Very true! The authors of epics keep reminding us that it is a larger plan that prompts these minor incidents. Gods seem to choose unlikely people to initiate such earth shaking events. Earlier it was Manthara, the hunchback and now Shurpanaka, a middle aged woman!
While Valmiki described Shurpanaka as an ugly woman, Kambar differed and described her as a very beautiful woman. Wikipedia has more: There are a few versions of the Ramayana that claim that Surpanakha had no real romantic interest in the brothers and that she had orchestrated the war for no reason other than to seek revenge against Ravana for her husband's murder. After many years of scheming for his downfall, she realized that Ravana had more than a match in Rama, .. Rama had killed both her grandmother, the ferocious Thataka, and her uncle, Subahu. .. and Surpanakha decided to pit her brother against Rama, knowing that no one else was powerful enough to slay Ravana. Accordingly, she orchestrated her encounter with Rama, ..The way she plotted after being humiliated clearly showed that she was a thinking person and knew how to convince her brothers to avenge her injury.
In Valmiki Ramayana, she first went to her brother Khara, who to appease her, sent with her fourteen rakshas to eliminate Rama. When they were killed by Rama, she persuaded him to wage a war against Rama and Lakshmana and annihilate them for they had intruded into Dandaka and there was every possibility of an onslaught by them on demons.
However, Rama eliminated the fourteen thousand demons. Finally, left behind were only two, Khara and Trishira, the chiefs of that demonic force in Janasthaana. Trishira was the first to go and then 'Rama and Khara exchange a haughty wordy duel and when the demon Khara charges at Rama, Rama eliminates him with his all-powerful arrow and gods and sages shower flowery rain. Seetha and Lakshmana return from their hiding cave and Seetha becomes very happy on seeing her victorious and indefatigable husband.'
Shuurpanakha then runs to Ravana to inform of her fate at the hand of Lakshmana. She taunts Ravana for his un-kingly activities, by which his kingdom is going to face a calamitous situation soon. While gibing at him she narrates how a king, really fit for kingship, shall conduct the affairs of kingdom'.
I quote from another translation of Ramayana where she accosts her brother with:
“Slave to the pleasures of the senses, your unbridled, uncontrolled passion for women will lead you to perdition. Your deplorable intoxication will drive you into dangers that threaten you. Unopposed and without wholesome counsel a king will soon fall to ruin and his subjects will desert him. You are an enemy of the gods, gandharvas and danavas. If you fail to gather information through spies, how can you protect your kingdom? Ravana! Kings who have no spies lose their treasury and their power. Did you know of the massacre at Dandaka where thousands of rakshasas have perished? Your espionage system is evidently inefficient and your ministers are ignorant. Rama has brought back peace to Dandaka and it is once again a safe haven for ascetics.”
Pretty strong language used! Obviously they were close to each other and he knew that his sister was quite sharp and intelligent to listen to her diatribe. It is also amazing how, while she criticised him for his weakness for women, falsely claimed that she was about carry away for him a woman of perfect beauty when her husband's brother maimed her.
In valmiki Ramayana there is no mincing of words: Oh, mighty shouldered brother, but when I ventured to bring her as your wife, whose hips are broad, bosom fat and bulgy, face excellent, that cruel Lakshmana disfigured me. You too will become a groveller at the arrows Lover-god in case you now see Vaidehi with a face shining like full-moon.
Shuparnaka obviously knew her brother well, ..He who had burned with rage on seeing his sister's wrongs and hearing the fate of his army....now forgot her sister's wrong....but remembered Sita and her alone. He burned with the desire of making her his wife.
Conflict has to be created and it was!
R
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