Ravana’s wicked sister. (Glossary for the Vahinis)
One day, while Rama and Sita were entering their hut in Panchavati, guarded by Lakshmana, a lady was seen walking toward them. Though Rama and Sita did not see her, the ever-watchful Lakshmana spotted her and asked, ‘Who are you?’ The lady ignored him and went straight to Rama. Rama too asked the same question. The lady countered by asking a question herself, ‘What does it matter to you as to who I am? By the way, who are you?’ Rama then introduced Himself as the son of Dasharatha. The lady responded by introducing herself, ‘I am the sister of the brave Ravana. I am the sister of Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana, Khara, and Dushana. My name is Surpanakha.’ (SSB 1996, pp.65-67)
When Rama asked her to explain the purpose of her visit, she replied without a trace of modesty that she wanted to marry Him! Rama and Lakshmana could not help smiling at the behaviour of Surpanakha and decided to have some fun at her expense. Rama said to her, ‘Oh lady! You are the very embodiment of beauty. It is not possible for Me to marry you since I have a wife of My own. See there! That young man will be a fitting husband for you, since he is not accompanied by his wife.’ Taking Rama seriously, she went to Lakshmana and said, ‘Lakshmana, are you ready to marry me?’ To this Lakshmana replied, ‘Yes, I am ready. But I do not wish to reduce you to the lowly status of a servant. Since I am the servant of Sri Rama, you too will become the servant of Sri Rama if you marry me. You are the sister of Ravana who is of a great royal lineage. It is not proper on your part to become a servant by marrying me. Hence, marry my Master Sri Rama, instead of wishing to marry me.’
Rama asks Lakshmana to cut off her ears and nose:
In this way, the two brothers had fun teasing Surpanakha. Surpanakha who deemed herself most beautiful, approached Rama saying, ‘Rama! Does Sita possess the beauty that I do? She looks emaciated. Look how beautiful I am. Rama and Lakshmana laughed within themselves at this. (SSB 2002, p.207)
After some time, Surpanakha became enraged. She thought, ‘It is because of the presence of Sita that Rama is not interested in me. If she is not there, Rama will certainly yield to my request.’ (SSB 2002, p.95)
Surpanakha came to Rama and said, ‘If You permit me, I will kill Sita and Lakshmana so that both of us can live happily in this forest.’ Saying this she rushed toward Sita in order to swallow her. Rama sent a signal to Lakshmana by looking at the sky. The intelligent Lakshmana, who had a thorough understanding of the signs and gestures of Rama, concluded that Rama was asking him to cut off her nose and ears, since the sky signifies sound and sound in turn signifies ears. (SSB 1996, pp.50-51) Lakshmana rushed towards the demonic woman with his sword drawn. He dragged her down to the ground; and shouting that her effrontery must be punished, he slashed off her ears and nose. (RKRV Part II, p.31)
Surpanakha raised such aloud wail that the forest quaked and quivered. She assumed her real shape as an ogress yelled, ‘Is this just? How can you deform, so cruelly, a woman who has come to you? I shall bring my brother Ravana here and inflict retribution for this cruel act.’ With this, she disappeared quickly into forest. (RKRV Part II, p.31)
Surpanakha goes to her brothers, Khara and Dushana:
Surpanakha was now devoid of her ears and nose. She screamed furiously, calling her brothers Khara and Dushana to her rescue. (SSB1996, p.51)
The earless, nose-less widow, Surpanakha, with her bleeding face walked in front of the entire force, eager to take revenge. She was leading them to the patch of green where she had met the brothers.
But she spelt an inauspicious beginning for the campaign. Hers was the bad omen for the expedition. A bleeding face, a widow, a defective—these are considered bad omens. Surpanakha was all these. The Rakshasas were not aware of the pros and cons of the signs and omens for starting on a march towards the battlefield. They relied on their physical and material might, and their nefarious stratagems. It is for this very reason that they are always unable to stand before the might of Divine and Dharmic forces.
For, who can withstand the power generated by the observance of Dharma and the Grace of God? They never paid attention to Righteousness or Divinity. They concentrated all their energies and skills on equipping themselves with physical might. Proud of their weapons, their muscles and their wickedness they strode forward into the forest, blowing their trumpets, roaring like lions, bellowing like wild elephants, yelling about their exploits and gyrating wildly in their wild dances. They never realised that their onslaught was comparable only to the onslaught of a sparrow on an eagle! From a distance, Surpanakha pointed out to her brothers the hermitage where Rama was. (RKRV Part II, p.32-33)
In a trice Rama wiped out Khara, Dushana, and a host of terrible demons who accompanied them. (SSB1996, p.51)
Her Monstrous appearance:
Surpanakha lost no time to appear before her brother, Ravana, rending the air with her weeping. She was bleeding from her wounds. Hearing it the Rakshasas of Lanka were frightened that some calamity had overtaken their land. They came out into the streets and started discussing in groups what the reason could possibly be. Surpanakha barged into the Audience Hall of Ravana, the Rakshasa Emperor, and spouted angry invectives, to the astonishment and anxiety of everyone present.
Her appearance was monstrous. Her body was covered with blood; her words were poisoned by anger. Ravana understood that someone had inflicted great injury on her. (RKRV Part II, p. 40)
Surpanakha tells Ravana that the Rakshasa clan was being wiped out at Panchavati:
Ravana was shocked at her plight. He roared from his throne, ‘Sister! Tell us in full what happened.’ Surpanakha replied, ‘Brother, if you are a genuine Rakshasa, if the superhuman powers gained by you after years of asceticism are real, then come; the moment has arrived to use your valour, your courage and your heroism. Arise! Do not ignore the calamities that await you and let things go by, lost in the intoxication that drink provides. ‘You have paid no attention to events that are taking place at Panchavati, who has come there, for what purpose, and for what task. Princes determined to destroy the Rakshasas have entered the Dandaka Forest. They are felling to the ground lakhs (100,000) of Rakshasa soldiers. They have cut to pieces the brothers, Khara and Dushana. They have wiped out of existence, in the wink of an eye, thousands launched against them. Their heroism is beyond description. Their personal beauty—Ah!’ Here, Surpanakha halted and stood silent, contemplating the splendour that had enraptured her. Hearing her story, Ravana became uncontrollably furious. (RKRV Part II, p.40)
Ravana Furious but Surpanakha retaliates:
He gnashed his teeth. He slapped his thighs as if in a burst of challenge. ‘What? Did those vile persons kill Khara and Dushana? Perhaps they did not know my name that I am behind them as their support. Perhaps they have not heard of my might and vengefulness.’
Ravana continued to boast aloud retailing to the people present his exploits. Surpanakha interrupted him, saying, ‘Oh Mass of Wickedness! When your arch enemy is dancing on your head, you are sitting here like a coward, extolling yourself and your invincibility! This is no sign of an emperor worthy of his throne. Perhaps, you do not know that sanyasins are ruined by the company they keep, emperors are ruined by the ministers they employ, wisdom is ruined by desire for appreciation, and the sense of shame is destroyed by imbibing drink. Well brother, do not neglect fire, illness, an enemy, a snake and a sin on the ground because it is small and insignificant. When they grow big, they are bound to inflict great harm. Therefore hasten, do not hesitate.’
These words of Surpanakha poured the poison of hatred into the ears of Ravana. At this, Kumbhakarna, the other brother who was present, asked Surpanakha with a smile on his lips, ‘Sister, who sliced your ears and nose?’ With a loud wail, she replied, ‘Alas! This wicked deed was done by those very Princes.’ (RKRV Part II, p.40-41)
Surpanakha s description of Rama
Ravana then consoled her, to some extent. He then asked her, ‘Sister, the nose is on the face. The ears are on the sides of the face. They cannot be sliced at one stroke. Now, tell me, were you sleeping soundly, when they cut them off? This is indeed surprising.’ The people present also wondered how it could have happened. (RKRV Part II, p.41)
Surpanakha replied: ‘Oh brother! What shall I say? All the time I was looking only at the beautiful form of Rama. While I was gazing on his face, I was not aware of what was being done to me. All my senses were paralysed while I was lost in seeing the charming form of Rama. (SSS Vol.23, p.44)
Surpanakha continued, ‘Brother, I lost all awareness of my body, why, of the region where I was when those soft sweet hands touched me. When my eyes were drinking the charm of their beautiful faces, I was not conscious of what they did. The very sight of those princes rendered me so entranced that I lost all awareness of myself and the surroundings. What shall I say of the ecstasy I derived by conversing with them! They bubble over always with joyful smiles. They know no other attitude or reaction. Even masculine hearts will surely be fascinated by their charm. They are really enrapturing representations of the God of Love. I have never so far set eyes on such beauty. Fie upon our Rakshasa prowess, our vile stratagems, our abnormal figures, our ugly appearance! We are indeed disgusting. Look upon them but once. You will swear I am right. Why? Khara and Dushana who died in the battle were reluctant to fight with them. They were protesting and pleading with me: ‘How can we feel enmity and fall upon these embodiments of auspiciousness and paragons of beauty?’ (RKRV Part II, pp. 41-42)
Their handsome and regal bearing enraptured me. It was as if I lost all my consciousness and remained rooted to the spot.’ In this way, she kept eulogizing the two princes’ noble bearing and virtues. (SSB 2002, p.96)
Ravana tries to find out about Panchavati:
The courtiers and ministers assembled in the Hall listened to this description with awe and delight. Her words confounded even Ravana. The picture of Rama that she drew was something that gave him great joy and peace, when he contemplated on it. Deep within him, he felt an urge to cast eyes on that inspiring embodiment of divine charm. As he listened to his sister, the anger that had raised its hood within slowly slithered away. He decided to investigate calmly what really happened at Panchavati. (RKRV Part II, p. 42)
So, he addressed his sister thus: ‘Sister, tell me, do those two brothers live at Panchavati all alone? Or, are there others with them? Have they no followers, companions or courtiers?’ (RKRV Part II, p. 42)
Surpanakha describes Sita:
Surpanakha replied ‘No. They have no band of bodyguards or kinsmen or warriors. The elder of the two, named Rama, has a woman with him, who is endowed with superlative beauty. She is even more charming than they. She is the very Goddess of Love, in human form. The two brothers are resident at Panchavati, with this woman. They roam about freely and without fear in the forest glades and valleys. In fact, I have never so far set eyes on such perfect feminine beauty. The likes of her does not exist on heaven or earth.’ (RKRV Part II, p. 42)
The Cause for the Ramayana
Surpanakha’s anger and frustration increased on seeing the death of the vast army of demons at the hand of Rama, and she now resolved to bring about the death of Rama and Lakshmana at any cost. She said to Ravana, ‘Brother, Sita, the wife of Rama, is the most beautiful lady I have ever seen. She is a lady worthy to be your wife. Somehow or other, bring her to your palace. This would be the greatest achievement in your life.’
People do not hear noble words,
But they eagerly hear evil words.
How can these people ever realise You?
Of what avail is all their intelligence?
Evil people easily succumb to evil words. The words of Surpanakha created a storm in the mind of Ravana. He worked hard at hatching a plot to abduct Sita and make her his wife. He summoned Maricha to help in the abduction of Sita. He asked him to don the guise of a golden deer and draw Rama away from Sita, so that he could abduct Sita. Maricha, who had earlier witnessed the prowess and sanctity of Rama, tried to reason with Ravana, saying, ‘Ravana, you do not know the matchless strength and prowess of Rama. There is none equal to Him in the world. Your power and prowess are infinitesimally small when compared with the infinite power of Rama. You will only bring about the destruction of your life and kingdom!’ (SSB 1996, pp.51-52)
The sufferings depicted in the Ramayana are due to two characters that make only short appearances, but represent the evil force of lust and anger--- Surpanakha and Manthara. They poison the minds of Ravana and Kaikeyi respectively and set the stage for the tale of grief. (SSS Vol.5, p.344)
Kama and Krodha (lust and anger) are the two arch-enemies of man which undermine his divine nature and drag him down into the mire. The Ramayana story is woven round the anger of Manthara and the lust of Surpanakha. The Ramayana of each individual too is woven round these two elemental passions. When the first intimations of these evil influences threaten to invade your mind, stop and inquire coolly into the nature of the urge, the manner of the promptings, the type of the consequences for you and others. Reason out these things, in silence and solitude. (SSS Vol. 5, p201)
Rama’s impending coronation, her anger increased by leaps and bounds, and she desperately sought an outlet. The Krodha (anger) of Manthara and Kama (desire) of Surpanakha are the cause for the entire Ramayana. The anger of Manthara sent Rama to the forest and the desire of Surpanakha sent Sita to Lanka. (SSB 1996, pp.36-37)
Although Ramayana is a very large book, is an extensive epic, you will find that these two names, Manthara and Surpanakha, who really have a considerable responsibility, have not been shown in any extensive manner anywhere in Ramayana. They appear only in one or two insignificant places. But these two, although they appear very insignificant in the totality of the story, move the whole story of Ramayana through. For Rama, who used to live in Ayodhya to go to the forest, for Sita who used to live in the forest with her husband Rama, to go to Lanka, Ravana s place; the responsibility for both these happenings is on Manthara and Surpanakha. Having stated that for the whole of Ramayana, Manthara and Surpanakha are responsible, we have to recognise that these two are not just individuals. Surpanakha signifies desires with attachment. Manthara signifies anger with vengeance. These two are the Kama and Krodha . These two, the Kama and Krodha or lust and anger are responsible for all kinds of difficult experiences which we have in our lives. (SSB 1972, pp.83-84)