Shurpanakha

Shurpanakha
Shurpanakha
	Rama rejects Shurpanakha
Affiliation	Rakshasi
Abode	Lanka
Texts	Ramayanaandits versions
Genealogy
Parents	Vishrava(father); Kaikesi(mother);
Siblings	Ravana(brother); Vibhishana(brother); Kumbhakarna(brother)
Spouse	Vidyutajihvā

Shurpanakha(Sanskrit:शूर्पणखा,IAST:śūrpaṇakhā,lit. 'she whose fingernails are likewinnowing fans'), is arakshasi(demoness) inHindu epic.Her legends are mainly narrated in the epicRamayanaand itsother versions.She was the sister of Lanka's king,Ravana,and the daughter of the sageVishravaand the rakshasi Kaikeshi. Shurpanakha's role in the original epic is small, yet significant.^[1]

Appearance

Shurpanakha's appearance has drastic differences in the different versions of the epic. Most versions including the Valmiki'sRamayanamention her to be an ugly woman. When Shurpanakha first sees Rama in the forest, Valmiki describes her as facially unpleasant, pot-bellied, wry-eyed, coppery-haired, ugly featured, brassy-voiced, deplorably oldish, a crooked talker, ill-mannered, uncouth and abominable.^[2]In contrast, theKamba Ramayanamdescribes her as a lovelorn and beautiful woman, attributing her behaviour to loneliness and thus humanising her.^[3]

Marriage and widowhood

When Shurpanakha grew up, she secretly married theDanavaprince of the Kalkeya Danava clan, Vidyutjihva.^[4]Ravana became enraged with Shurpanakha for marrying a Danava. The Danavas were the mortal enemies ofRakshasas.Enraged Ravana decided to kill both of them. Thus waged a war against Vidyutjihva's army and killed him in a battle. Ravana was about to kill Surpanakha too but Ravana's wifeMandodarisaved her. Ravana's brotherKumbhakarnaalso appealed to him to spare Surpanakha's life.^[5]

Mandodari asked Surpanakha to roam and search for another husband. Shurpanakha then split her time between Lanka and the woods ofSouthern India,sometimes living with her forest-dwelling Asura relatives,KharaandDushana,onRavana's orders.

Encounter with Rama, Sita and Lakshmana

According to Valmiki, she met the exiled PrinceRamaofAyodhya,during one such visit to the Forest ofPanchavati,and was instantly smitten by his youthful good looks. She adopted a beautiful form to entice him, but Rama meanwhile kindly rejected her advances, telling her that he was faithful to his wifeSitaand thus would never take another wife. Rejected, Shurpanakha then approached his younger brother,Lakshmana,who said that he is only second to Ram and therefore not worthy of her. Infuriated by their dismissals, the humiliated and envious Shurpanakha returned to her demonic form and attackedSita,but was thwarted byLakshmana,who cut off her nose.^[3]

Shurpanakha first went to her brotherKhara,who sent fourteenRakshasawarriors to attack Rama, who easily dispatched them. Khara himself then attacked, along with 14,000 soldiers, all of whom were killed except for Akampana,Sumali's son andKaikesi's brother, who fled to Lanka. She then fled to Ravana's court and spoke to her brother of the disgrace she had suffered. Her brother, hearing of Sita's beauty, decided to kidnap Sita. Akampana too played a key role in instigating Sita's kidnapping byRavana.Despite opposition from their brother,Vibhishana,Ravana kidnappedSita,thus triggering the Battle of Lanka.^[3]

Later life and death

Although Shurpanakha receives no further mention from Valmiki, it has been suggested that she continued to live in Lanka after Vibhishana succeeded Ravana as king. She and her half-sister Kumbini are supposed to have perished at sea a few years later, tragically.^{[citation needed]}

References

^Johnson, W.J. (2009).A Dictionary of Hinduism(1st ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/acref/9780198610250.001.0001.ISBN 9780191726705.
^"Valmiki Ramayana - Aranya Kanda - Sarga 17".www.valmikiramayan.net.Archived fromthe originalon 27 July 2023.Retrieved7 May2021.
^^a ^b ^cRichman 1991.
^Vālmīki (1893).The Ramayana: Translated Into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit.Dass.
^Cakrabartī, Bishṇupada (2006).The Penguin Companion to the Ramayana.Penguin Books.ISBN 978-0-14-310046-1.

Sources

Richman, Paula (29 August 1991)."The Mutilation of Surpanakha".Many Ramayanas: The Diversity of a Narrative Tradition in South Asia.University of California Press.ISBN 978-0-520-07589-4.
Monier-Williams, Monier (1872).A Sanskrit-English Dictionary.Clarendon.
Ramayana, A condensed prose version of the epicby C. Raja Gopalachari. Published by Bhavan's Book University
Valmiki.Ramayana: Aranya Kandha
Valmiki Ramayan by Rajshekhar Basu - Uttarkanda

External links

[johnson-1] Johnson, W.J. (2009).A Dictionary of Hinduism(1st ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/acref/9780198610250.001.0001.ISBN 9780191726705.

[2] "Valmiki Ramayana - Aranya Kanda - Sarga 17".www.valmikiramayan.net.Archived fromthe originalon 27 July 2023.Retrieved7 May2021.

[FOOTNOTERichman1991-3] Richman 1991.

[4] Vālmīki (1893).The Ramayana: Translated Into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit.Dass.

[5] Cakrabartī, Bishṇupada (2006).The Penguin Companion to the Ramayana.Penguin Books.ISBN 978-0-14-310046-1.

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v t e Ramayana
Ikshvaku dynasty	Dasharatha Kausalya Sumitra Kaikeyi Rama Bharata Lakshmana Shatrughna Sita Urmila Mandavi Shrutakirti Lava Kusha
Vanara	Hanuman Sugriva Vali Angada Tara Rumā Nala Nila Kesari Anjana Makaradhwaja
Rakshasa	Ravana Vibhishana Kumbhakarna Indrajit Akshayakumara Atikaya Kabandha Khara Dushana Mandodari Dhanyamalini Lavanasura Malyavan Maricha Mayasura Narantaka-Devantaka Prahasta Sarama Subahu Sulochana Sumali Shurpanakha Tataka Trijata Trishira Viradha
Sages	Agastya Ahalya Arundhati Bharadvaja Kambhoja Parashurama Vasishtha Vishvamitra Rishyasringa Valmiki
Other figures and concepts	Lakshmana rekha Jambavan Janaka Kushadhvaja Jatayu Manthara Maya Sita Sampati Shabari Shanta Shravana Kumara Vedavati Shambuka
Places	Ayodhya Mithila Dandakaranya Kishkindha Lanka Oshadhiparvata
Books/Kandas	Bala Ayodhya Aranya Kishkindha Sundara Yuddha Uttara
Versions	Adbhuta Ramayana Adhyathmaramayanam Adhyatma Ramayana Ananda Ramayana Bhanubhakta Ramayana Bhaṭṭikāvya Bilanka Ramayana Hikayat Seri Rama Jagamohana Ramayana Kakawin Ramayana Kamba Ramayanam Krittivasi Ramayana Maharadia Lawana Phra Lak Phra Ram Raghunatha Ramayana Ramakien Ramayana Kalpavruksham Ramcharitmanas Ranganatha Ramayanamu Reamker Saptakanda Ramayana Sri Ramayana Darshanam Sri Ramayanamu Trai Bhet Yama Zatdaw
Related	Ramlila