Shloka 22
शूर्पणखाया रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः
Surpanakha’s Political Admonition to Ravana
त्वं तु रावण दुर्बुद्धिर्गुणैरेतैर्विवर्जितः।यस्य तेऽविदितश्चारै रक्षसां सुमहान्वधः।।।।
tvaṃ tu rāvaṇa durbuddhir guṇair etair vivarjitaḥ | yasya te 'viditaś cārai rakṣasāṃ sumahān vadhaḥ ||
แต่ท่าน ราวณะ ผู้มีปัญญาอันชั่วร้าย กลับปราศจากคุณธรรมเหล่านี้; เพราะเหตุนั้นสายสืบของท่านจึงมิได้รู้แม้กระทั่งการสังหารใหญ่หลวงของเหล่ารากษสของท่าน
Just as elephants keep away from a muddy river, people will keep distance from the king who does not employ spies, does not give audience to his people and is not independent.
FAQs
Neglect of dharmic governance—especially vigilance and proper counsel—creates blindness to reality, leading to preventable loss and injustice.
Śūrpaṇakhā directly rebukes Rāvaṇa, pointing to intelligence failure: his agents did not report the killing of rākṣasas.
Informed vigilance and wise judgment (buddhi) as indispensable virtues for leadership.