शूर्पणखाया रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः (Surpanakha’s Political Admonition to Ravana)
अरण्यकाण्ड
Sarga 33 frames a court-scene in which the distressed Surpanakha confronts Ravana seated among ministers and delivers a sustained nīti critique. She censures his intoxication in sensual pleasures, impulsive governance, and failure to perceive emergent threats within his own realm. A central argumentative axis is statecraft by intelligence: kings are called “far-sighted” because, through spies, they perceive distant affairs; Ravana is accused of being “without spies,” poorly advised, and thus ignorant of the catastrophe at Janasthana. She reports the scale of loss—Khara and Dushana with fourteen thousand rākṣasas slain by Rama alone—while noting that sages have gained safety and Dandaka has regained peace, yet Janasthana has been ravaged. The discourse generalizes into political ethics: a harsh, ungenerous, arrogant, fraudulent, or wrathful king loses refuge-seeking loyalty; in adversity even one’s own people may turn violent; a dethroned king becomes worthless despite capability. The sarga concludes with a positive royal ideal—alertness, sense-control, gratitude, righteousness, and justice—after which Ravana reflects at length on the faults enumerated, indicating a strategic pivot toward future action.
Verse 3.33.1
ततः शूर्पणखा दीना रावणं लोकरावणम्।अमात्यमध्ये सङ्क्रुद्धा परुषं वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।।।
Then Śūrpaṇakhā, wretched and aflame with anger, amid the ministers spoke harsh words to Rāvaṇa—the one who makes the world weep.
Verse 3.33.2
प्रमत्तः कामभोगेषु स्वैरवृत्तो निरङ्कुशः।समुत्पन्नं भयं घोरं बोद्धव्यं नावबुध्यसे।।।।
As a worn-out garment cast aside, or as garlands once worn and then crushed—so is a king fallen from his kingdom: even if capable, he becomes meaningless.
Verse 3.33.3
सक्तं ग्राम्येषु भोगेषु कामवृत्तं महीपतिम्।लुब्धं न बहुमन्यन्ते श्मशानाग्निमिव प्रजाः।।।।
That king endures long in power who is vigilant, discerning, master of his senses, grateful, and firmly grounded in dharma.
Verse 3.33.4
स्वयं कार्याणि यः काले नानुतिष्ठति पार्थिवः।स तु वै सह राज्येन तैश्च कार्यैर्विनश्यति।।।।
Even if he sleeps with both eyes closed, a king remains awake through the eye of justice; abandoning anger and negligence, such a ruler is revered by the people.
Verse 3.33.5
अयुक्तचारं दुर्दर्शमस्वाधीनं नराधिपम्।वर्जयन्ति नरा दूरान्नदीपङ्कामिव द्विपाः।।।।
But you, Rāvaṇa—perverse in judgment—are devoid of these virtues; therefore your spies did not even learn of the great slaughter of your rākṣasas.
Verse 3.33.6
ये न रक्षन्ति विषयमस्वाधीना नराधिपाः।ते न वृद्ध्या प्रकाशन्ते गिरयस्सागरे यथा।।।।
One who scorns others, is entangled in sense-objects, lacks discernment of place and time, and is unwise in judging merit and fault—such a ruler, with his kingdom already imperiled, soon falls into ruin.
Verse 3.33.7
आत्मवद्भिर्विगृह्य त्वं देवगन्धर्वदानवैः।अयुक्तचारश्चपलः कथं राजा भविष्यसि।।।।
Thus, reflecting in his mind upon the faults she had set forth, Rāvaṇa—the lord of the night-walkers—endowed with wealth, pride, and power, pondered for a long time.
Verse 3.33.8
त्वन्तु बालस्वभावश्च बुद्धिहीनश्च राक्षस।ज्ञातव्यन्तु न जानीषे कथं राजा भविष्यसि।।।।
But you, O rākṣasa, are childish by nature and lacking discernment. You do not even know what ought to be known—how then will you become a king?
Verse 3.33.9
येषां चारश्च कोशश्च नयश्च जयतां वर।अस्वाधीना नरेन्द्राणां प्राकृतैस्ते जनैस्समाः।।।।
O best among the victorious: those kings who do not keep under control their intelligence network, treasury, and governance are no different from ordinary people.
Verse 3.33.10
यस्मात्पश्यन्ति दूरस्थान् सर्वानर्थान्नराधिपाः।चारेण तस्मादुच्यन्ते राजानो दीर्घचक्षुषः।।।।
Because kings, through spies, perceive dangers even from afar, rulers are therefore called “long-sighted.”
Verse 3.33.11
अयुक्तचारं मन्ये त्वां प्राकृतैस्सचिवैर्वृतम्।स्वजनं तु जनस्थाने हतं यो नावबुद्ध्यसे।।।।
Drunk on sensual pleasures, acting on mere whim and without restraint, you fail to grasp the dreadful danger that has arisen—though it is what you ought to understand.
Verse 3.33.12
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां क्रूरकर्मणाम्।हतान्येकेन रामेण खरश्च सहदूषणः।।।।
I deem you one who has not set spies in motion, hemmed in by commonplace ministers—for you do not even realize that your own people at Janasthāna have been slain.
Verse 3.33.13
ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः।धर्षितं च जनस्थानं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा।।।।
Fourteen thousand rākṣasas, doers of cruel deeds, were slain by Rāma alone—along with Khara and Dūṣaṇa.
Verse 3.33.14
त्वन्तु लुब्दः प्रमत्तश्च पराधीनश्च रावण।विषये स्वे समुत्पन्नं भयं यो नावबुध्यसे।।।।
By Rāma—whose deeds are accomplished without faltering—fearlessness has been bestowed upon the sages; Daṇḍaka has been made secure, and Janasthāna laid waste.
Verse 3.33.15
तीक्ष्णमल्पप्रदातारं प्रमत्तं गर्वितं शठम्।व्यसने सर्वभूतानि नाभिधावन्ति पार्थिवम्।।।।
But you, Rāvaṇa—greedy, heedless, and swayed by others—do not perceive the danger that has arisen within your own domain.
Verse 3.33.16
अतिमानिनमग्राह्यमात्मसम्भावितं नरम्।क्रोधिनं व्यसने हन्ति स्वजनोऽपि महीपतिम्।।।।
When a king is harsh, ungenerous, heedless, proud, and deceitful, creatures do not run to him in calamity; they cease to seek his shelter.
Verse 3.33.17
नानुतिष्ठति कार्याणि भयेषु न बिभेति च।क्षिप्रं राज्याच्युतो दीनस्तृणैस्तुल्यो भविष्यति।।।।
In adversity, even one’s own people may kill a king who is excessively arrogant, unacceptable to the good, self-conceited, and wrathful.
Verse 3.33.18
शुष्कैः काष्ठैर्भवेत्कार्यं लोष्टैरपि च पांसुभिः।न तु स्थानात्परिभ्रष्टैः कार्यं स्याद्वसुधाधिपैः।।।।
He who fails to carry out necessary duties and does not fear what should be feared will soon be cast from his kingdom, wretched and as insignificant as a blade of grass.
Verse 3.33.19
अपभुक्तं यथा वासस्स्रजो वा मृदिता यथा।एवं राज्यात्परिभ्रष्टस्समर्थोऽपि निरर्थकः।।।।
Even dry wood, clods of earth, or dust may still serve some purpose; but a king cast down from his station is of no use for any undertaking.
Verse 3.33.20
अप्रमत्तश्च यो राजा सर्वज्ञो विजितेन्द्रियः।कृतज्ञो धर्मशीलश्च स राजा तिष्ठते चिरम्।।।।
A king addicted to coarse pleasures, acting only by desire and driven by greed, is not held in esteem by his people—like the fire of a cremation ground.
Verse 3.33.21
नयनाभ्यां प्रसुप्तोऽपि जागर्ति नयचक्षुषा।त्यक्तक्रोधप्रमादश्च स राजा पूज्यते जनैः।।।।
The king who does not personally carry out necessary duties at the proper time perishes—along with his kingdom and the very affairs that should have been managed.
Verse 3.33.22
त्वं तु रावण दुर्बुद्धिर्गुणैरेतैर्विवर्जितः।यस्य तेऽविदितश्चारै रक्षसां सुमहान्वधः।।।।
People keep far away from a king who has no proper order of conduct, is hard to approach, and lacks self-mastery—just as elephants avoid a muddy river from a distance.
Verse 3.33.23
परावमन्ता विषयेषु सङ्गतो न देशकालप्रविभागतत्ववित्।अयुक्तबुद्धिर्गुणदोषनिश्चये विपन्नराज्यो नचिराद्विपत्स्यसे।।।।
Kings who lack self-mastery and do not protect their realm do not shine with prosperity—like mountains submerged in the sea that cannot stand forth in brilliance.
Verse 3.33.24
इति स्वदोषान् परिकीर्तितांस्तया समीक्ष्य बुद्ध्या क्षणदाचरेश्वरः।धनेन दर्पेण बलेन चान्वितो विचिन्तयामास चिरं स रावणः।।।।
Having made enmity with self-respecting powers—gods, gandharvas, and dānavas—and being fickle and without a proper network of spies, how will you remain a king?