Rāmāyana | Āraṇya Kaṇḍa | Chapter 18

18. Lakṣmaṇa Disfigures Sūrpanakhā

[Rāma directs her to Lakṣmaṇa who redirects her to Rāma. When Sūrpanakhā tries to catch hold of Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa cuts of her nose and ears. She goes to Khara who is her brother and who lives in Janasṭhāna.]

Then Rāma told in clear and lucid manner to Sūrpanakhā who was tied up in the throes of passion, smilingly. 18.1

"Oh lady, I was married to this woman and she is my dear wife and to people like you becoming a co- wife would be painful." 18.2

"There is my younger brother who is of good character and also good looking. He is a gentleman who is valorous and without a wife." 18.3

"Though he is a youth, he has not been accompanied by his wife. He being good looking and very much matching to you, would be a proper husband to you." 18.4

"And so broad eyed lady, serve my brother as his wife. You being with having this lips, without any rival wife, both of you would shine like Sun on mount Meru." 18.5

That Rākṣasī who was in the throes of passion thus egged by Rāma like this left Rāma, approached Lakṣmaṇa and told. 18.6

"With a blessed complexion and form I would be a suitable wife to you.. You can have pleasure with me and wander all over Daṇḍaka." 18.7

The son of Sumitrā, who is an expert in conversation, after hearing this from the Rākṣasī, with a smile cleverly told Sūrpanakhā. 18.8

"Why do you want to become a maid servant to a servant by becoming my wife, for lotus eyed lady, I am a servant of my brother." 18.9

"Oh Broad eyed one, oh woman of pure complexion, Oh happy lady, you are pure and sinless, it would be better if you become younger wife of that gentleman," 18.10

"He will leave out that ugly looking, unchaste, frightful woman, whose belly is hanging and would only be devoted you." 18.11

"How will he, who is having discrete tastes, leave you, who has a very pretty form and a blessed colour and possess as wife a mere human being." 18.12

When Lakṣmaṇa told her like this that horrible one with a drooping belly, without understanding that those were meant to tease her, thought them to be true. 18.13

Then she who was passionate, approached the destroyer of foes and who was difficult to be faced by enemies, seated in the hermitage with Sītā and told him. 18.14

"You are holding to your wife, who is an ugly horrible lady with a flat belly and also an old hag; not properly honouring me." 18.15

"While you are watching I would eat away this human wife of yours and I would be able to move about very happily with you without any rival." 18.16

After saying this that woman with amber colures fiery eyes, angrily leapt upon Sītā who was fawn eyed like a giant meteor hurling itself on the star Rohiṇī. 18.17

Rāma who was very strong reprimanded her and after stopping from trying to fall in the noose of death told Lakṣmaṇa. 18.18

"Oh gentle Lakṣmaṇa, somehow teasing seems to be inappropriate to deal with this cruel woman. Please see that Sītā survives." 18.19

"Oh tiger among men, you should deform this cruel, unchaste and intoxicated Rākṣasī with a big belly." 18.20

Instructed like this the very strong and angry Lakṣmaṇa, took the sword which was by the side of Rāma lifted it and cut off her nose and ears. 18.21

That dreadful Sūrpanakhā, with her ears and nose cut off, made an ugly horrifying noise and ran away by the way that she came. 18.22

That bad looking very terrifying Rākṣasī, being drenched in blood, thundered like a cloud in rainy season and made various types of sounds. 18.23

That dreadful looking woman with blood dripping from various places, held her arms high, when she was shouting and entered the great forest. 18.24

That disfigured one went to Janasṭhāna where Khara lived surrounded by many Rākṣasas and fell down before him like a thunderbolt from the sky. 18.25

"Rāma has come to the forest along with his wife and along with Lakṣmaṇa and he has disfigured me ", said the sister of Khara from whom blood was flowing. 18.26

This is the end of Eighteenth Sarga of Āraṇya Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.