आसीद् दशरथो नाम राजा त्रिदशविक्रमः। तस्याहमग्रजः पुत्रो रामो नाम जनैः श्रुतः
There was a king named Daśaratha, whose valor rivaled the gods; I am his eldest son, known among people as Rāma.
भ्रातायं लक्ष्मणो नाम यवीयान् मामनुव्रतः। इयं भार्या च वैदेही मम सीतेति विश्रुता
This is my younger brother, named Lakṣmaṇa, devoted to me; and this is my wife, the famed Vaidehī, known as Sītā.
त्वां तु वेदितुमिच्छामि कस्य त्वं कासि कस्य वा। त्वं हि तावन्मनोज्ञाङ्गी राक्षसी प्रतिभासि मे
But I wish to know about you—whose are you, who are you, and to whom do you belong? For you appear to me as a Rākṣasī, though with a most attractive form.
इह वा किंनिमित्तं त्वमागता ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः। साब्रवीद् वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षसी मदनार्दिता
Why have you come here—what is the real reason? Speak truthfully. Hearing these words, the Rākṣasī, tormented by desire, replied.
श्रूयतां राम तत्त्वार्थं वक्ष्यामि वचनं मम। अहं शूर्पणखा नाम राक्षसी कामरूपिणी
Listen, Rāma, I will tell you the truth as it is: I am a Rākṣasī named Śūrpaṇakhā, able to assume any form at will.
अरण्यं विचरामीदमेका सर्वभयंकरा। रावणो नाम मे भ्राता यदि ते श्रोत्रमागतः
I wander alone in this forest, terrifying to all. Rāvaṇa is my brother—perhaps you have heard of him.
वीरो विश्रवसः पुत्रो यदि ते श्रोत्रमागतः। प्रवृद्धनिद्रश्च सदा कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः
He is a hero, son of Viśravas—perhaps you have heard of him. And there is Kumbhakarṇa, ever given to deep sleep, of great might.
विभीषणस्तु धर्मात्मा न तु राक्षसचेष्टितः। प्रख्यातवीर्यौ च रणे भ्रातरौ खरदूषणौ
Vibhīṣaṇa, too, is righteous in nature, not acting like a Rākṣasa; and my brothers Khara and Dūṣaṇa are renowned for their valor in battle.
तानहं समतिक्रान्तां राम त्वापूर्वदर्शनात्। समुपेतास्मि भावेन भर्तारं पुरुषोत्तमम्
Having left them behind, Rāma, and seeing you for the first time, I have come to you, drawn by feeling, seeking the best of men as my husband.
अहं प्रभावसम्पन्ना स्वच्छन्दबलगामिनी। चिराय भव भर्ता मे सीतया किं करिष्यसि
I am endowed with power, moving freely by my own strength; be my husband for a long time—what will you do with Sītā?
विकृता च विरूपा च न सेयं सदृशी तव। अहमेवानुरूपा ते भार्यारूपेण पश्य माम्
She is deformed and ugly, not a match for you; I alone am suitable for you as a wife—look at me in that form.
इमां विरूपामसतीं करालां निर्णतोदरीम्। अनेन सह ते भ्रात्रा भक्षयिष्यामि मानुषीम्
This ugly, wicked, fierce, and sunken-bellied woman—I will eat her, your brother's companion, along with him.
ततः पर्वतशृङ्गाणि वनानि विविधानि च। पश्यन् सह मया कामी दण्डकान् विचरिष्यसि
Then, desiring, you will roam the Daṇḍaka forest with me, seeing mountain peaks and various woods.
इत्येवमुक्तः काकुत्स्थः प्रहस्य मदिरेक्षणाम्। इदं वचनमारेभे वक्तुं वाक्यविशारदः
Thus addressed, Kākutstha, the wise speaker, laughed at the intoxicated-eyed woman and began to reply with these words.
thumb|अष्टादशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे अष्टादशः सर्गः ॥३-
Listen to the eighteenth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Araṇya Kāṇḍa.
तां तु शूर्पणखां रामः कामपाशावपाशिताम्। स्वेच्छया श्लक्ष्णया वाचा स्मितपूर्वमथाब्रवीत्
Then Rāma, seeing Śūrpaṇakhā ensnared by the bonds of desire, spoke to her gently, of his own accord, with a smile.
कृतदारोऽस्मि भवति भार्येयं दयिता मम। त्वद्विधानां तु नारीणां सुदुःखा ससपत्नता
I am already married, and this dear lady is my wife. For women like you, having a co-wife is a source of great sorrow.
अनुजस्त्वेष मे भ्राता शीलवान् प्रियदर्शनः। श्रीमानकृतदारश्च लक्ष्मणो नाम वीर्यवान्
But this is my younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa by name, virtuous, pleasing to behold, glorious, and unmarried, endowed with valor.
अपूर्वी भार्यया चार्थी तरुणः प्रियदर्शनः। अनुरूपश्च ते भर्ता रूपस्यास्य भविष्यति
He is young, handsome, seeking a wife for the first time, and he will be a fitting husband for you, matching your own beauty.
एनं भज विशालाक्षि भर्तारं भ्रातरं मम। असपत्ना वरारोहे मेरुमर्कप्रभा यथा
O large-eyed one, take him, my brother, as your husband, O lovely-hipped woman, without a rival wife, like the radiance of the sun upon Mount Meru.
इति रामेण सा प्रोक्ता राक्षसी काममोहिता। विसृज्य रामं सहसा ततो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्
Thus addressed by Rāma, the demoness, overcome by desire, suddenly left Rāma and then spoke to Lakṣmaṇa.
अस्य रूपस्य ते युक्ता भार्याहं वरवर्णिनी। मया सह सुखं सर्वान् दण्डकान् विचरिष्यसि
O handsome one, I am a suitable wife for you, of excellent complexion; with me you will happily wander throughout the Daṇḍaka forest.
एवमुक्तस्तु सौमित्री राक्षस्या वाक्यकोविदः। ततः शूर्पनखीं स्मित्वा लक्ष्मणो युक्तमब्रवीत्
Thus addressed by the demoness, Saumitri, skilled in speech, then smiled and fittingly replied to Śūrpaṇakhā.
कथं दासस्य मे दासी भार्या भवितुमिच्छसि। सोऽहमार्येण परवान् भ्रात्रा कमलवर्णिनि
How can you, a maidservant, wish to become the wife of a servant like me? I am dependent on my noble brother, O lotus-complexioned one.
समृद्धार्थस्य सिद्धार्था मुदितामलवर्णिनी। आर्यस्य त्वं विशालाक्षि भार्या भव यवीयसी
O large-eyed one, you should become the younger wife of my noble brother, who is prosperous, accomplished, and joyful, with a pure complexion.
एतां विरूपामसतीं करालां निर्णतोदरीम्। भार्यां वृद्धां परित्यज्य त्वामेवैष भजिष्यति
Abandoning his old, ugly, wicked, fierce, pot-bellied wife, he will surely choose you alone as his wife.
को हि रूपमिदं श्रेष्ठं संत्यज्य वरवर्णिनि। मानुषीषु वरारोहे कुर्याद् भावं विचक्षणः
For who, O lovely-complexioned one, among discerning men, would forsake such excellent beauty among women and harbor affection for another?
इति सा लक्ष्मणेनोक्ता कराला निर्णतोदरी। मन्यते तद्वचः सत्यं परिहासाविचक्षणा
Thus addressed by Lakṣmaṇa, the fierce, pot-bellied demoness, lacking discernment, believed his words to be true.
सा रामं पर्णशालायामुपविष्टं परंतपम्। सीतया सह दुर्धर्षमब्रवीत् काममोहिता
Overcome by desire, she approached Rāma, the subduer of enemies, sitting in the leaf-hut with Sītā, difficult to assail.
इमां विरूपामसतीं करालां निर्णतोदरीम्। वृद्धां भार्यामवष्टभ्य न मां त्वं बहु मन्यसे
Clinging to this old, ugly, wicked, fierce, pot-bellied wife, you do not value me highly.