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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 The story picks up momentum right from the moment Surpanakha arrives on the scene. The ogress falls in love with Rama and the scenes that follow her approaching Rama to win his heart with her lecherous advances, ripple with humour. 'I come from a royal family. Kubera, the lord of wealth, is my brother and my other brother Ravana is the mightiest emperor of the three worlds,' she entices Rama.
Rama however turns her to Lakshmana, playfully.
'aruththiyaL anaya kUra, agaththuru nagayin veLLaik kuruththu ezhum neelak koNdal,' When Surpanakha said this, Rama of cloud like complexion was amused and a smile appeared on his face, 'uNNdaattam koNdaan' he became playful.
'O you seem to be from a very big family.
'oruvanO ulgam mUndrirkku Ongu oru thalaivan.' One of your brothers is the emperor of all the three worlds.
'oongin oruvanO kuberan.' Your other brother is the very Kubera.
'annaar thaurvarEl koLven.' I will accept you if they come in person and give you (to me in marriage). Else, please go to some other place.
This is one scene where Rama's penchant for practical jokes comes to the fore. As this is a very important scene that marks a turning point to the story, it is appropriate to take it up for detailed study when we take up Rama. It is sufficient for now to see that Surpanakha had some reason to believe that Rama had set his mind on her and that he is refusing to accept her because of the presence of Sita, whom Surpanakha perceives as 'incomparable beauty.'
'kaN pira poruLil sellaa; karuththu enin ahdhe.' The eye that is set on her would not move on to other objects. And it is the same with the mind of the person who sees her.
'kaNda peN pirandhEnukku endraal,' If I, a woman, is enticed and enraptured by her beauty,
'en padum pirarukku?' what would be the condition of a man, especially the one whom she belongs to?
She then ventures into the calculation that if Sita is eliminated, there would be nothing to stop Rama from accepting her. And when Rama is away for performing the evening rites -
sandhi - she pounces on Sita and takes her away, without realising that Lakshmana is standing guard close by.
 It was no time for Lakshmana to wait for orders now! He was supposed to guard Sita and there is an emergency! 'Stop there!' he shouted.
'nil adee ena kaduginaan.' He reached for her crying 'Tarry there!'
'peN ena ninaindhaan.' The next moment he thought that though an ogress, Surpanakha is a woman. He held her by her locks and severed her nose, earlobes and breasts applying the minimum of violence to restrain her from going ahead with her dangerous and motivated venture.
That is one example for Lakshamana's quick action, judgement and quick decision-making. In the following scenes, on the arrival of the golden deer, Maricha, we are going to see his sharp intellect, keen intuition and excellent logic coming into play.
More follows...
Published on 11th March 2002
Hari Krishnan
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