Home

Shurpanakha

Shurpanakha is a rakshasa (demoness) in the Ramayana, the sister of Ravana and a member of the Rakshasa clan of Lanka. Depending on the version, she is described as the daughter of Vishrava and Kaikesi, and a sister to Ravana and Kumbhakarna, with Vibhishana sometimes listed as a brother. She appears during Rama’s exile in the Dandaka forest near Panchavati.

Shurpanakha is described as a shapeshifter capable of changing her form to resemble a desirable woman. She

Terrified, Shurpanakha reports the incident to Ravana, who is offended by the insult to his sister and

In later adaptations, Shurpanakha’s tale is often treated as a moral or cautionary episode about desire, pride,

See also: Ramayana, Ravana, Sita.

encounters
Rama
and
his
brother
Lakshmana
and
is
attracted
to
Rama.
Rama
politely
rejects
her,
and
when
she
then
targets
Sita,
Rama’s
wife,
Lakshmana
defends
her
and
maims
Shurpanakha
by
cutting
off
her
nose,
disfiguring
her.
the
honor
of
his
family.
Her
complaint
helps
incite
Ravana
to
abduct
Sita,
which
sets
in
motion
Rama
and
Lakshmana’s
pursuit
of
Sita
and
the
ensuing
war
in
Lanka.
In
many
tellings,
her
episode
is
presented
as
a
catalyst
for
the
epic’s
central
conflict
and
Ravana’s
downfall.
and
consequences
of
insult.
The
character
appears
in
various
retellings
and
artistic
works,
with
depictions
ranging
from
brutal
to
more
nuanced
interpretations
that
emphasize
the
social
and
ethical
dimensions
of
the
Ramayana.