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 ||
कामभोगेषु प्रमत्तः स्वैरवृत्तो निरङ्कुशः । समुत्पन्नं घोरं भयं बोद्धव्यं न अवबुध्यसे ॥
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.