Shloka 2

शूर्पणखाया रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Surpanakha’s Political Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

प्रमत्तः कामभोगेषु स्वैरवृत्तो निरङ्कुशः।समुत्पन्नं भयं घोरं बोद्धव्यं नावबुध्यसे।।।।

Transliteration

pramattaḥ kāmabhogeṣu svairavṛtto niraṅkuśaḥ | samutpannaṃ bhayaṃ ghoraṃ boddhavyaṃ nāvabudhyase ||

Translation

欲楽に酔い、気ままに振る舞い、歯止めもなく、起こった恐るべき危難を悟らない――まさに悟るべきことなのに。

Word by Word

• pramattaḥ: careless; intoxicated
• pramattaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pramatta (प्रातिपदिक; mad-धातोः क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine; प्रथमा/Nominative (1st), एकवचन/Singular

• kāma-bhogeṣu: in sensual pleasures
• kāma-bhogeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘कामस्य भोगाः’; पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine; सप्तमी/Locative (7th), बहुवचन/Plural

• svaira-vṛttaḥ: acting at will; unrestrained in conduct
• svaira-vṛttaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svaira (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक; vṛt-धातोः क्त)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘स्वैरं वृत्तं यस्य/स्वैरवृत्तः’; पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine; प्रथमा/Nominative (1st), एकवचन/Singular

• niraṅkuśaḥ: ungoaded; uncontrolled
• niraṅkuśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-aṅkuśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि: ‘अङ्कुशो नास्ति यस्य’; पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine; प्रथमा/Nominative (1st), एकवचन/Singular

• samutpannam: arisen
• samutpannam: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-utpanna (प्रातिपदिक; utpad-धातोः क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/Neuter; द्वितीया/Accusative (2nd), एकवचन/Singular; ‘भयम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/Neuter; द्वितीया/Accusative (2nd), एकवचन/Singular

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/Neuter; द्वितीया/Accusative (2nd), एकवचन/Singular; ‘भयम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• boddhavyam: should be understood
• boddhavyam: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative necessity)
• Type: Verb
• Root: budh (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/passive necessity); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/Neuter; प्रथमा/Nominative (1st), एकवचन/Singular; विधेय (‘ought to be understood’)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• avabudhyase: you understand
• avabudhyase: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-budh (धातु)
• Form: लट्/Present; मध्यमपुरुष/2nd person, एकवचन/Singular; आत्मनेपद

Context

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.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

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.

What is the narrative situation?

A counselor warns Rāvaṇa that his indulgence and lack of restraint prevent him from recognizing the grave threat that has already arisen.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and self-control (saṃyama): the capacity to govern oneself before attempting to govern others.