Reading Notes: Ramayana Part B

I became really interested into the story of Shurpanakha after reading a few entries about her. In Shurpanakha and Rama, written by Donald Mackenzie. Shurpanakha was a man eater that was cursed with hideous looks and forced to live in the jungle. The moment Shurpanakha saw Rama, she fell in love. Shurpanakha decided that she would change her form into someone more beautiful in order to steal Rama away from Sita. Shurpanakha introduced herself into a beautiful young women and approached Rama, where he introduced himself as well. Shurpanakha told Rama she had chosen him as her husband and was needed to help rule over her great empire. Rama told her no, that he was in love with Sita, but that his brother Lakshmana was in need of a bride. Shurpanakha became enraged and spoke of how she would come to destroy the weak human Sita and take her husband. Rama heard this chant and repeated that Lakshman was in need of a wife and had a lot of love to give.

The next story involving Shurpanakha that caught my eye was Lakshmana and Shurpanakha also written by Donald Mackenzie. From the start of this story, we learn that Shurpanakha runs away from Rama and goes to Lakshmana. Lakshmana instantly starts making fun of Shurpanakha and this totally enrages her. She goes to attack Sita in a blind furry in which Rama pushes her away. Lakshmana pulls out his sword and cuts off the nose and ears of Shurpanakha, so as she runs away she's screaming at the top of her lungs. Shurpanakha runs to her brother Khara, who, surprise surprise, becomes infuriated when he sees his sister bleeding. Shurpanakha told her brother that Rama and Lakshmana attacked her because she wanted to drink Sita's blood and then asked her brother to bring her Sita. Khara instructed fourteen rakshasas, the man eaters, to go get the three people living in the jungle, but none of them returned as they had been killed by Rama and his celestial arrows. Khara calls upon an army to come along with him as they go and kill Rama. As the rakshasas approached, Rama knew something had to be done. The last part I am a little confused about, I believe Rama cuts off Sita's nose and ears so he can protect her life and be even with Shurpanakha.


(Shurpanakha: wikimedia)