Indian
mythology
brings us colourful and interesting stories, not only of
Gods
and
Goddesses,
demi-Gods, heroes and kings, but also of certain anti-heroes and negative
characters, who also had an equally important role to play in the tale.
Just as light cannot exist without darkness; so also, good cannot exist
without evil. What is more, the so-called evil and wicked characters not
only released their own karma, but also helped bring good to the world in
general. Also, looking at the matter from a different perspective, these
characters had their own reasons for doing the terrible deeds they did in
their lifetimes. Many of them were pure of heart, but were oppressed and
sometimes were even forced to commit sins they would not have otherwise
committed.
Such is the story of
Surpanakha.
A demoness by birth, hers was a persona which could strike terror in the
minds of the layman. Yet, there was another side to her, that was far softer
and more mellow than one could ever imagine. This month, we bring you the
tale of Surpanakha, the dreadful demoness of Lanka.
Surpanakha
Surpanakha, also spelt as Shurpanakha, literally means the "one with sharp
fingernails" or the "one whose fingernails are like winnowing fans". She is
an important character in the Valmiki
Ramayana
and is the sister of the main antagonist,
Ravana,
the demon-King of Lanka.
Ravana - Hand Painted Perforated Leather Hanging Puppet
Surpanakha was the youngest child of Sage Vishravas and Kaikesi. She was
married to Dushtabuddhi. Sometimes, he is also referred to as Vidyutjihva,
the Prince of the Kalkeya Danava clan. Dushtabuddhi (literally, the one with
an evil mind) was a prominent member of Ravana's court and Surpanakha
married him by choice. However, he was plotting against Ravana. When the
latter came to know of this, he got him killed, thus causing his own sister
to become a widow.
Surpanakha then divided her time of stay between Lanka and some forests in
South India. Sometimes, she went to live with her other relatives, Khara and
Dushana.
Life
Some texts describe Surpanakha as thin and slender, with beautiful brown
eyes, which were slightly tilted upwards. She is also described as having
thick, long hair and a sweet, melodious voice.Â
Surpanakha - Papier Mache Mask
At birth, Suparnika (which later developed to become Surpanakha) was given
the name of Minakshi "Diksha". Some also called her Chandranakha (the one
with nails like the moon). She was as striking and stately as her mother
Kaikesi and her grandmother Ketumati.Â
When she came of age, she secretly married the Danava
prince,
Vidyutjihva. Ravana was enraged that she married a Danava - the Danavas were
arch enemies of the Rakshasas. He was about to punish her, but his wife
Mandodari convinced him to respect the wishes of his only sister. Thus,
Ravana was forced to accept him into the family.Â
After Ravana conquered Rasatala (the Underworld), he decided to visit his
newly married sister. That is when he discovered Vidyutjihva's true motive
to marry her. He wanted to kill Ravana. The latter then attacked and killed
him.Â
When Suparnika came to know of her husband's death and that Ravana had
caused it, she was filled with grief. She then split her time between Lanka
and Southern India. By then, she also conceived a son by Vidyutjihva, known
as Shambhri, who was later accidentally killed by
Lakshmana.
Surpanakha Meets Rama
According to the Valmiki Ramayana, Surpanakha met Rama, the exiled Prince of
Ayodhya, on one such trips to the Forest of Panchavati. She was instantly
smitten by his handsome persona and youthful good looks. She tried to make
advances towards Rama, but he repeatedly kept rejecting them. He even told
her that he had taken a vow of having only one wife (eka-patni vrata) and
hence, he would never accept any other woman in his life.Â
Surpanakha then approached his younger brother, Lakshmana. He reacted very
differently from Rama. He was harsh and cruel in his rejection of her and
said that she would never become that which he desired in a wife.
Eventually, she realized that the brothers were making fun of her. Insulted
and humiliated, she attacked Sita, but was thwarted by Lakshmana. When he
had had too much, he cut off her nose and left ear and sent her racing back
to Lanka. According to some versions of the story, he also cut off one of
her breasts.
Lakshman Cuts Surpanakha's Nose in Presence of Rama and Sita - Orissa Patta Painting
Crying loudly, Suparnika first went to her brother, Khara. He immediately
sent seven Rakshasa warriors to attack
Rama.
The latter effortlessly defeated them and sent them back. Khara then
challenged Rama himself, along with 14,000 soldiers. They were all killed,
except for Akampana, Kaikesi's brother. He fled to Lanka.
Ravana Abducts Sita
Suparnika then went to Ravana's court and related the entire story. She also
convinced him to abduct and wed Sita. Akampana too played a vital role in
instigating Ravana to abduct Sita and make her his own. The only one who was
against this was Vibhishana, Ravana's other brother. Ravana called him a
traitor and, ignoring his warnings, proceeded to take Sita.Â
Ravana's abducting of Sita, also his act of killing
Jatayu,
the Divine Vulture, triggered the war between Rama and Ravana. After many
days of battle, Ravana was killed at the hands of Rama. As per some legends,
Sita and Surpanakha eventually forgave each other after the war and even
managed to become friends.Â
The Valmiki Ramayana does not speak of Suparnika after the war. However, it
is generally believed that she continued to live in Lanka after Vibhishana
ascended the throne as King of Lanka. It is said that, a few years later,
she and her half-sister Kumbini perished at sea.
Sita's Abduction by Ravana and Jatayu Vadh - Raja Ravi Varma Painting on Canvas
Other Legends
Some versions of the Ramayana state that Surpanakha had no real romantic
interest in either Rama or Lakshmana. She was still seething about the fact
that Ravana had killed her husband and so, instigated him, knowing well that
he would fight against Rama and eventually be killed at his hands. Rama had
killed both her grandmother, the terrible Tataka, and her Uncle, Subahu. She
was aware that Ravana would be no match for Rama and so, she patiently
plotted for months together and hatched a plan to get him killed.Â
Rama and Lakshmana at War with Ten Headed Ravana - Kalamkari Painting
Yet another version narrates that Suparnika was a beauty beyond compare. She
had a crush when she saw Lakshmana in Panchavati - at that time, she was not
aware that he was married. When she approached him, he got offended and in
extreme (and rather unnecessary) rage, he cut off her nose, thus rendering
her ugly for life.Â
After spending years in solitude, she finally found peace within herself and
recreated her original beauty in an enchantingly beautiful garden, which
Sita
happened to stumble upon, much later, during her own exile at Valmiki's
ashrama.
Suparnika - the Untold Story
Suparnika was indeed one of the central characters of the Ramayana. Valmiki
himself stated that, had there been no Kaikeyi and no Surpanakha, the
Ramayana would not have existed. She was the catalyst who set into motion
the chain of events that led to the destruction of Ravana. She, therefore,
is considered to be the driving force behind the Rama-Ravana
war.
However, there is also another side to the story...
Highly Misunderstood
Though a beautiful woman hailing from a
royal
family, Surpanakha was belittled and made fun of by Lakshmana, just because
she showed an interest in him. To add to her insult, her nose and ear were
chopped off as well, disfiguring her permanently.
Victim of Injustice
The Ramayana portrays Rama and Lakshmana as the personification of
divinity
and dharma. However, the story of Surpanakha makes one think again about it.
No man that insults and disfigures a woman like they did to her can be
termed as being good or dharmic. In that sense, Surpanakha was the victim of
injustice and never deserved the punishment she got, merely for showing
interest in a member of the opposite sex.
She Wished to Marry Rama
On seeing Rama, she was instantly smitten by him and wanted to marry him.
But then, which woman would not want that? She then approached Lakshmana
only on Rama's recommendation. At that time, she was not aware that the
brothers were only tossing her around and were cruelly having fun at her
expense. When she realized what was happening, she felt deeply insulted and
angry.
A Wronged Woman
Several scholars state that Surpanakha was, in fact, a wronged woman. Had
Rama and Lakshmana calmly reasoned with her, she would probably have
understood their point of view and would even have decided to leave the
matter alone. But their act of insulting her and severing parts of her body
was unforgivable, especially for Kshatriyas (warriors) of their stature. She
was a strong-willed, independent
woman,
who dared to approach a man and tell him that she liked him. That should
actually be looked at as a virtue and is not something to be made fun of.
Why Surpanakha Wanted Ravana Killed
Surpanakha always felt that she was living under the shadow of her highly
dominating brother, Ravana. It was like she was never allowed to have a mind
of her own. He would order her to do something and she simply had to do it.
Over the years, this created a deep resentment towards him. He had tried to
interfere and stop her even when she wished to marry Vidyutjihva, the love
of her life. It was only because of Mandodari's recommendation that she
could finally marry him.Â
Ravana's slaying of her husband was the last straw for her. She was seething
with rage when she came to know how Vidyutjihva died. She desperately wanted
revenge, but being a helpless widow, she could do nothing on her own. She
also felt lonely and disrespected at Lanka and that is why she often spent
time away from the palace and in the
forests,
where she found more peace.Â
She was well aware that no ordinary mortal or beast could cause even the
slightest harm to Ravana. It would need someone extraordinary and divine to
destroy him. Knowing that only Rama could do this, she plotted to instigate
Ravana against Rama.
Surpanakha - Description in the Ramayana
Surpanakha has been described and portrayed differently in different
versions of the Ramayana. Valmiki's Ramayana states that she was a ghora
mukhi (ugly faced), pot-bellied, cross-eyed and had oversized breasts.
Further, it says that she had thinning, brown hair and a grating voice,
which had no hint of softness or femininity in it. This version also
describes her as evil-minded, with a heart full of wickedness.Â
On the other hand, Tamil poet, Kamban, has a different perspective of
Surpanakha in his Kamba Ramayanam. He describes her as a strikingly
beautiful woman with long, lustrous hair, fish-shaped eyes (that is
why she was given the name Minakshi at birth), a slender form and a magnetic
and bewitching personality. She also wielded magical powers and could assume
any form at will.Â
As per the Kamba Ramayanam, she put all these powers to good use when she
initially approached Rama with her proposal. Rama, however, realized who she
actually was and decided to play her for a while, before finally rejecting
her.Â
As per the Brahmavaivarta Purana, Surpanakha later visited the holy lake of
Pushkara and prayed to Lord
Brahma
that she should marry Rama in her next birth. Accordingly, she was born as
Kubja in her next birth. She was a hunchbacked woman, who married Lord
Krishna,
the next incarnation of Sri Maha
Vishnu.
Lord Brahma - Photographic Print
Sita Meets Surpanakha
According to an excerpt from Devdutt Pattanaik's "Sita: An Illustrated
Retelling of the Ramayana", Sita met Surpanakha much later in her life, when
she herself was in exile in Valmiki's ashrama. At that time, Lakshmana had
abandoned the pregnant Sita in the forest, on Rama's orders. This, in spite
of the fact that she had proved her chastity by undergoing the agni-pariksha
(test of fire), for having stayed so long in Ravana's place.Â
Agnipariksha of Sita - Photographic Print
According to the Uttara Ramayana, after Rama's Pattabhishekam (coronation
ceremony), some people in Ayodhya were still doubting Sita's purity and were
wondering who the father of her child could be. Rama heard them discussing
the matter and decided that it was in his kingdom's best interest to let
Sita go from there, so that no one would doubt his integrity and adherence
to his duty as King. He, however, did not have the courage to face Sita and
tell her that she should leave the palace. Hence, he asked a reluctant
Lakshmana to accompany her till the forest and then abandon her
there.Â
Sita, who was in immense grief, sat under a berry tree. That was when she
found Surpanakha, filled with hatred, was gloating and laughing at her. She
said that they rejected Sita, just as they rejected her. Now, Sita was
stripped of her status, just as she (Surpanakha) was stripped of her
beauty.Â
Sita Vanavasa - Reprint of Raja Ravi Varma Paintings
Though deeply hurt by the Rakshasi's words, Sita found the strength to smile
at her and offered her a berry. She told Surpanakha that the berries were
sweet - as sweet as the ones in Mandodari's
garden
- and urged her to have some.
Sita's gentleness surprised Surpanakha. She had hoped to inflict pain on the
former, but she was obviously growing beyond the pain. She realized that she
had to stop this cycle of hatred and had to start loving herself, before
expecting anyone to love her in return. That was the only way that she could
find peace within herself.
Surpanakha Lets Go
Still affected by the negativity and hatred inside her, Surpanakha argued
that she had been denied justice. Sita advised her to leave the past behind
her and start living in the present. She also told her to let bygones be
bygones and forgive everything that everyone had done to her.
Sita continued with her stand, saying that she should not get trapped and be
a victim of her own need for revenge. She stated that several Ramas and
Ravanas would come and go and that millions of people would be born and
would die, but life and
nature
would still continue to exist, as it always did. She said that it was the
reason why she preferred to be here in the dense forest, in the midst of
Mother Nature.Â
Sita's demeanour and her advice impressed Surpanakha. She realized that, in
order to see change outside, she first had to change inside. She picked up
the berry offered by Sita. It tasted sweet - it was the sweetest thing she
ever tasted. She ate another one and smiled at Sita.Â
With that, Surpanakha let go of all her past suffering, negativity and
hatred and started to feel truly beautiful again. She giggled happily and
playfully challenged to a race to the
stream.
Off the ladies went, genuinely joyous and feeling at peace with themselves
and with the world around them.
Suparnika - Demoness or Damsel?
With traditional notions and ideas undergoing immense changes in the present
modern world we live in, our perception of right and wrong has also
transformed; thus giving us a different viewpoint of the stories we heard
and read during childhood. Modern education and modern values make us
rethink these legends and wonder if there is more to them that meets the eye
- if Rama was really so pure and good; and if Surpanakha was really that
dark and evil.Â
In today's world, we still see unspeakable atrocities committed against
women in the name of tradition and power. Still, most women in rural areas
and many, even in urban areas, suffer attacks, assault, rape, honour
killings and so on. The shocking thing is that a major chunk of society
still blames them for this suffering. Much worse; the very definition of
rape changes with religion, caste and their class. Women who are divorced or
who do not give consent for sex are often mocked as arrogant and
immature.Â
In such a society, it comes as no surprise that Rama, who remained silent
while Lakshmana physically attacked Surpanakha, is still considered as the
epitome of Hindutva. On the other hand, the victim, Surpanakha, who was
marred maimed all her life, still continues to be judged for her actions.
She is looked down upon, merely because she expressed an interest towards
Rama.Â
Similarly, Sita was kidnapped by Ravana against her will. She had to undergo
the agni-pariksha to prove her chastity, while no one ever doubted Rama's
loyalty. In spite of him sending her to the forest at the hands of
Lakshmana, people still refer to Rama as the "Maryada Purushottam" (the
perfect follower of rules; the epitome of perfect values).Â
There is yet one more angle here. The fact is that Rama never experienced
peace or happiness even for a single day, after he ill-treated Surpanakha.
Likewise, Ravana never experienced joy after abducting Sita. In fact, she
was the cause of the loss of his kingdom, power, dignity and even his own
life. This probably goes to show that those who do not treat their women
properly, would finally have to face a lifetime of negative karma for
it.Â
However, it was up to Sita and Surpanakha to find their own justice and
peace for it. They went through their storms and changed themselves, so that
they could experience peace and joy in their lives. They realized that they
should start loving themselves unconditionally, in order to unlock the power
of Shakti within themselves.
The Story of Surpanakha - A Lesson to Learn
The tale of Surpanakha has a hidden meaning that all of us can learn from.
Her character shows us that nothing and no one is absolutely "good" or "bad"
as we define things from our limited experience of life. Rather, everything
and everyone (ourselves included) has shades of grey, that we must learn to
accept.Â
Looking at her
story
from a different angle and being empathetic towards her, one would probably
discover that Surpanakha was not at all that terrible as she is projected to
be. There was probably one side of her, that was hapless, helpless,
downtrodden and frustrated. She too, probably, was the victim of
circumstances, just like Sita was. Maybe that is why the two women
eventually forgave each other and became friends for life.Â
The very act of Surpanakha forgiving the past proves that she had
transcended the realms of negative emotions such as anger, vanity and ego.
Her ability to let go clearly goes to show that she too had a softer side
and a heart that was filled with love and forgiveness.Â
Maybe we all should follow her example and learn to become less judgemental
and more accepting of everything and all around us. That way, we too would
be able to progress on the path of achieving true peace and joy in our own
lives!