Surpanakha The Demoness: The Brain Behind Rama Ravana War

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Surpanakha literally means "the one who has sharp nails" and Surpanakha was a distraught demoness who lived in insecurity and uncertainties. Being the sister of the famous emperor Ravana, she had animosity with him due to some twist of fate. Let us know more about her,

She had several plans which would be achieved by encouraging Ravana to fight Ram. The mastermind behind the gory war of Ramayan was Surpanakhi. She is known as a victim of her fate and circumstances and a helpless demoness who had lost her direction.

Her attitude changed completely towards the end of the war between Rama and Ravana, turned into a recluse, and penances in the Ashram of Daityaguru Shukracharya. She was a wronged woman whose crafty plans actually turned Ravanas designs topsy turvy at the end.

To outline her story in brief, she was in love with a danavaraja called Vidhyujjihva who was an eminent devotee of Lord Vishnu. Ravana hated him for two reasons. One was because his brother-in-law was a devotee of Lord Vishnu.

econdly his brother-in-law was the chief impediment to Ravanas dream of ruling the three worlds. Surpanakha was an intelligent woman who used her brains for nefarious purposes only.

So who was Surpanakhi? She was named as Meenakshi due to her fish eyes and eye-catching looks. She is known to have been an apsara in her last birth and then got cursed by a Rishi whose words turned her into a rakshasi.

Now Ravana killed Surpanakhis husband which angered Surpanakhi no end. She vowed to kill Ravana and raze him down along with his entire kingdom. One more reason was probably that Rama had killed her uncle Subahu and grandmother Tataka.

o these reasons were enough to enrage her. She found in Rama the warrior like qualities and skills that were enough to blow up Ravana along with his army. After Ravana consoled her, she left to Dandakaranya to stay with her brother Khara.

She made a detailed plan first of all to get sita abducted by Ravana by brainwashing him about Sitas beauty and her suitability to Ravana as his queen. Surpanakha was as per Valmikis Ramayan, was an ugly demoness, potbellied with a harsh grating voice.

To add to it all, she had squint in her eyes. When Surpanakha first met Rama and Lakshmana who were in exile in the forest, as per some sources, instead of eating him up for her lunch, she felt bewitched by his looks.

She introduced herself as a great demoness who was the sister of the mighty Ravana and daughter of Vaishravana the Rishi. Having introduced herself in this way, she proposed to Rama. Rama smiled and directed her towards Lakshman.

When both of them disagreed to marry her, Shurpanakhi realised that she can't not marry Rama as long as Sita was by his side. So, She tried to kill Sita as she was an impediment to her selfish interests of getting Ram as her husband.

am and Lakshman made fun of her, and sent her defigured and lost in sorrow.: Surpanakhi requested her brothers Khara and Dooshana to help her. But despite fighting Rama with his demon army, he was unable to win over Rama and finally loses his life.

It was then that her demoniac instincts were kindled and she tells Ravana to marry Sita as she is fit for him in all the ways. Then Ravana planned along with Maricha to abduct Sita as he was sure that he could not face Rama in a one-to-one fight and hence decided to take Sita by stealthy ways.

A miraculous change came over Surpanakha when Lakshmana cut off her nose. Her wisdom was awakened and she realised who Rama was and what role she had in his and Sita's life. She goes to Shukracharya and does tapasya in his Ashram for several years. Her sorrow was slowly giving way to placid calm and an acceptance of situations as they came.

Lord Shiva, promised Surpanakha that she would get marital happiness with Ram when he takes Krishnas incarnation in Dwapara Yuga. This was a relief for her though.

Surpanakha took birth again as a dwarf and her dwarfism was cured when Krishna passes his hand over her back. Surpanakha got back her celestial beauty and left to the abode of apsaras.

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