The sister of Lankapati Ravan, Shurpnakha was loitering around the Jansthaan one day when she came around the Parnakuti of Shri Ram. And seeing him, she was as if struck by Kaamdev.

Seeing the idyllic man, whose face is radiant, arms lengthy, eyes large like lotus petals, stride like that of an elephant, wearing bunches of hair-tufts, delicate yet greatly vigorous, possessor of all kingly aspects, complexion deep-blue like blue lotus, similar to Love-god in brilliance and in simile to Indra, Shurpankha was overcome by Lust.

Compared to the pleasant looking Shri Ram, she was unpleasant, both in looks and actions. Shurpankha was also very old compared to him, but again is there a thing that can stop lust ?

Shurpankha went to the Parnakuti and approched Shri Ram to seek his indulgence.

"Tapasvi-vesh mei Rajsi tej liye kaun ho tum ? Rakshasho se bhare iss van mei kya kar rahe ho ?" Shurpankha asked.

"Mai Ayodhya ke swargiya Raja aur Chakravarti Samrat Dashrath ka Jyesht putra Ram hu. Waha woh dusra purush mera chhota bhai Lakshman hai aur woh tejasvi stree, meri patni Sita hai, Videh ke Raja Janak ki putri. Pita ke vachano ka palan karne hetu hum vanvas bhog rahe hai." Shri Ram said.

"Oh..." Shurpankha nodded, looking at him up and down. And it was clear to Shri Ram, that she was checking him out.

"Waise aap kaun hai ? Aapka charitra.... Mera tatparya ki aapka chittakarshak charitra dekh ke toh aap Rakshasi pratit hoti hai." Shri Ram said.

"Tumne kaise Jana ?" Shurpankha asked with wide smile, as if distinction between a human and a Rakshas wasn't obvious.

"Anubhav devi. Anubhav. Mai aapka parichaye jaanne hetu utsuk hu." Shri Ram said.

"Mai tum satya batati hu Ram, mera naam Shurpankha hai. Mai man chaha roop le sakti hu. Trilok Vijayi Lankapati Ravan mere bade bhai hai, sarvashaktimaan Kumbhkaran bhi mere bade bhai hai. Aur Vibhishan, jo apne guno ke karan Rakshas pratit nahi hota, woh mera chhota bhai hai. Panchvati ke Raja, Khar aur Dushan bhi mere bhai hai. Kintu mera bal, Parakram aur shakti inn sab se kai adhik hai." She boasted.

Her words of pride were almost laughable but Shri Ram suppressed the urge.

"Toh iss abhaage ki Parnkuti mei aake use dhanya karne ka prayojan ?" He asked in jest.

"O Ram, tumhare durbhagya ko saubhagya mei badalne hi mai aayi hu. Maine jis kshan tumhare upar drishti daali, uss kshan se mujhe gyaath tha ki tum mere pati banne ke yogya ho." Shurpankha said.

"Drishti ya Ku-drishti ?" He muttered.

"Kya ?" She asked.

"Maine kaha ki tum jaisi ahan- mera matlab Aatma-samman se pari purn Nari, Sautan ko sahan nahi kar payegi." Shri Ram said.

"Tumhari yeh patni Kuroop hai aur naa hi tumhare yogya. Mai isko bhakshan kar tumse vivah kar lungi. Fir hum prasannata se dandakaranya mei jeevan anand se vyatit karenge." Shurpankha said. Shri Ram chuckled.

"Mere paas dusra upaye hai. Tum mere bhai Lakshman ke samaksh yeh prastaav rakho, uski patni yaha nahi hai. Aur woh bhi mere bhaati roopvaan aur veer hai." Shri Ram said.

At that Shurpankha looked at Lakshman, who was deadpanning at his elder brother for putting him in trouble with this woman. Shurpnakha looked at him, he too was good looking just a bit younger. She was quick to discard Shri Ram and rush to Lakshman.

"Sundar toh tum bhi ho Lakshman. Mera varan prastav swikar karlo." Shurpankha said.

"Um.... Mai toh Bhaiya aur Bhabhi ka das hu. Mujhse vivah karke tum Dasi banna chaahti ho ? Mere bhaiya mei mujhse adhik gun hai. Tum unse hi vivah karlo." Lakshman retorted with grin.

The son of Sumitra had said this in jest, but the Rakshasi didn't get his sense of humour and thought he was supporting her cause.

"Satya kaha Lakshman. Mujh jaise stree ke liye toh keval Ram hi yogya hai. Kintu woh apni patni ke karan mera varan swikaar nahi kar raha. Mai abhi Sita bhakshan kardungi !" Shurpankha said.

Saying so she dashed towards Devi Sita, as a great meteor would dash towards Rohini, the brightest star in the sky. But Shri Ram's reflexes pulled her away from the Rakshasi. Now the Sita-pati was angry.

"Iss udandata ka dand tumhe awashya milega ! Lakshman, tumhari nirdosh bhabhi par aakraman karne ka uchit dand do ise !" Shri Ram said.

Thus said to that mighty Lakshmana he infuriately drew sword and chopped off her ears and nose before the very eyes of Ram

Thus said to that mighty Lakshman, the tiger among men infuriately drew his sword and chopped off Shurpnakha's ears and nose before the very eyes of Ram.

On hewing off her ears and nose she that ghastly Shurpankha blared highly and discordantly, and very speedily fled into forest as she came.

"Sitey tum thik toh ho ?" Shri Ram asked.

"Ha Nath." She nodded.

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A/N

Fun Fact - This part of Ramayan, where Shri Ram rejects advances of Shurpnakha, is regarded as a Haasya Raas, meaning comedy, because the way she is rejected.

You can read it for yourself in Sarga 17 and 18 of Aranya kaand. It's available online.

And TV shows don't usually show the side of Shri Ram where he is jovial. Neither they show Shurpankha as old, which she was. She is described as 'Vridh'.

Nevertheless.... Let's just appreciate Shurpnakha getting her due punishment before pseudo-feminists come and justify old women forcing themselves on young men even after they said 'No' ✨