Shloka 23

शूर्पणखाया रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Surpanakha’s Political Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

परावमन्ता विषयेषु सङ्गतो न देशकालप्रविभागतत्ववित्।अयुक्तबुद्धिर्गुणदोषनिश्चये विपन्नराज्यो नचिराद्विपत्स्यसे।।।।

Transliteration

parāvamantā viṣayeṣu saṅgato na deśakālapravibhāgatattvavit | ayuktabuddhir guṇadoṣaniścaye vipannarājyo na cirād vipatsyase ||

Translation

他を侮り、欲境に執着し、時と処の分別を知らず、功徳と過失の判断に智慧なき者――その王は、国すでに危うく、ほどなく破滅へと落ちる。

Word by Word

• पर-अवमन्ता: one who insults others
• पर-अवमन्ता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + अवमन्तृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < अव√मन् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun)

• विषयेषु: in sense-objects/pleasures
• विषयेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• सङ्गतः: attached/addicted
• सङ्गतः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्√गम् (धातु) → सङ्गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• देश-काल-प्रविभाग-तत्त्व-वित्: knower of the true distinctions of place and time
• देश-काल-प्रविभाग-तत्त्व-वित्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रविभाग (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (determinative)

• अयुक्त-बुद्धिः: one with unsteady/ill-directed intellect
• अयुक्त-बुद्धिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < युज् (धातु) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (descriptive: 'unfit' + 'intellect')

• गुण-दोष-निश्चये: in judging merit and fault
• गुण-दोष-निश्चये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः

• विपन्न-राज्यः: one whose kingdom is lost/ruined
• विपन्न-राज्यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < वि√पद् (धातु) + राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (possessive: 'whose kingdom is ruined')

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• चिरात्: before long/soon
• चिरात्: कालाधिकरण (Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb: 'after long' → 'soon/not long')

• विपत्स्यसे: you will perish/come to ruin
• विपत्स्यसे: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√पद् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

Kings who are not under their own control and cannot protect the country, do not attract the minds of the people like mountains inside sea water.

Characters & Entities

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rāvaṇa
• rājya (kingdom)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires viveka: knowing what is right in context (place/time) and judging guṇa vs doṣa truthfully; without this, power collapses.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā summarizes the traits that lead a king to rapid downfall, implicitly applying them to Rāvaṇa’s conduct.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka) and measured judgment—especially deśa-kāla awareness and ethical evaluation.