32. KAMBAN'S SURPANAKHA :

RAMA and Lakshmana drove out
Surpanakha, as one takes a stick and
drives out a donkey straying into a garden.
Such is the brief and simple treatment of
this incident by Valmiki.



Kamban, the Tamil poet, however,
deals with it more elaborately and has
made a number of changes in the story.



Sitting on the riverbank, Rama watched
a swan walking and then looked at Sita,
also walking. Noting the similarity in the
gait, Rama was pleased and smiled. Sita,
for her part, observed an elephant
returning from the river and, reminded of
Rama's gait, smiled. Thus in Panchavati,
beside the river Godavari, love flowed
smoothly between the banks of dharma.



Just then fate conspired with lust to drag
Surpanakha to the presence of Rama. The
Lord Vishnu had left the Ocean of Milk
and taken birth as Dasaratha's son, to rid
the earth of the enemies of the gods. But
how was Surpanakha to know this?



Beholding the beauty of his person, she
wondered: "Is this Manmatha or Indra or
Siva or Vishnu? But Manmatha has no
body. Indra has a thousand eyes and Siva
has third eye in the forehead, and Vishnu
has four arms; so he cannot be Indra, Siva
or Vishnu. Perhaps, after all, this is
Manmatha who has recovered his body
through penance, after it had been reduced
to ashes by Siva's wrath. If it be
Manmatha, why should this handsome
hero still perform penance? Why should
this lotus-eyed youth waste his time in
tapas?"



So she stood there wondering,
watching, unable to turn her eyes away.
She thought, "My own form would fill
him with disgust. I shall change my
appearance and then approach him."
She transformed herself into a beautiful
young woman and appeared before him
like the full moon. Her slender frame was
like a golden creeper climbing up the
Kalpaka tree in Heaven. Her lovely lips
and teeth were matched by her fawn-like
eyes.



Her gait was that of a peacock. Her
anklets made music as she came near.
Rama looked up and his eyes beheld this
creature of ravishing beauty. She bowed
low and touched his feet. Then she
withdrew a little with modesty shading
her eyes.



Rama welcomed her, imagining that
she was a visitor from some distant place
and inquired: "Which is your place? What
is your name? Who are your kinsfolk?"
She answered: "I am the daughter of
the grandson of Brahma. Kubera is a
brother of mine. Another is Ravana,
conqueror of Kailasa. I am a maiden and
my name is Kamavalli. And what is your
purpose in coming here? It is not proper
for a woman to speak out the trouble in
her mind. And yet I suppose I must speak
it out. The God of Love has invaded my
heart. You can and should save me."
She paused. Rama remained silent.
And she went on.



"You may wed me with Gandharva
rites. You know it is permitted for lovers
to come together in this manner. Once we
are joined in this way, not only will
happiness be ours, but friendship between
you and my brother, the great Ravana,
will follow. You are alone in this forest
and the Rakshasas will molest you. Even
if you do not provoke them, they will give
you trouble because you are dressed as an
ascetic. If you marry me, you will be free
from all this danger. Not only that, my
powerful people will be ready to serve
you in all ways. Consider this well."
Thus she pleaded for the fulfilment of
her desire, citing authority and appealing
to Rama's self-interest also.



Rama laughed revealing his beautiful
pearly teeth. Just then, Sita was coming
towards them through the plants and
creepers, herself looking like another
creeper. Surpanakha saw and marvelled at
her loveliness.



Not knowing whom she was,
Surpanakha angered by lust, told Rama:
"This girl is a Rakshasi in human form.
She has come to deceive you. Beware of
her. Demonic is not her real form. She is a
Rakshasi that eats raw meat. Throw her
out. Have nothing to do with her."
Rama laughed again. "You are indeed
wise," said he. "You have found out the
truth about her."



Meanwhile, Sita had come and stood
by Rama. Surpanakha could not
understand what Rama was laughing for.
In her lust, she had quite lost her wits. She
hissed at Sita: "Why do you approach this
hero of mine, oh Rakshasi? Go away from
here."



Sita, bewildered and afraid, hung on
the prince's shoulder, and she then seemed
like a lightning flash hugging a rainbearing
cloud.



Rama now saw that the joke had gone
too far and said: "Dear lady, please stop,
lest my brother should hear you. He is
quick-tempered and terrible when angry. I
advise you to go back quickly the way
you came." Saying this, Rama took Sita
with him and went into the hermitage.



The fire of her desire unquenched, the
Rakshasi spent the night somewhere,
somehow. In the morning, she thought: "I
shall die if I do not get this man. So long
as this girl is with him, he will never come
near me. I must contrive to carry her off
and put her away somewhere and then I
may secure his love." Thus resolved, she
came again to the ashrama.



Rama had gone to the river for his
morning ablutions and prayer and Sita
was alone in the ashrama. Surpanakha
reckoned this was her chance to carry her
off. She did not notice that Lakshmana
was in the wood nearby. She rushed
towards Sita. Lakshmana shouted and
sprang on the Rakshasi. Catching hold of
her hair, he kicked her and drew his
sword. Surpanakha when attacked
resumed her own shape and at tacked
Lakshmana. Lakshmana easily caught
hold of her and mutilated her and drove
her off.



Surpanakha ran into the forest,
bleeding and loudly appealing to her
kinsfolk: "Oh, brother Khara! Oh, brother
Ravana! Oh, Indrajit! Oh, kings of the
Rakshasa race! Are you all asleep? A
mere man has insulted me and cut off my
nose. Do you not hear my lamentations?"



This is Kamban's version of the
episode. Surpanakha approaches and tries
to attract Rama, hiding her true form and
appearing like a beautiful human girl. This
variation is supported in a way by
Valmiki's description of Surpanakha as
Kamarupini, that is, one able to assume
what form she liked.



The Tamil poet appears to have felt
something wrong or wanting in Valmiki's
story and has woven an episode showing
how bestial passion works.



NEXT : 33. KHARA AND HIS ARMY LIQUIDATED-


Continues...