Sloka & Translation

[Surpanakha describes Rama and Sita to Ravana--incites him to abduct Sita and make her his wife.]

ततश्शूर्पणखां दृष्ट्वा ब्रुवन्तीं परुषं वचः।

अमात्यमध्ये सङ्क्रुद्धः परिपप्रच्छ रावणः।।3.34.1।।

ततः then, अमात्यमध्ये in the midst of ministers, परुषम् harsh, वचः words, ब्रुवन्तीम् while speaking, शूर्पणखाम् to Surpanakha, दृष्ट्वा after seeing, सङ्क्रुद्धः enraged, रावणः Ravana, परिपप्रच्छ asked.

Incensed at the harsh words Surpanakha used in the midst of ministers, Ravana said:

कश्च रामः कथंवीर्यः किंरूपः किंपराक्रमः।

किमर्थं दण्डकारण्यं प्रविष्टस्सुदुरासदम्।।3.34.2।।

रामः Rama, कः who is he, कथंवीर्यः what is his strength?, किंरूपः how does he look, किंपराक्रमः how valiant, सुदुरासदम् impenetrable, दण्डकारण्यम् Dandaka forest, किमर्थम् for what purpose?, प्रविष्टः he entered.

Who is Rama? What is his strength? How does he look? How valiant is he? For what purpose has he entered the impenetrable Dandaka forest?

आयुधं किञ्च रामस्य निहता येन राक्षसाः।

खरश्च निहतस्संख्ये दूषणस्त्रिशिरास्तथा।।3.34.3।।

येन by what, राक्षसाः demons, खरश्च and Khara, दूषणः Dusana, तथा likewise, त्रिशिराः Thrisira, सङ्ख्ये in war, निहताः killed, रामस्य Rama's, आयुधम् weapon, किम् what.

With what weapons he has killed demons like Khara, Dusana and Trisira ?

इत्युक्ता राक्षसेन्द्रेण राक्षसी क्रोधमूर्छिता।

ततो रामं यथातत्वमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे।।3.34.4।।

राक्षसेन्द्रेण by the king of demons, इति thus, उक्ता spoken, क्रोधमूर्छिता overtaken by anger, राक्षसी the demoness ततः then, रामम् Rama, यथातत्वम् faithfully, आख्यातुम् to describe, उपचक्रमे she started.

Thus questioned by Ravana, the demoness, overcome by anger, began telling him about Rama faithfully:

दीर्घबाहुर्विशालाक्ष श्चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरः।

कन्दर्पसमरूपश्च रामो दशरथात्मजः।।3.34.5।।

दशरथात्मजः Dasaratha's son, रामः Rama, दीर्घबाहुः long armed, विशालाक्षः large eyed, चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरः clad in deer skin and bark , कन्दर्पसमरूपश्च resembled Cupid৷৷

Rama, Dasaratha's son, has long arms, large eyes. He is clad in deerskin and bark. He resembles Cupid.

शक्रचापनिभं चापं विकृष्य कनकाङ्गदम्।

दीप्तान् क्षिपति नाराचान्सर्पानिव महाविषान्।।3.34.6।।

शक्रचापनिभम् bow like Indra's, कनकाङ्गदम् gold armlets, चापम् bow, विकृष्य draws, महाविषान् highly poisonous, सर्पानिव snake like, दीप्तान् glittering, नाराचान् iron arrows, क्षिपति releases.

His bow resembles Indra's, He is adorned with gold bands. Drawing the bow, he releases glittering arrows like highly poisonous snakes.

नाददानं शरान्घोरान्नमुञ्चन्तं शिलीमुखान्।

न कार्मुकं विकर्षन्तं रामं पश्यामि संयुगे।।3.34.7।।

संयुगे in war, घोरान् dreadful, शरान् arrows, आददानम् drawing from the quiver, रामम् Rama, पश्यामि I see, शिलीमुखान् darts, मुञ्चन्तम् released, न not, कार्मुकम् a bow, विकर्षन्तम् pulling apart, न not.

I could not see Rama in the dreadful war while he was pulling an arrow from the quiver, aiming the dart, and drawing the bowstring.

हन्यमानं तु तत्सैन्यं पश्यामि शरवृष्टिभिः।

इन्द्रेणेवोत्तमं सस्यमाहतन्त्वश्मवृष्टिभिः।।3.34.8।।

इन्द्रेण by Indra, अश्मवृष्टिभिः by raining hailstones, आहतम् destroyed, उत्तमं सस्यमिव like the crop ready for harvest, शरवृष्टिभिः rain of arrows, हन्यमानम् killed, तत् सैन्यम् that army, पश्यामि witnessed.

Just as Indra destroys the crop ready for harvest by raining hailstones, I have seen Rama killing the army with a shower of arrows.

रक्षसां भीमरूपाणां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश।

निहतानि शरै स्तीक्ष्णैस्तेनैकेन पदातिना।।3.34.9।।

अर्धाधिकमुहूर्तेन खरश्च सहदूषणः।

पदातिना on foot, एकेन alone, तेन by him, तीक्ष्णैः sharp, शरैः arows, अर्धाधिकमुहूर्तेन within the span of one and a half muhurta ( muhurtha is fortyeight minutes), भीमरूपाणाम् dreadful in appearance, रक्षसाम् demons, चतुर्दश fourteen, सहस्राणि thousand, निहतानि are killed, सहदूषणः also Dusana, खरश्च and Khara.

Fighting alone on foot with his sharp arrows Rama killed within a span of one and a half muhurta, the fourteen thousand dreadful demons including Dusana and Khara.

ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः।।3.34.10।।

एका कथञ्चिन्मुक्ताहं परिभूय महात्मना।

स्त्रीवधं शङ्कमानेन रामेण विदितात्मना।।3.34.11।।

ऋषीणाम् for seers, अभयम् assurance of safety, दत्तम् is given, दण्डकाः Dandaka forest, कृतक्षेमाश्च peace restored, महात्मना great soul, विदितात्मना knower of self, स्त्रीवधम् slaying a woman, शङ्कमानेन hesitant of, रामेण by Rama, अहम् I, एका only, परिभूय insulted, कथञ्चित् somehow, मुक्ता left with life.

Sages have been assured safety. Peace has been restored to Dandaka forest. As Rama, the great soul, who knows the self, hesitated to kill a woman, I was alone saved after this humiliation.

भ्राता चास्य महातेजा गुणतस्तुल्यविक्रमः।

अनुरक्तश्च भक्तश्च लक्ष्मणो नाम वीर्यवान्।।3.34.12।।

महातेजाः radiant , गुणतः in quality, तुल्यविक्रमः of equal courage, अनुरक्तश्च very loyal, भक्तश्च devoted, वीर्यवान् valiant, लक्ष्मणो नाम Lakshmana by name, अस्य his, भ्राता brother.

His brother called Lakshmana looks radiant. He is virtuous and courageous like him, valiant, devoted and loyal.

अमर्षी दुर्जयो जेता विक्रान्तो बुद्धिमान्बली।

रामस्य दक्षिणो बाहुर्नित्यं प्राणो बहिश्चरः।।3.34.13।।

अमर्षी impatient , दुर्जयः invincible, जेता victorious, विक्रान्तः very bold, बुद्धिमान् intelligent, बली strong, नित्यम् always, रामस्य Rama, दक्षिणः बाहुः right hand, बहिश्चरः moving outside, प्राणः his own life.

He is impatient, invincible, victorious, bold, intelligent and strong. He is even the right hand of Rama, his outer life.

रामस्य तु विशालाक्षी पूर्णेन्दुसदृशानना।

धर्मपत्नी प्रिया भर्तुर्नित्यं प्रियहिते रता।।3.34.14।।

विशालाक्षी large eyed lady, पूर्णेन्दुसदृशानना face like the full moon, रामस्य Rama's, धर्मपत्नी consort, भर्तुः husband's, प्रियाः darling, नित्यम् always, प्रियहिते in the interest of her husband, रता engaged.

Rama's beloved consort is a largeeyed lady. Her face is like the full moon. She is engaged in the wellbeing of her husband.

सा सुकेशी सुनासोरुस्सुरूपा च यशस्विनी।

देवतेव वनस्यास्य राजते श्रीरिवापरा।।3.34.15।।

सुकेशी she has long hair, सुनासोरुः has beautiful nose and thighs, सुरूपा च of good look, यशस्विनी illustrious lady, सा she, अस्य of this, वनस्य of the forest, देवतेव like the presiding deity, अपरा another, श्रीरिव like goddess of wealth, राजते shining.

She is an illustrious lady. She is goodlooking with her long hair, wellshaped nose and things. She appears to be the presiding deity of the forest, another goddess of wealth (Laxmi).

तप्तकाञ्चनवर्णाभा रक्ततुङ्गनखी शुभा।

सीता नाम वरारोहा वैदेही तनुमध्यमा।।3.34.16।।

तप्तकाञ्चनवर्णाभा a lady of shining golden hue, रक्ततुङ्गनखी of red, pointed nails, शुभा auspicious, वैदेही daughter of Videha, तनुमध्यमा of slender waist, सीता नाम by name Sita, वरारोहा of heavy hips.

She is Sita, princess of Videha, a virtuous lady of golden complexion, a beautiful lady of slender waist and heavy hips.

नैव देवी न गन्धर्वी न यक्षी न च किन्नरी।

नैवंरूपा मया नारी दृष्टपूर्वा महीतले।।3.34.17।।

एवंरूपा such a beauty, देवी goddess, मया myself, नैव दृष्टपूर्वा not seen earlier, गन्धर्वी gandharvi, न not, यक्षी yakshi, न not, किन्नरी kinneri, न not, नारी woman, महीतले on this earth, न not.

I had not seen such a beautiful woman earlier, among the gandharvas, or yakshas, or kinneras. I have not seen such a beauty among the humans on earth.

यस्य सीता भवेद्भार्या यं च हृष्टा परिष्वजेत्।

अतिजीवेत्स सर्वेषु लोकेष्वपि पुरन्दरात्।।3.34.18।।

यस्य whose, सीता Sita, भार्या as wife, भवेत् shall be, हृष्टा happily, यम् whom ever, परिष्वजेत् she may embrace, सः he, सर्वेषु in all, लोकेषु in the worlds, पुरन्दरात् अपि more than Indra, the breaker of fortress, अतिजीवेत् may wish to live long.

Whosoever gets Sita as his wife, whoever she embraces happily will wish to live longer than Indra, the breaker of fortresses in this world.

सा सुशीला वपुश्श्लाघ्या रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि।

तवानुरूपा भार्या स्यात्त्वं च तस्यास्तथा पतिः।।3.34.19।।

सुशीला a woman of good conduct, वपुश्लाघ्या is a woman of praiseworthy beauty, रूपेण by appearance, भुवि on this earth, अप्रतिमा incomparable, सा Sita, तव your, अनुरूपा suitable for you, भार्या wife, स्यात् will be, तथा similarly, त्वम् you, तस्याः to her, पतिः suitable husband.

She is a woman of good conduct, of praiseworthy beauty. She is matchless in her beauty on earth. She will be a suitable wife for you and you, a suitable husband for her.

तां तु विस्तीर्णजघनां पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम्।

भार्यार्थे च तवानेतुमुद्यताहं वराननाम्।।3.34.20।।

विरूपितास्मि क्रूरेण लक्ष्मणेन महाभुज।

महाभुज O mightyarmed one, विस्तीर्णजघनाम् of broad thighs, पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम् a lady of pointed breasts and high hips, तां वराननाम् of beautiful face, तव your, भार्यार्थे as your wife to be, आनेतुम् to bring, उद्यता I have tried, अहम् I, क्रूरेण by the cruel, लक्ष्मणेन by Lakshmana, विरूपिता अस्मि have been disfigured.

O mightyarmed one I have been disfigured by cruel Lakshmana as I was attempting to bring that lady of broad thighs, pointed breasts, heavy hips and a beautiful face to make her your wife.

तां तु दृष्ट्वाद्य वैदेहीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम्।

मन्मथस्य शराणां वै त्वं विधेयो भविष्यसि।।3.34.21।।

पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् a lady with a face like the full Moon, ताम् her, वैदेहीम् Vaidehi, अद्य now, दृष्ट्वा by seeing, त्वम् you, मन्मथस्य of Cupid, शराणाम् arrows, विधेयः be a victim, भविष्यसि will be.

If you see her today, this lady with a face like the fullmoon, you will (instantaneously) fall a victim to the arrows of the god of love.

यदि तस्यामभिप्रायो भार्यार्थे तव जायते।

शीघ्रमुद्ध्रियतां पादो जयार्थमिह दक्षिणः।।3.34.22।।

तस्याम् in her, तव your, भार्यार्थे desire to make her your wife, अभिप्रायः intention, जायते यदि if it arises, इह from here, जयार्थम् to win her over, दक्षिणः पादः your right foot, शीघ्रम् quickly, उद्घ्रियताम् may be raised.

If you intend her to be your wife, raise your right foot now and proceed to win her over.

कुरु प्रियं तथा तेषां रक्षसां राक्षसेश्वर।

वधात्तस्य नृशंसस्य रामस्याश्रमवासिनः।।3.34.23।।

राक्षसेश्वर O lord of the demons तथा such, नृशंसस्य cruel ones, आश्रमवासिनः of the dweller of the hermitage, तस्य रामस्य of that Rama, वधात् by killing, तेषाम् of those, रक्षसाम् of demons, प्रियम् favour, कुरु do.

O lord of the demons, do a favour to your clan by killing that cruel Rama dwelling in the hermitage.

तं शरैर्निशितैर्हत्वा लक्ष्मणं च महारथम्।

हतनाथां सुखं सीतां यथावदुपभोक्ष्यसि।।3.34.24।।

महारथम् to that great warrior, तं that, लक्ष्मणं च Lakshmana also, निशितैः with sharp ones, शरैः with arrows, हत्वा after killing, हतनाथाम् with her husband killed, सीताम् Sita, सुखम् happily, यथावत् as you like, उपभोक्ष्यसि you can enjoy.

Kill Rama, that great warrior along with Lakshmana with sharp arrows and enjoy the company of Sita happily as you like, with her husband dead.

रोचते यति ते वाक्यं ममैतद्राक्षसेश्वर।

क्रियतां निर्विशङ्केन वचनं मम रावण।।3.34.25।।

राक्षसेश्वर O lord of the demons रावण Ravana, मम my, एतत् all this, वाक्यं word ते to you, रोचते यदि if you like, निर्विशङ्केन without any hesitation, मम mine, वचनम् words, क्रियताम् do as I said.

If you like what I have said, do accordingly without any hesitation, O Ravana, lord of the demons.

विज्ञायेहात्मशक्तिं च ह्रियतामबला बलात्।

सीता सर्वानवद्याङ्गी भार्यार्थे राक्षसेश्वर।।3.34.26।।

राक्षसेश्वर O Lord of the demons, आत्मशक्तिम् your own strength, विज्ञाय assessing, सर्वानवद्याङ्गी charming in all respects, अबला delicate, सीता Sita, भार्यार्थे as wife, बलात् forcefully, ह्रियताम् abduct.

Assess your own strength, O Lord of the demons, before you forcefully abduct that delicate Sita who is charming in all respects and make her your wife.

निशम्य रामेण शरैरजिह्मगै र्हतान् जनस्थानगतान्निशाचरान्।

खरं च बुद्ध्वा निहतं च दूषणं त्वमत्र कृत्यं प्रतिपत्तुमर्हसि।।3.34.27।।

रामेण by Rama, अजिह्मगैः not moving obliquely, शरैः by arrows, जनस्थानगतान् staying at Janasthana, निशाचरान् nightwalkers, demons, हतान् killed, निशम्य after hearing, खरं च Khara and, दूषणं च Dusana, निहतम् killed, बुद्ध्वा after knowing, त्वम् you, अत्र here, कृत्यम् your duty, प्रतिपत्तुम् to decide, अर्हसि should.

On hearing about the death of the demons including Khara and Dusana who fell to the straight and swift arrows of Rama, you should decide your course of action.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the thirtytfourth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.