Shloka 2
शूर्पणखाया रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः
Surpanakha’s Political Admonition to Ravana
प्रमत्तः कामभोगेषु स्वैरवृत्तो निरङ्कुशः।समुत्पन्नं भयं घोरं बोद्धव्यं नावबुध्यसे।।।।
pramattaḥ kāmabhogeṣu svairavṛtto niraṅkuśaḥ | samutpannaṃ bhayaṃ ghoraṃ boddhavyaṃ nāvabudhyase ||
Ivre des jouissances des sens, livré à ton caprice et sans frein, tu ne saisis pas l’effroyable danger survenu, alors que c’est justement ce que tu devrais comprendre.
Since you have not engaged any spy you do not know when your own relatives were killed in Janasthana. I take you to be a fool surrounded by ordinary ministers.
FAQs
Self-restraint and clear judgment are essential to dharma; a ruler or leader must not let kāma (desire) and pramāda (heedlessness) blind them to real dangers and duties.
A counselor warns Rāvaṇa that his indulgence and lack of restraint prevent him from recognizing the grave threat that has already arisen.
Prudence and self-control (saṃyama): the capacity to govern oneself before attempting to govern others.