Shloka 3.33.22

शूर्पणखाया रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः (Surpanakha’s Political Admonition to Ravana)

Devanagari script

त्वं तु रावण दुर्बुद्धिर्गुणैरेतैर्विवर्जितः।यस्य तेऽविदितश्चारै रक्षसां सुमहान्वधः।।।।

Transliteration

ayuktacāraṃ durdarśam asvādhīnaṃ narādhipam | varjayanti narā dūrān nadīpaṅkām iva dvipāḥ ||

Translation

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.

Context

O Ravana! you are evil-minded. You are devoid of all these good qualities. Your spies could not know that there had been a great massacre of your fellow-demons.

Characters & Entities

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rāvaṇa
• cāra (spies)
• dvipāḥ (elephants)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

A ruler must be vigilant and reachable; good governance uses awareness (cāra) and self-control to protect society.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā criticizes Rāvaṇa’s failures in administration—especially lack of intelligence-gathering and approachability.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vigilance and accessibility: a king should be informed, self-governed, and available to his people.