# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 16 — Śūrpaṇakhā’s proposal *Rāvaṇa’s sister asks Rāma to marry her and threatens to eat Sītā & Lakṣmaṇa so they can roam the forest together* Portion: Śūrpaṇakhā and the first retaliation · Verses: 25 · Ref format: 3.16. ## Sequence - After bathing and completing the morning rites, Rāma sits in the hut with Sītā and talks with Lakṣmaṇa (16.1–3) - the rākṣasī Śūrpaṇakhā, Rāvaṇa's sister, happens to arrive → struck by Rāma's beauty and royal bearing, she becomes attracted to him (16.4–10) - she asks why a man dressed as a tapasvin is carrying weapons and living with a wife in rākṣasa territory (16.11) - Rāma openly identifies himself, his wife, and his brother, explains the parental command behind his exile, and asks who she is (16.12–16) - she names herself as the shape-changing Śūrpaṇakhā and identifies her brothers Rāvaṇa, Kumbhakarṇa, Vibhīṣaṇa, Khara, and Dūṣaṇa (16.17–20) - boasting of her own power, she asks Rāma to marry her and dismisses Sītā as an unsuitable wife (16.21–22) - she threatens to eat Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa so that she and Rāma can roam the forest together → Rāma begins his answer with a smile (16.23–25). ## Verses **3.16.1** kṛtābhiṣeko rāmas tu sītā saumitrir eva ca tasmād godāvarītīrāt tato jagmuḥ svam āśramam Rāma, having bathed, together with Sītā and Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa), then went from that bank of the Godāvarī back to their own hermitage. **3.16.2** āśramaṃ tam upāgamya rāghavaḥ sahalakṣmaṇaḥ kṛtvā paurvāhṇikaṃ karma parṇaśālām upāgamat Reaching that hermitage, Rāghava together with Lakṣmaṇa, having performed the morning rites, went into the leaf-hut. **3.16.3** sa rāmaḥ parṇaśālāyām āsīnaḥ saha sītayā virarāja mahābāhuś citrayā candramā iva lakṣmaṇena saha bhrātrā cakāra vividhāḥ kathāḥ That mighty-armed Rāma, seated in the leaf-hut with Sītā, shone like the moon with the star Citrā; and with his brother Lakṣmaṇa he carried on various conversations. **3.16.4** tadāsīnasya rāmasya kathāsaṃsaktacetasaḥ taṃ deśaṃ rākṣasī kā cid ājagāma yadṛcchayā While Rāma sat thus, his mind absorbed in conversation, a certain rākṣasī came to that place by chance. **3.16.5** sā tu śūrpaṇakhā nāma daśagrīvasya rakṣasaḥ bhaginī rāmam āsādya dadarśa tridaśopamam She, named Śūrpaṇakhā, sister of the demon Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa), approaching Rāma, beheld him, godlike in form. **3.16.6** siṃhoraskaṃ mahābāhuṃ padmapatranibhekṣaṇam sukumāraṃ mahāsattvaṃ pārthivavyañjanānvitam (She saw him) lion-chested, mighty-armed, his eyes like lotus-petals, delicate, of great strength, endowed with the marks of a king, **3.16.7** rāmam indīvaraśyāmaṃ kandarpasadṛśaprabham babhūvendropamaṃ dṛṣṭvā rākṣasī kāmamohitā Seeing Rāma, dark as a blue lotus, of splendour like Kandarpa (the god of love) and resembling Indra, the rākṣasī became bewildered with desire. **3.16.8** sumukhaṃ durmukhī rāmaṃ vṛttamadhyaṃ mahodarī viśālākṣaṃ virūpākṣī sukeśaṃ tāmramūrdhajā She, ugly-faced, (looked upon) fair-faced Rāma; she, big-bellied, on him slender-waisted; she, deformed-eyed, on him large-eyed; she, copper-haired, on him fair-haired; **3.16.9** priyarūpaṃ virūpā sā susvaraṃ bhairavasnavā taruṇaṃ dāruṇā vṛddhā dakṣiṇaṃ vāmabhāṣiṇī she, deformed, (gazed at) him of lovely form; she, of frightful voice, at him sweet-voiced; she, harsh and old, at him young; she, crooked-tongued, at him straightforward; **3.16.10** nyāyavṛttaṃ sudurvṛttā priyam apriyadarśanā śarīrajasamāviṣṭā rākṣasī rāmam abravīt she, of very wicked conduct, (looked on) him of righteous conduct; she, of unpleasant appearance, on him agreeable — and the rākṣasī, possessed by the body-born (god of love), spoke to Rāma: **3.16.11** jaṭī tāpasarūpeṇa sabhāryaḥ śaracāpadhṛk āgatas tvam imaṃ deśaṃ kathaṃ rākṣasasevitam “Wearing matted locks, in the guise of an ascetic, with a wife, and bearing arrows and a bow — how have you come to this region frequented by rākṣasas? **3.16.12** evam uktas tu rākṣasyā śūrpaṇakhyā paraṃtapaḥ ṛjubuddhitayā sarvam ākhyātum upacakrame Thus addressed by the rākṣasī Śūrpaṇakhā, that scorcher of foes, out of his straightforwardness, began to tell everything: **3.16.13** āsīd daśaratho nāma rājā tridaśavikramaḥ tasyāham agrajaḥ putro rāmo nāma janaiḥ śrutaḥ “There was a king named Daśaratha, of valour like the gods. I am his eldest son, known among people by the name Rāma. **3.16.14** bhrātāyaṃ lakṣmaṇo nāma yavīyān mām anuvrataḥ iyaṃ bhāryā ca vaidehī mama sīteti viśrutā This is my younger brother named Lakṣmaṇa, devoted to me; and this is my wife Vaidehī, renowned as Sītā. **3.16.15** niyogāt tu narendrasya pitur mātuś ca yantritaḥ dharmārthaṃ dharmakāṅkṣī ca vanaṃ vastum ihāgataḥ By the command of the king my father and of my mother, bound (by their order), for the sake of dharma and desiring dharma, I have come here to dwell in the forest. **3.16.16** tvāṃ tu veditum icchāmi kathyatāṃ kāsi kasya vā iha vā kiṃnimittaṃ tvam āgatā brūhi tattvataḥ But I wish to know you; let it be told — who are you, and whose (are you)? And for what purpose have you come here? Tell me truly. **3.16.17** sābravīd vacanaṃ śrutvā rākṣasī madanārditā śrūyatāṃ rāma vakṣyāmi tattvārthaṃ vacanaṃ mama Having heard his speech, the rākṣasī, tormented by love, spoke: “Listen, Rāma, I shall tell you; my words are truthful. **3.16.18** ahaṃ śūrpaṇakhā nāma rākṣasī kāmarūpiṇī araṇyaṃ vicarāmīdam ekā sarvabhayaṃkarā I am a rākṣasī named Śūrpaṇakhā, able to take any form at will; I roam this forest alone, terrifying to all. **3.16.19** rāvaṇo nāma me bhrātā rākṣaso rākṣaseśvaraḥ pravṛddhanidraś ca sadā kumbhakarṇo mahābalaḥ My brother is the rākṣasa named Rāvaṇa, lord of the rākṣasas; and mighty Kumbhakarṇa, ever sunk in deep sleep; **3.16.20** vibhīṣaṇas tu dharmātmā na tu rākṣasaceṣṭitaḥ prakhyātavīryau ca raṇe bhrātarau kharadūṣaṇau But Vibhīṣaṇa is righteous of soul, not behaving like a rākṣasa; and the two brothers Khara and Dūṣaṇa, famed for their valour in battle. **3.16.21** tān ahaṃ samatikrāntā rāma tvāpūrvadarśanāt samupetāsmi bhāvena bhartāraṃ puruṣottamam cirāya bhava bhartā me sītayā kiṃ kariṣyasi But I have surpassed them all, Rāma; on account of this unprecedented sight (of you) I have come with love to (you,) the best of men, as a husband. Be my husband for a long time — what will you do with Sītā? **3.16.22** vikṛtā ca virūpā ca na seyaṃ sadṛśī tava aham evānurūpā te bhāryā rūpeṇa paśya mām Deformed and ugly, this one (Sītā) is no match for you; I alone am a fitting wife for you in beauty — look at me! **3.16.23** imāṃ virūpām asatīṃ karālāṃ nirṇatodarīm anena saha te bhrātrā bhakṣayiṣyāmi mānuṣīm This ugly, unchaste, dreadful, hollow-bellied human woman — her, together with this brother of yours, I shall devour! **3.16.24** tataḥ parvataśṛṅgāṇi vanāni vividhāni ca paśyan saha mayā kānta daṇḍakān vicariṣyasi Then, O beloved, beholding the mountain-peaks and the various forests, you shall roam the Daṇḍaka wilds with me. **3.16.25** ity evam uktaḥ kākutsthaḥ prahasya madirekṣaṇām idaṃ vacanam ārebhe vaktuṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ Thus addressed, Kākutstha (Rāma), skilled in speech, smiling at the wanton-eyed one, began to speak these words.