Diwali Special- 5 Unknown Facts About Ravana Sister, Surpanakha

Surpanakha is seen as a mere succubus by everyone. No one knows the real story of Surpanakha. She was terrifying and ugly. There are not many mentions of her in Ramayana. She was the younger child of Sage Visrava and his second wife Kaikesy and the sister of demon King Ravana. Some Hindu texts say that she was very beautiful as his mother. Parents gave her the name Meenakshi (one who has the beautiful eyes of fish). This shows she was pretty. According to many Hindu scholars, she is the most misunderstood character in Ramayana. We can surely say without any hesitation that if Surpanakha hadn’t come on the scene, the story of Ramayana would have been another. She seeded the main incident (battle between Rama and Ravana)

Surpanakha was the youngest child of Visrava and Kaikesi. She was born as a succubus because her mother was one. She was very beautiful according to some texts. While Valmiki described her as a dark and ugly women. In Sanskrit, the word Surpanakha means one who has long and sharp nails.

She that demoness who is facially unpleasant one with that pleasant-faced one, pot- bellied one with the slim-waisted one, wry-eyed one with the broad-eyed one, coppery-haired one with the neatly dressed one, ugly featured one with the charming featured one, brassy voiced one with the gentle-voiced one, deplorably oldish one with the youngish one, crooked talker with the pleasant talker, ill-mannered one with the well-mannered one, uncouth one with couth, abominable one with amiable Rama spoke, besieged by Love-god.

Surpankha was married to an Asura, Dushtabudhi (some texts say his name was Vidyujjihva). He was a greedy person. He always tried to gain more and more. But he was killed by Ravana, his brother- in- law. Thus she became a widow. Her brother was the cause of her sorrow.

Some years later, she happened to see Rama in Panchavadi. Rama was extremely beautiful. So she wanted to make him her husband. According to Valmiki, she had transformed herself into a beautiful woman and thereby losing her usual terrifying shape. She approached Rama and proposed him. But Rama followed Eka- Patni- Vritha (having one wife only). So he apologized Surpankha and said that his brother Lakshman was living without a wife now. He suggested her to approach Lakshmana.

Lakshmana also followed Eka- Patini- Vritha and sent her back to the Rama. They decided to play a prank on her. At last, Surpanakha realized they were making her a laughing stock. She couldn’t tolerate it. Hence, she tried to attack Sita for she was the reason why Rama didn’t become her husband. That was her bad luck. Lakshmana, who saw her sister- in- law as the mother, became angry. He chopped her nose. Embarrassed Surpanakha got wounded also.

She first went to one of her brother, Khara and told what happened. He became annoyed and rushed to Panchavadi. There were about fourteen- thousand Rakshasa with him. But all of them were sent to hell (or heaven) by Rama and Lakshmana. One of those fourteen- thousand and one Rakshasa didn’t die and fled to Lanka, where the palace of Ravana was located.

There wasn’t anyone to help her except Ravana, her elder brother. She sought help from him and described the beauty of Sita. Women were the weakness of Ravana. So he became obsessed with the beauty of Sita. He wanted her to be with him. Then he kidnaped Sita and that’s how the epic battle was started.

Here Valmiki put a full stop to the story of Surpanakha. But some other writers of Ramayana said about her after her nose- cutting incident.<

What Happened to Surpanakha After that?

This is unknown to many of us. Everyone knows he planted the seed of the Rama- Ravana battle. Then where did she disappear?

Some authors of alternative Ramayana states that she lived in Lanka with Vibheeshana, the new King after Ravana, even after the war. After some years, she and her half- sister, Kumbini were found dead in a sea.

Did She have a Terrific Appearance?

Actually, this is a topic of controversy. Because the first author of Ramayana wrote her as the ugliest ever in the world. Hope you read what the Sage had written about her. He said that Surpanakha was so terrifying and had a roaring voice.

But Kamban, a Tamil poet wrote her as a beautiful woman. He mildly described Surpanakha. We can’t leave his work because the childhood name of Surpanakha was Meenakshi (woman with beautiful eyes of fish).

The painter drew Surpanakha as a beautiful woman in the picture given below.

There are many interpretations and re- writings of Adikavya Ramayana. We can see some lesser known facts about Surpanakha in those works. Many of this books suggest that Surpanakha is the most misunderstood character in Ramayana.

1. Her Real Intention was not to Get a Husband

She didn’t have an intention to hurt Sita. Yes, some poets and critics said that she didn’t want Rama or Lakshmana as her husband. Then why did she propose Rama and Lakshmana? There is a sensible answer for this. Ravana killed her husband Dushtabudhi. He wouldn’t have killed him whatever be his nature was. Surpanakha waited for an apt occasion to end the monarch, Ravana. He was very powerful due to the boon given by Brahma. Hence, she couldn’t have touched him with an intention to kill. She knew it well and waited for years for a situation. When she heard about Rama who killed her Grand Mother (Thataka) and Uncle (Subahu), it was known to her that no one could defeat Rama. Hence, Surpanakha brilliantly made a reason to begin a fight between Rama and Ravana. Everything went as she thought.

2. Her Love was Ridiculed

Was she a real succubus? Did you ever read that Surpanakha was very cruel and she killed many? I didn't. Although she was born in a Rakshasa family, she had not much nature of demons. Moreover, she gave value to feelings. Just think she was really fond of Rama. It is natural for a woman to fall in love. So she proposed Rama. But what did he do? He played a trick on her with his brother. They kicked her both ways. Why because she was thirsty. She had a thirst for love.

3. She Suffered from Injustice

Do you think what Lakshmana did to Surpanakha was right? I don’t think so. He cut her nose only because she proposed them. It was pure injustice. How indecent the proposal might be, doing this to a woman was not at all right. Nowadays we argue for women- rights. But our ancient text itself is a proof of molestation against women.

4. Was Beauty a Reason for her Sorrow?

Another possible thing for all that happened was related to beauty and submissiveness. Surpanakha was a middle- aged woman when she approached Rama and Lakshmana with the proposal. She wasn’t that much beautiful as young Sita. Being a member of Rakshasa family, she wasn’t submissive also. This might be a reason that she suffered a lot.

5. Surpanakha Met Sita After the War

In Devdutt Pattanaik's Sita : An Illustrated Retelling Of The Ramayana, there is a chapter in which Surpanakha sees Sita. Sita was abandoned by Rama because his subjects doubted her chastity. She was left in a forest. That time Surpanakha saw Sita. There were hatred and revenge in her mind. But she didn’t hurt Sita. Instead she said that Rama and Lakshmana dumped Sita as they did to her. Sita wasn’t sad. She knew that Rama was bounded by rules and he hadn’t doubted her a bit. Then they became friends and enjoyed each other’s company.

6. At last She became the Wife of Rama

This may be the most unknown fact. In Bhramavaivrata Purana, it was written that Surpanakha penanced Brahma to get Rama as her husband in her next birth. Brahma gave her the boon. She was that maiden who served Krishna (the Avatar of Rama or Vishnu) with sincere devotion. Her name was Kubja who had three stoops on her backbone. Shri Krishna made those to disappear and hence she became more beautiful. She was one among Lord Krishna’s 16008 wives.

7. She Wasn't That Much Ugly

Although she wasn't that much beautiful as Sita, she wasn't ugly. Many of us think her appearance was not good enough. Referring Kamba Ramayana will surely change your mindset. She was beautiful and had magical powers too.