Shloka 5

शूर्पणखाया रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Surpanakha’s Political Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

अयुक्तचारं दुर्दर्शमस्वाधीनं नराधिपम्।वर्जयन्ति नरा दूरान्नदीपङ्कामिव द्विपाः।।।।

Transliteration

ayuktacāraṃ durdarśam asvādhīnaṃ narādhipam | varjayanti narā dūrān nadīpaṅkām iva dvipāḥ ||

Translation

ผู้คนย่อมหลีกห่างจากพระราชาผู้ประพฤติไม่เหมาะสม เข้าถึงยาก และไร้การสำรวมตน—ดุจช้างหลีกหนีแม่น้ำโคลนจากระยะไกล

Word by Word

• अयुक्तचारम्: one who has not employed spies
• अयुक्तचारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + युक्त + चार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (न युक्तः चारः यस्य/यत्र = without spies employed); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुर्दर्शम्: hard to meet/see (inaccessible)
• दुर्दर्शम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + दर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (दु: + दर्श = hard to see/approach); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्वाधीनम्: not self-controlled/dependent
• अस्वाधीनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + स्वाधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नराधिपम्: king
• नराधिपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नराणाम् अधिपः); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• वर्जयन्ति: avoid/shun
• वर्जयन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: √वृज् (to avoid/shun)

• नराः: people/men
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• दूरात्: from a distance
• दूरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अव्यय (adverbial ablative sense: from afar)

• नदीपङ्काम्: mud of a river / muddy river
• नदीपङ्काम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी + पङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नद्याः पङ्कः/पङ्का); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-sambandha (उपमा-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• द्विपाः: elephants
• द्विपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Context

O Ravana! you are evil-minded. You are devoid of all these good qualities. Your spies could not know that there had been a great massacre of your fellow-demons.

Characters & Entities

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

A ruler must be vigilant and reachable; good governance uses awareness (cāra) and self-control to protect society.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā criticizes Rāvaṇa’s failures in administration—especially lack of intelligence-gathering and approachability.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vigilance and accessibility: a king should be informed, self-governed, and available to his people.