# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 20 — Śūrpaṇakhā challenges Khara *She reports the fourteen deaths, threatens to die and tells him to fight Rāma or abandon Janasthāna* Portion: Śūrpaṇakhā and the first retaliation · Verses: 18 · Ref format: 3.20. ## Sequence - Khara asks why she has returned weeping when he sent loyal, powerful fighters to help her (20.1–5) - she explains that Rāma killed all fourteen almost immediately and that witnessing it has terrified her (20.6–10) - she again asks Khara to rescue her and avenge the dead (20.11–13) - she threatens to die before him unless he kills Rāma (20.14) - turning from appeal to insult, she questions whether he can face Rāma at all and calls his reputation for valor empty (20.15–16) - she tells him to abandon Janasthāna if he is too weak to defend it, predicting that the brothers will destroy him otherwise (20.17–18). ## Verses **3.20.1** sa punaḥ patitāṃ dṛṣṭvā krodhāc chūrpaṇakhāṃ kharaḥ uvāca vyaktatā vācā tām anarthārtham āgatām Seeing Śūrpaṇakhā fallen once more, Khara, in anger, spoke in distinct words to her, who had come bent on mischief: **3.20.2** mayā tv idānīṃ śūrās te rākṣasā rudhirāśanāḥ tvatpriyārthaṃ vinirdiṣṭāḥ kimarthaṃ rudyate punaḥ “Those brave, blood-eating rākṣasas were just now dispatched by me for your sake; why do you weep again? **3.20.3** bhaktāś caivānuraktāś ca hitāś ca mama nityaśaḥ ghnanto 'pi na nihantavyā na na kuryur vaco mama Devoted, loyal, and ever well-disposed to me, they were not ones to be slain even while slaying (their foes); nor would they ever fail to do my bidding. **3.20.4** kim etac chrotum icchāmi kāraṇaṃ yatkṛte punaḥ hā nātheti vinardantī sarpavad veṣṭase kṣitau I wish to hear what this reason is, for which, crying ‘Alas, my lord!’, you writhe on the ground like a serpent. **3.20.5** anāthavad vilapasi kiṃ nu nāthe mayi sthite uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha mā bhaiṣīr vaiklavyaṃ tyajyatām iha Why do you lament like one without a protector, when I, your protector, stand here? Rise up, rise up, do not fear; let this faint-heartedness be cast off.” **3.20.6** ity evam uktā durdharṣā khareṇa parisāntvitā vimṛjya nayane sāsre kharaṃ bhrātaram abravīt Thus addressed and consoled by Khara, the redoubtable one, wiping her tear-filled eyes, said to her brother Khara: **3.20.7** preṣitāś ca tvayā śūrā rākṣasās te caturdaśa nihantuṃ rāghavaṃ ghorā matpriyārthaṃ salakṣmaṇam “Those fourteen brave, dreadful rākṣasas were sent by you, for my sake, to slay Rāghava together with Lakṣmaṇa; **3.20.8** te tu rāmeṇa sāmarṣāḥ śūlapaṭṭiśapāṇayaḥ samare nihatāḥ sarve sāyakair marmabhedibhiḥ but all those wrathful ones, spears and paṭṭiśas in hand, were slain in battle by Rāma with arrows that pierce the vitals. **3.20.9** tān bhūmau patitān dṛṣṭvā kṣaṇenaiva mahābalān rāmasya ca mahat karma mahāṃs trāso 'bhavan mama Seeing those mighty ones fallen to the ground in but a moment, and this great feat of Rāma, a great terror came over me. **3.20.10** sāsmi bhītā samudvignā viṣaṇṇā ca niśācara śaraṇaṃ tvāṃ punaḥ prāptā sarvato bhayadarśinī So I am frightened, agitated, and dejected, O night-roamer; seeing danger on every side, I have come to you once more for refuge. **3.20.11** viṣādanakrādhyuṣite paritrāsormimālini kiṃ māṃ na trāyase magnāṃ vipule śokasāgare Why do you not rescue me, sunk in a vast ocean of grief, infested with the crocodiles of despair and garlanded with waves of terror? **3.20.12** ete ca nihatā bhūmau rāmeṇa niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ye ca me padavīṃ prāptā rākṣasāḥ piśitāśanāḥ And these flesh-eating rākṣasas who had come along my track lie slain on the ground by Rāma with his sharp arrows. **3.20.13** mayi te yady anukrośo yadi rakṣaḥsu teṣu ca rāmeṇa yadi śaktis te tejo vāsti niśācara daṇḍakāraṇyanilayaṃ jahi rākṣasakaṇṭakam If you have compassion for me and for those rākṣasas, if you have the strength or the might against Rāma, O night-roamer, then slay him who dwells in the Daṇḍaka forest, that thorn in the side of the rākṣasas. **3.20.14** yadi rāmaṃ mamāmitram adya tvaṃ na vadhiṣyasi tava caivāgrataḥ prāṇāṃs tyakṣyāmi nirapatrapā If today you will not slay Rāma, my enemy, then I, past all shame, shall give up my life-breaths before your very eyes. **3.20.15** buddhyāham anupaśyāmi na tvaṃ rāmasya saṃyuge sthātuṃ pratimukhe śaktaḥ sacāpasya mahāraṇe By my judgement I foresee that you are not able to stand face to face with Rāma, bow in hand, in the great battle. **3.20.16** śūramānī na śūras tvaṃ mithyāropitavikramaḥ mānuṣau yan na śaknoṣi hantuṃ tau rāmalakṣmaṇau You fancy yourself a hero but are no hero; your valour is falsely claimed — since you cannot slay those two men, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. **3.20.17** apayāhi janasthānāt tvaritaḥ sahabāndhavaḥ niḥsattvasyālpavīryasya vāsas te kīdṛśas tv iha Depart quickly from Janasthāna together with your kinsmen; for one so feeble and of little valour, what sort of dwelling is there for you here? **3.20.18** rāmatejo'bhibhūto hi tvaṃ kṣipraṃ vinaśiṣyasi sa hi tejaḥsamāyukto rāmo daśarathātmajaḥ bhrātā cāsya mahāvīryo yena cāsmi virūpitā For, overwhelmed by Rāma's splendour, you will swiftly perish; for that Rāma, son of Daśaratha, is endowed with great might, as is his brother of great valour, by whom I was disfigured.”