# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 17 — Śūrpaṇakhā attacks Sītā *The brothers’ teasing turns to danger, Rāma orders her disfigurement, Lakṣmaṇa cuts off her ears and nose and she flees* Portion: Śūrpaṇakhā and the first retaliation · Verses: 26 · Ref format: 3.17. ## Sequence - Rāma says he already has a beloved wife and that Śūrpaṇakhā would dislike having a rival (17.1–2) - teasing her, he presents Lakṣmaṇa as an unmarried young man who needs a wife and directs her to him (17.3–5) - she immediately approaches Lakṣmaṇa and proposes that they live together (17.6–7) - Lakṣmaṇa smiles and says that, as Rāma's dependent, he could only make her a servant's wife → he sends her back to Rāma, suggesting that Rāma will abandon Sītā for her (17.8–12) - Śūrpaṇakhā fails to recognize the joke and takes him literally (17.13) - she again tells Rāma she will eat Sītā to remove her rival, then rushes at her (17.14–17) - Rāma intercepts her and tells Lakṣmaṇa that joking with a cruel person has endangered Sītā → he orders him to disfigure Śūrpaṇakhā (17.18–20) - Lakṣmaṇa draws his sword and cuts off her ears and nose (17.21) - screaming and bleeding, she flees to Janasthāna, falls before Khara, and reports the brothers' arrival and her mutilation (17.22–26). ## Verses **3.17.1** tāṃ tu śūrpaṇakhāṃ rāmaḥ kāmapāśāvapāśitām svecchayā ślakṣṇayā vācā smitapūrvam athābravīt Then Rāma addressed that Śūrpaṇakhā, bound fast in the noose of desire, of his own accord, with a smile, in gentle words: **3.17.2** kṛtadāro 'smi bhavati bhāryeyaṃ dayitā mama tvadvidhānāṃ tu nārīṇāṃ suduḥkhā sasapatnatā “I am married, lady; this is my beloved wife. For women like you, to have a co-wife would be most painful. **3.17.3** anujas tv eṣa me bhrātā śīlavān priyadarśanaḥ śrīmān akṛtadāraś ca lakṣmaṇo nāma vīryavān But here is my younger brother, of good character, handsome, glorious, unmarried, and valiant, named Lakṣmaṇa. **3.17.4** apūrvī bhāryayā cārthī taruṇaḥ priyadarśanaḥ anurūpaś ca te bhartā rūpasyāsya bhaviṣyati He has had no wife before and is in need of one; young and handsome, he will make a husband suited to this beauty of yours. **3.17.5** enaṃ bhaja viśālākṣi bhartāraṃ bhrātaraṃ mama asapatnā varārohe merum arkaprabhā yathā Take him, O large-eyed one, my brother, as a husband — free of any rival, O fair-hipped one, as the sun's radiance clings to Mount Meru. **3.17.6** iti rāmeṇa sā proktā rākṣasī kāmamohitā visṛjya rāmaṃ sahasā tato lakṣmaṇam abravīt Thus addressed by Rāma, the rākṣasī, bewildered by desire, at once left Rāma and then spoke to Lakṣmaṇa: **3.17.7** asya rūpasya te yuktā bhāryāhaṃ varavarṇinī mayā saha sukhaṃ sarvān daṇḍakān vicariṣyasi “I, of lovely complexion, am a fit wife for this beauty of yours; with me you shall roam happily through all the Daṇḍaka wilds. **3.17.8** evam uktas tu saumitrī rākṣasyā vākyakovidaḥ tataḥ śūrpaṇakhīṃ smitvā lakṣmaṇo yuktam abravīt Thus addressed by the rākṣasī, Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa), skilled in speech, then smiling, spoke aptly to Śūrpaṇakhā: **3.17.9** kathaṃ dāsasya me dāsī bhāryā bhavitum icchasi so 'ham āryeṇa paravān bhātrā kamalavarṇinī “How do you wish to become the wife of me, a servant, and yourself a servant's wife? O lotus-hued one, I am dependent, subject to my noble brother. **3.17.10** samṛddhārthasya siddhārthā muditāmalavarṇinī āryasya tvaṃ viśālākṣi bhāryā bhava yavīyasī Become instead the younger wife of the noble one (Rāma), of abundant fortune, O large-eyed one — then, with your aim achieved, delighted and of spotless complexion. **3.17.11** etāṃ virūpām asatīṃ karālāṃ nirṇatodarīm bhāryāṃ vṛddhāṃ parityajya tvām evaiṣa bhajiṣyati Abandoning this ugly, unchaste, dreadful, hollow-bellied old wife, he will surely take to you. **3.17.12** ko hi rūpam idaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ saṃtyajya varavarṇini mānuṣeṣu varārohe kuryād bhāvaṃ vicakṣaṇaḥ For what discerning man, O lovely-complexioned, fair-hipped one, having renounced this surpassing beauty, would set his heart on human women?” **3.17.13** iti sā lakṣmaṇenoktā karālā nirṇatodarī manyate tad vacaḥ satyaṃ parihāsāvicakṣaṇā Thus addressed by Lakṣmaṇa, the dreadful, hollow-bellied one, unable to see the jest, took those words to be true. **3.17.14** sā rāmaṃ parṇaśālāyām upaviṣṭaṃ paraṃtapam sītayā saha durdharṣam abravīt kāmamohitā Bewildered by desire, she spoke to Rāma — that scorcher of foes, unassailable, seated in the leaf-hut with Sītā: **3.17.15** imāṃ virūpām asatīṃ karālāṃ nirṇatodarīm vṛddhāṃ bhāryām avaṣṭabhya na māṃ tvaṃ bahu manyase “Clinging to this ugly, unchaste, dreadful, hollow-bellied, old wife, you set no store by me. **3.17.16** adyemāṃ bhakṣayiṣyāmi paśyatas tava mānuṣīm tvayā saha cariṣyāmi niḥsapatnā yathāsukham Today I shall devour this human woman before your very eyes; then, rid of my rival, I shall roam with you at my pleasure.” **3.17.17** ity uktvā mṛgaśāvākṣīm alātasadṛśekṣaṇā abhyadhāvat susaṃkruddhā maholkā rohiṇīm iva Having spoken thus, the one with eyes like fire-brands, greatly enraged, rushed at the fawn-eyed one (Sītā), like a great meteor bearing down on (the star) Rohiṇī. **3.17.18** tāṃ mṛtyupāśapratimām āpatantīṃ mahābalaḥ nigṛhya rāmaḥ kupitas tato lakṣmaṇam abravīt Mighty Rāma, seizing her as she rushed on like the noose of death, then, enraged, spoke to Lakṣmaṇa: **3.17.19** krūrair anāryaiḥ saumitre parihāsaḥ kathaṃ cana na kāryaḥ paśya vaidehīṃ kathaṃ cit saumya jīvatīm “With cruel, ignoble beings, Saumitri, jesting should by no means be done; look, gentle one, at Vaidehī, barely alive! **3.17.20** imāṃ virūpām asatīm atimattāṃ mahodarīm rākṣasīṃ puruṣavyāghra virūpayitum arhasi This ugly, unchaste, over-insolent, big-bellied rākṣasī, O tiger among men, you ought to disfigure.” **3.17.21** ity ukto lakṣmaṇas tasyāḥ kruddho rāmasya paśyataḥ uddhṛtya khaḍgaṃ ciccheda karṇanāsaṃ mahābalaḥ Thus addressed, mighty Lakṣmaṇa, enraged, as Rāma looked on, drew his sword and cut off her ears and nose. **3.17.22** nikṛttakarṇanāsā tu visvaraṃ sā vinadya ca yathāgataṃ pradudrāva ghorā śūrpaṇakhā vanam With her ears and nose cut off, the dreadful Śūrpaṇakhā, shrieking a discordant cry, fled the way she had come, into the forest. **3.17.23** sā virūpā mahāghorā rākṣasī śoṇitokṣitā nanāda vividhān nādān yathā prāvṛṣi toyadaḥ That deformed, most dreadful rākṣasī, drenched in blood, roared forth manifold cries, like a rain-cloud in the monsoon. **3.17.24** sā vikṣarantī rudhiraṃ bahudhā ghoradarśanā pragṛhya bāhū garjantī praviveśa mahāvanam Dreadful to behold, streaming blood on every side, throwing up her arms and roaring, she entered the great forest. **3.17.25** tatas tu sā rākṣasasaṃgha saṃvṛtaṃ kharaṃ janasthānagataṃ virūpitā upetya taṃ bhrātaram ugratejasaṃ papāta bhūmau gaganād yathāśaniḥ Then that disfigured (rākṣasī), approaching her brother Khara — of fierce energy, dwelling in Janasthāna, surrounded by a host of rākṣasas — fell to the ground like a thunderbolt from the sky. **3.17.26** tataḥ sabhāryaṃ bhayamohamūrchitā salakṣmaṇaṃ rāghavam āgataṃ vanam virūpaṇaṃ cātmani śoṇitokṣitā śaśaṃsa sarvaṃ bhaginī kharasya sā Then that sister of Khara, fainting with fear and confusion, drenched in blood, told everything — of Rāghava come to the forest with his wife and Lakṣmaṇa, and of her own disfigurement.