Word

Surpanakha

Sanskrit

शूर्पणखा

IAST

śūrpaṇakhā

In General

Sister of Ravana and daughter of Sage Vaishrava and Kaikesi. Another version is that Khara and Surpanakha were born Sage Vaishrawas of his wife Malini. During the most part of the forest life, Sri Rama was dwelling in Dandakaranya forest. Surpanaka saw two young men Rama and Lakshmana on one fine day and instantly wanted to marry them. She requested both but both of them turned down the request. Rama said he is already married and Lakshmana said he is a servant of Rama and thus not proper to marry a prince. On a fit of rage Surpanakha tried to attack Sita as she considered this beautiful lady is the stumbling block before her. This caused Lakmana to react violently and cut Surpanaka’s nose first and them her breast. The tortured and humiliated lady then went to her brother Ravana and complaint him of the harm done to her by the brothers Rama and Lakshmana. Ravana was already angry with Rama for killing his allies Khara, Dusana and Trishiras. Surpanaka tried all her effort to instigate anger in Ravana to take action against Rama. Surpanaka even told Ravana of the beautiful lady, Sita accompanying Rama.