Summary
Ravana enquires about Rama's valor and weaponry for which Shuurpanakha narrates about Rama, Seetha, and Lakshmana and what has happened in Janasthaana. Thus she prompts Ravana to achieve Seetha as his wife, for none surpasses Seetha in her beauty.
Chapter [Sarga] 34 in Detail
On observing Shuurpanakha who is speaking bitter words against him in the presence of ministers then Ravana is highly infuriated and queried her. [1-34-1]
"Who is Rama? How brave he is? Of what mien [appearance] and what caliber he is? And for what reason he entered the highly inscrutable Dandaka forest? [1-34-2]
"What is the weapon of that Rama by whom these many demons are killed in war, likewise Duushana and Trishira are killed, and even the not killable Khara is killed? Oh, lady with fascinating limbs, who disfigured you? That you tell. [1-34-3, 4a]
When the king of demons has asked her thus, she that demoness Shuurpanakha who is in a fit of fury then commenced to describe Rama in the point of fact. [3-34-4b, 5a]
"Dasharatha's son Rama is the one with inescapable arms and keen-eyed, but has jute-cloths and skin of black-deer for his dress, yet in semblance he is similar to the Love-god. [3-34-5b, 6a]
"Yanking out a bow with golden fillets, and that is similar to the bow of Indra in its shine, he strews candent iron-arrows that simulate snakes with deadly poison. [3-34-6b, 7a]
"It has become unperceivable for me to see when and how he drew his ghastly arrows from quiver on the battleground; or, stretching his bow admitting those arrows on bowstring - no; or, his releasing those sharp edged arrows from the bow - no; why them, that great mighty Rama himself has become imperceptible in the fastness of his action. [3-34-7b, 8a]
"As with a crop of grain devastated by a hailstorm of Indra, I could only see that best army while it is being annihilated with a downpour of arrows. [3-34-8b, 9a]
"Thus a lone foot-soldier with his excruciating arrows has exterminated fourteen thousand demons with fiendish might, including Duushana, and along with Khara, say, within one and half hours. [3-34-9b,10]
"Accorded is the protection to the sages, and Dandaka is made as a snuggest place for them. I am the lone one somehow let off by such a high-minded Rama, of course, on humiliating me by cutting my nose and ears. Maybe, it is because he is hesitant of woman-slaughter for he is a well-versed soul. [1-34-11, 12]
"A highly resplendent one who by his trait matches his brother in bravery, an adherent and a devotee of his brother, such a stout-hearted one is Rama's brother known as Lakshmana. [1-34-13]
"That Lakshmana is an easily irritable one, he is not that easily invincible, an easy victor, but not an easygoing valiant, yet he is an intellectual at ease, and a mighty one who does not ease off, such a Lakshmana is the perpetual right-hand and the peripherally moving life of Rama. [1-34-14]
"But, one with her broad-eyes, face similar to the full-moon is the dear and wedded wife of Rama, and she always takes delight in the well-being of her dear one, namely Rama. [1-34-15]
"She is the one with lengthy hairdo, her nose and thighs are fine, and that glorious one with fine looks is the wife of Rama, and she is beaming forth like a sylvan deity situated in that woodland, who in turn is like Goddess Lakshmi in a temporal form. [1-34-16]
"She has a complexion matching the shade of refined gold, her nails are rosy and jutting, and she with her curvaceous hips and slim waist is the daughter of King of Videha, and known as Seetha. [1-34-17]
"So far I have not seen any goddess with such a comeliness; a Gandharva female - no; a Yaksha female - no; a Kinnara female - no; and a woman, no, not on the face of earth! [1-34-18]
"To whom Seetha becomes a wife and around whom she gladly throws her arms after such a marriage, he lives more grandly than Indra in all the worlds. [1-34-19]
"She is a highly gracious lady, laudable by her bodily structure, incomparable by her appearance, and she will become a seemly wife of yours, and you too will become a best husband of hers. [1-34-20]
"Oh, mighty shouldered brother, but when I ventured to bring her as your wife, whose hips are broad, bosom fat and bulgy, and face excellent, that cruel Lakshmana disfigured me. [1-34-21, 22a]
"You too will become a groveler [crawler] at the arrows lover-god in case you now see Vaidehi with a face shining like full-moon. [1-34-22, 23a]
"Hence, if you hatch an opinion to make her as your wife, and if you aspire success, now itself quickly put your best foot, namely your right foot, forward. [1-34-23]
"Oh, the king of demons Ravana, if this advise of mine is pleasing to you, let this idea be actualized without any shilly-shallying in your mind. [1-34-24]
"Oh, king of the demons, realize your stout-heartedness, and oh, great mighty one, let that immaculately limbed Seetha be abducted to become your wife. [1-34-25]
"On recognizing that Rama with his straight shooting arrows destroyed the night-walkers positioned at Janasthaana, and further on distinguishing that Duushana, and even Khara, is dispatched, it is apt of you to awake to a workable action." Thus Shuurpanakha has ear bashed Ravana. [1-34-26]
Thus, this is the 34th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
