Soorpanakha’s descriptions – The Hindu

Taking Maricha’s advice, Ravana gives up his plan to abduct Sita, and returns to Lanka. But Soorpanakha comes to him and abuses him. Ravana asks her who Rama is. He has many questions for his sister, said Navalpakkam Vasudevachariar in a discourse. Why is Rama in the Dandaka forest, wonders Ravana. What weapons did He use to kill Khara, Dooshana and the other demons? Who disfigured Soorpanakha? Soorpanakha tells Ravana that Rama shoots arrows by the dozen, and the flight of these arrows reminds one of the movements of poisonous snakes. Rama was so swift, that she could not see Him pick up arrows, aim them and shoot them. In fact, because of the speed with which He operated, she could not even see Him. When a heavy downpour destroys crops, what can one do but watch helplessly? Likewise, Soorpanakha had stood watching the asura forces go down, felled by Rama’s arrows. Who would have thought that a man could kill 14,000 demons in just three hours? But that is exactly what Rama did, she says. As to why she had been spared by Rama, she says it was probably because Rama would not kill women. Rama’s valiant brother Lakshmana is with Him, says Soorpanakha. Soorpanakha’s description of Sita is surprising, because the demoness must have been envious of Sita. Yet, she speaks of Sita’s beauty. She says Sita is like Goddess Lakshmi. He who is wedded to Her and He whom She embraces, is guaranteed a status superior to that of Indra. Although Soorpanakha is opposed to Sita, she has understood the greatness of Sita. She has understood that Sita’s association with the Lord adds to His glory.

Sooorpanakha then says she had tried to bring Sita to Ravana, to be his wife, but had been disfigured by Lakshmana. She tells Ravana that he should act quickly, to make Sita his.