on foot.
Words: rakṣasāṃ — of rākṣasas; bhīmavīryāṇāṃ — of dreadful might; sahasrāṇi — thousands; caturdaśa — fourteen; nihatāni — slain; śarais tīkṣṇais — with sharp arrows; tenaikena — by him alone; padātinā — on foot, a foot-soldier
3.32.10
ardhādhikamuhūrtena kharaś ca sahadūṣaṇaḥ
ṛṣīṇām abhayaṃ dattaṃ kṛtakṣemāś ca daṇḍakāḥ
In a little over half a muhūrta, Khara together with Dūṣaṇa was destroyed; safety was granted to the sages, and the Daṇḍaka regions were made secure.
Words: ardhādhikamuhūrtena — in more than half a muhūrta; kharaś ca — and Khara; sahadūṣaṇaḥ — together with Dūṣaṇa; ṛṣīṇām — to the sages; abhayaṃ — safety, freedom from fear; dattaṃ — granted, given; kṛtakṣemāś — made secure; ca — and; daṇḍakāḥ — the Daṇḍaka (forests)
3.32.11
ekā kathaṃ cin muktāhaṃ paribhūya mahātmanā
strīvadhaṃ śaṅkamānena rāmeṇa viditātmanā
I alone was somehow let go, spurned, by the great-souled Rāma of enlightened spirit, who shrank from the slaying of a woman.
Words: ekā — alone (fem.); kathaṃ cin — somehow; muktāhaṃ — I was released; paribhūya — having spurned, despised; mahātmanā — by the great-souled one; strīvadhaṃ — the slaying of a woman; śaṅkamānena — shrinking from, apprehensive of; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; viditātmanā — of enlightened spirit, self-aware
3.32.12
bhrātā cāsya mahātejā guṇatas tulyavikramaḥ
anuraktaś ca bhaktaś ca lakṣmaṇo nāma vīryavān
And his brother, of great splendour, equal to him in valour by his virtues, devoted and loyal, is the valiant one named Lakṣmaṇa.
Words: bhrātā — brother; cāsya — and his; mahātejā — of great splendour; guṇatas — in virtues; tulyavikramaḥ — equal in valour; anuraktaś ca — and devoted; bhaktaś ca — and loyal; lakṣmaṇo nāma — named Lakṣmaṇa; vīryavān — valiant, heroic
3.32.13
amarṣī durjayo jetā vikrānto buddhimān balī
rāmasya dakṣiṇe bāhur nityaṃ prāṇo bahiṣcaraḥ
Impetuous, invincible, a conqueror, valiant, wise, and strong, he is Rāma's right arm, ever his life-breath moving outside his body.
Words: amarṣī — impetuous, brooking no affront; durjayo — invincible; jetā — a conqueror; vikrānto — valiant; buddhimān — wise, intelligent; balī — strong; rāmasya — of Rāma; dakṣiṇe bāhur — the right arm; nityaṃ — ever, always; prāṇo — life-breath; bahiṣcaraḥ — moving outside
3.32.14
rāmasya tu viśālākṣī dharmapatnī yaśasvinī
sītā nāma varārohā vaidehī tanumadhyamā
And Rāma's wide-eyed, lawful, illustrious wife is named Sītā, the Vaidehī, fair-hipped and slender-waisted.
Words: rāmasya tu — and Rāma's; viśālākṣī — wide-eyed; dharmapatnī — lawful wife; yaśasvinī — illustrious; sītā nāma — named Sītā; varārohā — fair-hipped (of excellent form); vaidehī — the Vaidehī (princess of Videha); tanumadhyamā — slender-waisted
3.32.15
naiva devī na gandharvā na yakṣī na ca kiṃnarī
tathārūpā mayā nārī dṛṣṭapūrvā mahītale
No goddess, no gandharva woman, no yakṣī, no kinnarī—no woman of such beauty have I ever before seen upon the earth.
Words: naiva — not even; devī — a goddess; na gandharvā — nor a gandharva woman; na yakṣī — nor a yakṣī; na ca kiṃnarī — nor a kinnarī; tathārūpā — of such beauty; mayā — by me; nārī — woman; dṛṣṭapūrvā — seen before; mahītale — on the earth
3.32.16
yasya sītā bhaved bhāryā yaṃ ca hṛṣṭā pariṣvajet
atijīvet sa sarveṣu lokeṣv api puraṃdarāt
He whose wife Sītā might be, and whom, delighted, she might embrace, would outlive even Indra, sacker of cities, in all the worlds.
Words: yasya — whose; sītā — Sītā; bhaved — might be; bhāryā — wife; yaṃ ca — and whom; hṛṣṭā — delighted, joyful; pariṣvajet — might embrace; atijīvet — would outlive, live beyond; sa — he; sarveṣu lokeṣv api — even in all the worlds; puraṃdarāt — than Puraṃdara (Indra)
3.32.17
sā suśīlā vapuḥślāghyā rūpeṇāpratimā bhuvi
tavānurūpā bhāryā sā tvaṃ ca tasyās tathā patiḥ
She of good character, of praiseworthy body, unmatched in beauty on earth, is a fitting wife for you; and you, likewise, are a fitting husband for her.
Words: sā — she; suśīlā — of good character; vapuḥślāghyā — of praiseworthy body; rūpeṇāpratimā — unmatched in beauty; bhuvi — on earth; tavānurūpā — fitting for you; bhāryā — wife; sā — she; tvaṃ ca — and you; tasyās — for her; tathā — likewise; patiḥ — husband
3.32.18
tāṃ tu vistīrṇajaghanāṃ pīnottuṅgapayodharām
bhāryārthe tu tavānetum udyatāhaṃ varānanām
I was ready to bring her here for you as your wife—broad-hipped, with full high breasts, and a lovely face.
Words: tāṃ tu — and her; vistīrṇajaghanāṃ — broad-hipped; pīnottuṅgapayodharām — with full, high breasts; bhāryārthe — for the sake of a wife; tu — indeed; tavānetum — to bring (her) for you; udyatāhaṃ — I was ready; varānanām — of lovely face
3.32.19
tāṃ tu dṛṣṭvādya vaidehīṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanām
manmathasya śarāṇāṃ ca tvaṃ vidheyo bhaviṣyasi
But once you have seen that Vaidehī, whose face is like the full moon, you will become subject to the arrows of Manmatha, the god of love.
Words: tāṃ tu — and her; dṛṣṭvādya — having seen today; vaidehīṃ — the Vaidehī; pūrṇacandranibhānanām — whose face is like the full moon; manmathasya — of Manmatha (the love-god); śarāṇāṃ ca — and to the arrows; tvaṃ — you; vidheyo — subject, submissive; bhaviṣyasi — will become
3.32.20
yadi tasyām abhiprāyo bhāryārthe tava jāyate
śīghram uddhriyatāṃ pādo jayārtham iha dakṣiṇaḥ
If a desire for her as your wife arises in you, then let your right foot be lifted at once, here, for the sake of victory.
Words: yadi — if; tasyām — for her, in her; abhiprāyo — intention, desire; bhāryārthe — for the sake of a wife; tava — your; jāyate — arises, is born; śīghram — quickly, at once; uddhriyatāṃ — let it be lifted up; pādo — foot; jayārtham — for the sake of victory; iha — here; dakṣiṇaḥ — right
3.32.21
kuru priyaṃ tathā teṣāṃ rakṣasāṃ rākṣaseśvara
vadhāt tasya nṛśaṃsasya rāmasyāśramavāsinaḥ
So do a kindness to those rākṣasas, O lord of rākṣasas, by slaying that cruel Rāma who dwells in the hermitage.
Words: kuru — do, make; priyaṃ — a kindness, favour; tathā — so, thus; teṣāṃ — to those; rakṣasāṃ — rākṣasas; rākṣaseśvara — O lord of rākṣasas; vadhāt — by the slaying; tasya — of that; nṛśaṃsasya — cruel; rāmasyāśramavāsinaḥ — of Rāma who dwells in the hermitage
3.32.22
taṃ śarair niśitair hatvā lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahāratham
hatanāthāṃ sukhaṃ sītāṃ yathāvad upabhokṣyase
Having slain with sharp arrows both him and the great chariot-warrior Lakṣmaṇa, you will freely enjoy Sītā, her protector slain, as you please.
Words: taṃ — him; śarair niśitair — with sharp arrows; hatvā — having slain; lakṣmaṇaṃ ca — and Lakṣmaṇa; mahāratham — the great chariot-warrior; hatanāthāṃ — whose protector is slain; sukhaṃ — happily, at ease; sītāṃ — Sītā; yathāvad — fittingly, as you please; upabhokṣyase — you will enjoy
3.32.23
rocate yadi te vākyaṃ mamaitad rākṣaseśvara
kriyatāṃ nirviśaṅkena vacanaṃ mama rāghava
If this speech of mine pleases you, O lord of rākṣasas, then let my word be carried out without hesitation.
Words: rocate — if it pleases; yadi — if; te — to you; vākyaṃ — speech, word; mamaitad — this of mine; rākṣaseśvara — O lord of rākṣasas; kriyatāṃ — let it be done; nirviśaṅkena — without hesitation; vacanaṃ — word, utterance; mama — my; rāghava — O Rāghava [vocative here anomalously addressed to Rāvaṇa]
3.32.24
niśamya rāmeṇa śarair ajihmagair hatāñ janasthānagatān niśācarān
kharaṃ ca buddhvā nihataṃ ca dūṣaṇaṃ tvam adya kṛtyaṃ pratipattum arhasi
Having heard how the night-rangers dwelling in Janasthāna were slain by Rāma with his straight-flying arrows, and learning that Khara and Dūṣaṇa were killed, you ought now to determine your course of action.
Words: niśamya — having heard; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; śarair ajihmagair — with straight-flying arrows; hatāñ — slain; janasthānagatān — dwelling in Janasthāna; niśācarān — the night-rangers; kharaṃ ca — and Khara; buddhvā — having realized, learned; nihataṃ — slain; ca — and; dūṣaṇaṃ — Dūṣaṇa; tvam — you; adya — now, today; kṛtyaṃ — the thing to be done, course of action; pratipattum — to determine, decide upon; arhasi — you ought
← 3.31 Śūrpaṇakhā rebukes Rāvaṇa · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.33 Rāvaṇa’s flight and Garuḍa’s story →
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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