Sloka & Translation

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

tataśśūrpaṇakhāṅ dṛṣṭvā bruvantīṅ paruṣaṅ vacaḥ.

amātyamadhyē saṅkruddhaḥ paripapraccha rāvaṇaḥ৷৷3.34.1৷৷

tataḥ then, amātyamadhyē in the midst of ministers, paruṣam harsh, vacaḥ words, bruvantīm while speaking, śūrpaṇakhām to Surpanakha, dṛṣṭvā after seeing, saṅkruddhaḥ enraged, rāvaṇaḥ Ravana, paripapraccha asked.

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

kaśca rāmaḥ kathaṅvīryaḥ kiṅrūpaḥ kiṅparākramaḥ.

kimarthaṅ daṇḍakāraṇyaṅ praviṣṭassudurāsadam৷৷3.34.2৷৷

rāmaḥ Rama, kaḥ who is he, kathaṅvīryaḥ what is his strength?, kiṅrūpaḥ how does he look, kiṅparākramaḥ how valiant, sudurāsadam impenetrable, daṇḍakāraṇyam Dandaka forest, kimartham for what purpose?, praviṣṭaḥ 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?

āyudhaṅ kiñca rāmasya nihatā yēna rākṣasāḥ.

kharaśca nihatassaṅkhyē dūṣaṇastriśirāstathā৷৷3.34.3৷৷

yēna by what, rākṣasāḥ demons, kharaśca and Khara, dūṣaṇaḥ Dusana, tathā likewise, triśirāḥ Thrisira, saṅkhyē in war, nihatāḥ killed, rāmasya Rama's, āyudham weapon, kim what.

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

ityuktā rākṣasēndrēṇa rākṣasī krōdhamūrchitā.

tatō rāmaṅ yathātatvamākhyātumupacakramē৷৷3.34.4৷৷

rākṣasēndrēṇa by the king of demons, iti thus, uktā spoken, krōdhamūrchitā overtaken by anger, rākṣasī the demoness tataḥ then, rāmam Rama, yathātatvam faithfully, ākhyātum to describe, upacakramē she started.

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

dīrghabāhurviśālākṣa ścīrakṛṣṇājināmbaraḥ.

kandarpasamarūpaśca rāmō daśarathātmajaḥ৷৷3.34.5৷৷

daśarathātmajaḥ Dasaratha's son, rāmaḥ Rama, dīrghabāhuḥ long- armed, viśālākṣaḥ large- eyed, cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaraḥ clad in deer skin and bark , kandarpasamarūpaśca resembled Cupid৷৷

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

śakracāpanibhaṅ cāpaṅ vikṛṣya kanakāṅgadam.

dīptān kṣipati nārācānsarpāniva mahāviṣān৷৷3.34.6৷৷

śakracāpanibham bow like Indra's, kanakāṅgadam gold armlets, cāpam bow, vikṛṣya draws, mahāviṣān highly poisonous, sarpāniva snake like, dīptān glittering, nārācān iron arrows, kṣipati releases.

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

nādadānaṅ śarānghōrānnamuñcantaṅ śilīmukhān.

na kārmukaṅ vikarṣantaṅ rāmaṅ paśyāmi saṅyugē৷৷3.34.7৷৷

saṅyugē in war, ghōrān dreadful, śarān arrows, ādadānam drawing from the quiver, rāmam Rama, paśyāmi I see, śilīmukhān darts, muñcantam released, na not, kārmukam a bow, vikarṣantam pulling apart, na 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 bow-string.

hanyamānaṅ tu tatsainyaṅ paśyāmi śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ.

indrēṇēvōttamaṅ sasyamāhatantvaśmavṛṣṭibhiḥ৷৷3.34.8৷৷

indrēṇa by Indra, aśmavṛṣṭibhiḥ by raining hailstones, āhatam destroyed, uttamaṅ sasyamiva like the crop ready for harvest, śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ rain of arrows, hanyamānam killed, tat sainyam that army, paśyāmi 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.

rakṣasāṅ bhīmarūpāṇāṅ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa.

nihatāni śarai stīkṣṇaistēnaikēna padātinā৷৷3.34.9৷৷

ardhādhikamuhūrtēna kharaśca sahadūṣaṇaḥ.

padātinā on foot, ēkēna alone, tēna by him, tīkṣṇaiḥ sharp, śaraiḥ arows, ardhādhikamuhūrtēna within the span of one and a half muhurta ( muhurtha is fortyeight minutes), bhīmarūpāṇām dreadful in appearance, rakṣasām demons, caturdaśa fourteen, sahasrāṇi thousand, nihatāni are killed, sahadūṣaṇaḥ also Dusana, kharaśca 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.

ṛṣīṇāmabhayaṅ dattaṅ kṛtakṣēmāśca daṇḍakāḥ৷৷3.34.10৷৷

ēkā kathañcinmuktāhaṅ paribhūya mahātmanā.

strīvadhaṅ śaṅkamānēna rāmēṇa viditātmanā৷৷3.34.11৷৷

ṛṣīṇām for seers, abhayam assurance of safety, dattam is given, daṇḍakāḥ Dandaka forest, kṛtakṣēmāśca peace restored, mahātmanā great soul, viditātmanā knower of self, strīvadham slaying a woman, śaṅkamānēna hesitant of, rāmēṇa by Rama, aham I, ēkā only, paribhūya insulted, kathañcit somehow, muktā 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.

bhrātā cāsya mahātējā guṇatastulyavikramaḥ.

anuraktaśca bhaktaśca lakṣmaṇō nāma vīryavān৷৷3.34.12৷৷

mahātējāḥ radiant , guṇataḥ in quality, tulyavikramaḥ of equal courage, anuraktaśca very loyal, bhaktaśca devoted, vīryavān valiant, lakṣmaṇō nāma Lakshmana by name, asya his, bhrātā brother.

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

amarṣī durjayō jētā vikrāntō buddhimānbalī.

rāmasya dakṣiṇō bāhurnityaṅ prāṇō bahiścaraḥ৷৷3.34.13৷৷

amarṣī impatient , durjayaḥ invincible, jētā victorious, vikrāntaḥ very bold, buddhimān intelligent, balī strong, nityam always, rāmasya Rama, dakṣiṇaḥ bāhuḥ right hand, bahiścaraḥ moving outside, prāṇaḥ his own life.

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

rāmasya tu viśālākṣī pūrṇēndusadṛśānanā.

dharmapatnī priyā bharturnityaṅ priyahitē ratā৷৷3.34.14৷৷

viśālākṣī large- eyed lady, pūrṇēndusadṛśānanā face like the full moon, rāmasya Rama's, dharmapatnī consort, bhartuḥ husband's, priyāḥ darling, nityam always, priyahitē in the interest of her husband, ratā engaged.

Rama's beloved consort is a large-eyed lady. Her face is like the full moon. She is engaged in the well-being of her husband.

sā sukēśī sunāsōrussurūpā ca yaśasvinī.

dēvatēva vanasyāsya rājatē śrīrivāparā৷৷3.34.15৷৷

sukēśī she has long hair, sunāsōruḥ has beautiful nose and thighs, surūpā ca of good look, yaśasvinī illustrious lady, sā she, asya of this, vanasya of the forest, dēvatēva like the presiding deity, aparā another, śrīriva like goddess of wealth, rājatē shining.

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

taptakāñcanavarṇābhā raktatuṅganakhī śubhā.

sītā nāma varārōhā vaidēhī tanumadhyamā৷৷3.34.16৷৷

taptakāñcanavarṇābhā a lady of shining golden hue, raktatuṅganakhī of red, pointed nails, śubhā auspicious, vaidēhī daughter of Videha, tanumadhyamā of slender waist, sītā nāma by name Sita, varārōhā of heavy hips.

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

naiva dēvī na gandharvī na yakṣī na ca kinnarī.

naivaṅrūpā mayā nārī dṛṣṭapūrvā mahītalē৷৷3.34.17৷৷

ēvaṅrūpā such a beauty, dēvī goddess, mayā myself, naiva dṛṣṭapūrvā not seen earlier, gandharvī gandharvi, na not, yakṣī yakshi, na not, kinnarī kinneri, na not, nārī woman, mahītalē on this earth, na 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.

yasya sītā bhavēdbhāryā yaṅ ca hṛṣṭā pariṣvajēt.

atijīvētsa sarvēṣu lōkēṣvapi purandarāt৷৷3.34.18৷৷

yasya whose, sītā Sita, bhāryā as wife, bhavēt shall be, hṛṣṭā happily, yam whom ever, pariṣvajēt she may embrace, saḥ he, sarvēṣu in all, lōkēṣu in the worlds, purandarāt api more than Indra, the breaker of fortress, atijīvēt 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.

sā suśīlā vapuśślāghyā rūpēṇāpratimā bhuvi.

tavānurūpā bhāryā syāttvaṅ ca tasyāstathā patiḥ৷৷3.34.19৷৷

suśīlā a woman of good conduct, vapuślāghyā is a woman of praiseworthy beauty, rūpēṇa by appearance, bhuvi on this earth, apratimā incomparable, sā Sita, tava your, anurūpā suitable for you, bhāryā wife, syāt will be, tathā similarly, tvam you, tasyāḥ to her, patiḥ 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.

tāṅ tu vistīrṇajaghanāṅ pīnaśrōṇipayōdharām.

bhāryārthē ca tavānētumudyatāhaṅ varānanām৷৷3.34.20৷৷

virūpitāsmi krūrēṇa lakṣmaṇēna mahābhuja.

mahābhuja O mighty-armed one, vistīrṇajaghanām of broad thighs, pīnaśrōṇipayōdharām a lady of pointed breasts and high hips, tāṅ varānanām of beautiful face, tava your, bhāryārthē as your wife to be, ānētum to bring, udyatā I have tried, aham I, krūrēṇa by the cruel, lakṣmaṇēna by Lakshmana, virūpitā asmi have been disfigured.

O mighty-armed 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.

tāṅ tu dṛṣṭvādya vaidēhīṅ pūrṇacandranibhānanām.

manmathasya śarāṇāṅ vai tvaṅ vidhēyō bhaviṣyasi৷৷3.34.21৷৷

pūrṇacandranibhānanām a lady with a face like the full Moon, tām her, vaidēhīm Vaidehi, adya now, dṛṣṭvā by seeing, tvam you, manmathasya of Cupid, śarāṇām arrows, vidhēyaḥ be a victim, bhaviṣyasi 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.

yadi tasyāmabhiprāyō bhāryārthē tava jāyatē.

śīghramuddhriyatāṅ pādō jayārthamiha dakṣiṇaḥ৷৷3.34.22৷৷

tasyām in her, tava your, bhāryārthē desire to make her your wife, abhiprāyaḥ intention, jāyatē yadi if it arises, iha from here, jayārtham to win her over, dakṣiṇaḥ pādaḥ your right foot, śīghram quickly, udghriyatām may be raised.

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

kuru priyaṅ tathā tēṣāṅ rakṣasāṅ rākṣasēśvara.

vadhāttasya nṛśaṅsasya rāmasyāśramavāsinaḥ৷৷3.34.23৷৷

rākṣasēśvara O lord of the demons ! tathā such, nṛśaṅsasya cruel ones, āśramavāsinaḥ of the dweller of the hermitage, tasya rāmasya of that Rama, vadhāt by killing, tēṣām of those, rakṣasām of demons, priyam favour, kuru do.

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

taṅ śarairniśitairhatvā lakṣmaṇaṅ ca mahāratham.

hatanāthāṅ sukhaṅ sītāṅ yathāvadupabhōkṣyasi৷৷3.34.24৷৷

mahāratham to that great warrior, taṅ that, lakṣmaṇaṅ ca Lakshmana also, niśitaiḥ with sharp ones, śaraiḥ with arrows, hatvā after killing, hatanāthām with her husband killed, sītām Sita, sukham happily, yathāvat as you like, upabhōkṣyasi 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.

rōcatē yati tē vākyaṅ mamaitadrākṣasēśvara.

kriyatāṅ nirviśaṅkēna vacanaṅ mama rāvaṇa৷৷3.34.25৷৷

rākṣasēśvara O lord of the demons ! rāvaṇa Ravana, mama my, ētat all this, vākyaṅ word tē to you, rōcatē yadi if you like, nirviśaṅkēna without any hesitation, mama mine, vacanam words, kriyatām do as I said.

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

vijñāyēhātmaśaktiṅ ca hriyatāmabalā balāt.

sītā sarvānavadyāṅgī bhāryārthē rākṣasēśvara৷৷3.34.26৷৷

rākṣasēśvara O Lord of the demons, ātmaśaktim your own strength, vijñāya assessing, sarvānavadyāṅgī charming in all respects, abalā delicate, sītā Sita, bhāryārthē as wife, balāt forcefully, hriyatām 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.

niśamya rāmēṇa śarairajihmagai rhatān janasthānagatānniśācarān.

kharaṅ ca buddhvā nihataṅ ca dūṣaṇaṅ tvamatra kṛtyaṅ pratipattumarhasi৷৷3.34.27৷৷

rāmēṇa by Rama, ajihmagaiḥ not moving obliquely, śaraiḥ by arrows, janasthānagatān staying at Janasthana, niśācarān night-walkers, demons, hatān killed, niśamya after hearing, kharaṅ ca Khara and, dūṣaṇaṅ ca Dusana, nihatam killed, buddhvā after knowing, tvam you, atra here, kṛtyam your duty, pratipattum to decide, arhasi 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.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē catustriṅśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the thirtytfourth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.