Cutting Off Shurpanakha’s Nose and Ears

Question

You explained Shurpanakha as the symbol of attachment — Deha Shakti — and said that attachment takes many forms.
So when we were reading the story, I felt that Shurpanakha must have had some kind of special power that allowed her to take on different forms. That part I understood as attachment.
But I still have a question — what does it really mean that her nose and ears were cut off?

Answer

The meaning of cutting off the nose and ears is only symbolic.

The nose is considered a symbol of honor and pride.
So when it says that Shurpanakha’s nose and ears were cut off, it means that the attachment — the Deha Shakti that arose from within my own subconscious and reached the surface of my conscious mind — has been made powerless, ineffective.

It means: yes, the attachment arose, but since I am established in my true Self, I neutralized its effect.
To make that body-attachment powerless is what the story expresses symbolically by saying “Lakshman cut off Shurpanakha’s nose and ears.”

And who is Lakshman?
Lakshman represents the power of thought and determination (vichar shakti and sankalp shakti).

So how do I make my attachments powerless?
Only through my thought-power and willpower.

I, the conscious soul, when any form of body-attachment rises from within and appears on the surface of my mind, can render it powerless through my thoughts and firm resolve.

We need to watch this constantly in daily life.

For example, suppose I’m a doctor.
Someone comes and says, “All doctors nowadays are corrupt. They take bribes and have no ethics.”
I don’t take bribes, but hearing this, I feel hurt.
That hurt is the attack of attachment — because I’m attached to my role and my identity as a doctor.

But immediately, I use my power of thought and resolve:
“This statement was not made about me personally; it was a general remark. Why should I take it upon myself?”

In that moment, the words that had hurt me lost their effect.
I made that attachment powerless through my sankalp shakti — my willpower.

Another example:
My daughter-in-law says something to me that I don’t like.
It hurts because I am attached to her — she is part of my family.
But I immediately use my resolve and think:
“Nature is made up of three qualities — sattva, rajas, tamas. Right now, tamas may have become dominant, that’s why these words came out. Let it go. The moment will pass.”

With this understanding, I create a right thought, and the hurt caused by that attachment dissolves — it becomes powerless.

So we have to apply these understandings in our daily lives again and again.

Through our power of thought, we may not completely uproot attachment immediately, but we can at least cut off its nose and ears — that is, reduce its force and influence over us.