---
title: "Aranya Kanda, Sarga 34"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/aranya-kanda/sarga-34"
lang: "en"
---

# Aranya Kanda, Sarga 34

> ततः शूर्पणखां दृष्ट्वा ब्रुवन्तीं परुषं वचः।  
> अमात्यमध्ये संक्रुद्धः परिपप्रच्छ रावणः॥ १॥

Highly enraged to see Śūrpaṇakhā speaking harsh words in the midst of ministers, Rāvaṇa then interrogated her as follows : (1)

> कश्च रामः कथं वीर्यः किं रूपः किं पराक्रमः।  
> किमर्थं दण्डकारण्यं प्रविष्टश्च सुदुस्तरम्॥ २॥

“Who is Rāma? What is his strength? What does he look like, and what is the measure of his prowess and what for has he penetrated into the forest of Daṇḍaka, which is exceedingly difficult to pass through? (2)

> आयुधं किं च रामस्य येन ते राक्षसा हताः।  
> खरश्च निहतः संख्ये दूषणस्त्रिशिरास्तथा॥ ३॥

“And what is the weapon in the possession of Rāma, with which those ogres have been killed by him as also Khara, Dūṣaṇa and Triśirā on the battlefield? (3)

> तत्त्वं ब्रूहि मनोज्ञाङ्गि केन त्वं च विरूपिता।  
> इत्युक्ता राक्षसेन्द्रेण राक्षसी क्रोधमूर्च्छिता॥ ४॥  
> ततो रामं यथान्यायमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे।  
> दीर्घबाहुर्विशालाक्षश्चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरः ॥ ५॥  
> कन्दर्पसमरूपश्च रामो दशरथात्मजः।  
> शक्रचापनिभं चापं विकृष्य कनकाङ्गदम्॥ ६॥  
> दीप्तान् क्षिपति नाराचान् सर्पानिव महाविषान्।  
> नाददानं शरान् घोरान् विमुञ्चन्तं महाबलम्॥ ७॥  
> न कार्मुकं विकर्षन्तं रामं पश्यामि संयुगे।  
> हन्यमानं तु तत्सैन्यं पश्यामि शरवृष्टिभिः॥ ८॥  
> इन्द्रेणेवोत्तमं सस्यमाहतं त्वश्मवृष्टिभिः।  
> रक्षसां भीमवीर्याणां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश॥ ९॥  
> निहतानि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तेनैकेन पदातिना।  
> अर्धाधिकमुहूर्तेन खरश्च सहदूषणः॥ १०॥

“Also tell me in truth, O lady of captivating limbs, by whom were you deformed.” Overwhelmed with anger when questioned by the ruler of ogres in these words, the ogress then proceeded to portray Śrī Rāma correctly as follows : “Distinguished by long arms and large eyes and clad in the bark of trees and the skin of a black antelope, Rāma, son of Daśaratha, vies with the god of love in appearance. Stretching at full length his bow shining brightly like a rainbow and provided with rings of gold, he lets loose effulgent Nārācas (steel arrows) resembling highly venomous snakes. I could not perceive when Rāma of extraordinary might seized the dreadful arrows, when he pulled the bow at full length and when he discharged them on the battlefield. I only saw the army of the ogres being exterminated by the volleys of his arrows, just like an excellent crop destroyed by Indra (the god of rain) with showers of hailstones. “By him, fighting single-handed on foot, fourteen thousand ogres of terrible prowess as also Khara and Dūṣaṇa were killed with sharp arrows in the span of an hour and a half. (4—10)

> ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः॥ ११॥

“Nay, an assurance of safety was granted by him to the Ṛṣis (seers of Vedic Mantras) and the Daṇḍaka forest rendered secure for their habitation. (11)

> एका कथंचिन्मुक्ताहं परिभूय महात्मना।  
> स्त्रीवधं शङ्कमानेन रामेण विदितात्मना॥ १२॥

“I alone was spared somehow, after disgracing me in the form of mutilation, by the high-souled Rāma, who has realized the Self, afraid as he was of the sin of killing a woman. (12)

> भ्राता चास्य महातेजा गुणतस्तुल्यविक्रमः।  
> अनुरक्तश्च भक्तश्च लक्ष्मणो नाम वीर्यवान्॥ १३॥

“Nay, his mighty brother, Lakṣmaṇa by name, who is possessed of exceptional glory and equally valorous, is attached and devoted to him because of his (rare) virtues. (13)

> अमर्षी दुर्जयो जेता विक्रान्तो बुद्धिमान् बली।  
> रामस्य दक्षिणो बाहुर्नित्यं प्राणो बहिश्चरः॥ १४॥

“Intolerant, hard to conquer, victorious in battle, heroic, talented and strong, he is always the right hand of Rāma, nay, his very life exteriorized. (14)

> रामस्य तु विशालाक्षी पूर्णेन्दुसदृशानना।  
> धर्मपत्नी प्रिया नित्यं भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता॥ १५॥

“Rāma’s beloved wife, wedded according to religious rites, has large eyes and a countenance resembling the full moon. She is ever intent on doing what is pleasing and beneficial to her lord. (15)

> सा सुकेशी सुनासोरूः सुरूपा च यशस्विनी।  
> देवतेव वनस्यास्य राजते श्रीरिवापरा॥ १६॥

“Having charming hair, a shapely nose and thighs and a comely appearance and illustrious as she is, she is, as it were, the presiding deity of this forest and shines like another Lakṣmī, the goddess of beauty and fortune. (16)

> तप्तकाञ्चनवर्णाभा रक्ततुङ्गनखी शुभा।  
> सीता नाम वरारोहा वैदेही तनुमध्यमा॥ १७॥  
> नैव देवी न गन्धर्वी न यक्षी न च किंनरी।  
> तथारूपा मया नारी दृष्टपूर्वा महीतले॥ १८॥

“Possessing the hue and lustre of molten gold, prominent ruddy nails, shapely hips and a slender waist, the blessed lady is a daughter of Janaka (the ruler of the Videha territory), Sītā by name. No woman of such comeliness—neither a goddess, nor a Gandharva woman nor a Yakṣa woman nor again a Kinnara woman was seen by me on the earth’s surface ever before. (17-18)

> यस्य सीता भवेद् भार्या यं च हृष्टा परिष्वजेत्।  
> अभिजीवेत् स सर्वेषु लोकेष्वपि पुरंदरात्॥ १९॥

“He with whom Sītā lives as a wife and whom she embraces with delight is sure to live more happily in all the worlds even than Indra. (19)

> सा सुशीला वपुःश्लाघ्या रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि।  
> तवानुरूपा भार्या सा त्वं च तस्याः पतिर्वरः॥ २०॥

“She is a woman of good disposition, praiseworthy of form and peerless on earth in point of comeliness. She will be a consort worthy of you and you will be her excellent husband. (20)

> तां तु विस्तीर्णजघनां पीनोत्तुङ्गपयोधराम्।  
> भार्यार्थे तु तवानेतुमुद्यताहं वराननाम्॥ २१॥  
> विरूपितास्मि क्रूरेण लक्ष्मणेन महाभुज।  
> तां तु दृष्ट्वाद्य वैदेहीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम्॥ २२॥  
> मन्मथस्य शराणां च त्वं विधेयो भविष्यसि।  
> यदि तस्यामभिप्रायो भार्यात्वे तव जायते।  
> शीघ्रमुद्ध्रियतां पादो जयार्थमिह दक्षिणः॥ २३॥

“I for my part was intent on bringing that lady of broad hips and rounded and prominent breasts in order that she may be a wife to you; but I was deformed by the cruel Lakṣmaṇa. O mighty-armed brother ! Nay, if you behold today the aforesaid princess of the Videha territory with her face shining brightly as the full moon, you will undoubtedly become a target of the shafts of love. If your mind feels inclined to take her to wife, your right foot may soon be raised at this very place to conquer Rāma. (21—23)

> रोचते यदि ते वाक्यं ममैतद् राक्षसेश्वर।  
> क्रियतां निर्विशङ्केन वचनं मम रावण॥ २४॥

“If this counsel of mine finds favour with you, let my advice be fearlessly followed by you, O Rāvaṇa, the lord of Rākṣasas ! (24)

> विज्ञायैषामशक्तिं च क्रियतां च महाबल।  
> सीता तवानवद्याङ्गी भार्यात्वे राक्षसेश्वर॥ २५॥

“Realizing the weakness of these people, Rāma and others, and your own superior strength, O ruler of ogres, let Sītā of faultless limbs be taken to wife, O my brother of extraordinary might ! (25)

> निशम्य रामेण शरैरजिह्मगै-  
> र्हताञ्जनस्थानगतान् निशाचरान्।  
> खरं च दृष्ट्वा निहतं च दूषणं  
> त्वमद्य कृत्यं प्रतिपत्तुमर्हसि॥ २६॥

“Hearing of the night-stalkers stationed in Janasthāna having been killed with his straight-going arrows, and knowing Khara as well as Dūṣaṇa slain by Rāma, you ought to realize your duty today.” (26)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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