Shurpanakha's Rebuke: On the Duties of a King

Shloka 1 (aranya.33.1)

ततः शूर्पणखा दीना रावणं लोकरावणम् । अमात्यमध्ये संक्रुद्धा परुषं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ 33.1 ॥

tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā dīnā rāvaṇaṃ lokarāvaṇam | amātyamadhye saṃkruddhā paruṣaṃ vākyamabravīt || 33.1 ||

Then that wretched Shurpanakha, in a fury before the assembled ministers, spoke these harsh words to Ravana, who makes the whole world weep.

Shloka 2 (aranya.33.2)

प्रमत्तः कामभोगेषु स्वैरवृत्तो निरङ्कुशः । समुत्पन्नं भयं घोरं बोद्धव्यं नावबुध्यसे ॥ 33.2 ॥

pramattaḥ kāmabhogeṣu svairavṛtto niraṅkuśaḥ | samutpannaṃ bhayaṃ ghoraṃ boddhavyaṃ nāvabudhyase || 33.2 ||

"Sunk in lustful indulgence, willful and unrestrained, you fail to grasp the dreadful danger that has arisen — though grasp it you surely must.

Shloka 3 (aranya.33.3)

सक्तं ग्राम्येषु भोगेषु कामवृत्तं महीपतिम् । लुब्धं न बहु मन्यन्ते श्मशानाग्निमिव प्रजाः ॥ 33.3 ॥

saktaṃ grāmyeṣu bhogeṣu kāmavṛttaṃ mahīpatim | lubdhaṃ na bahu manyante śmaśānāgnimiva prajāḥ || 33.3 ||

A king who clings to base pleasures and, driven by lust, acts wholly as he pleases — his people, thinking him greedy, hold him in the same regard as a cremation-ground fire.

Shloka 4 (aranya.33.4)

स्वयं कार्याणि यः काले नानुतिष्ठति पार्थिवः । स तु वै सह राज्येन तैश्च कार्यैर्विनश्यति ॥ 33.4 ॥

svayaṃ kāryāṇi yaḥ kāle nānutiṣṭhati pārthivaḥ | sa tu vai saha rājyena taiśca kāryairvinaśyati || 33.4 ||

The king who does not personally attend to his affairs in due time perishes, together with his kingdom and with those very affairs.

Shloka 5 (aranya.33.5)

अयुक्तचारं दुर्दर्शमस्वाधीनं नराधिपम् । वर्जयन्ति नरा दूरान्नदीपङ्कमिव द्विपाः ॥ 33.5 ॥

ayuktacāraṃ durdarśamasvādhīnaṃ narādhipam | varjayanti narā dūrānnadīpaṅkamiva dvipāḥ || 33.5 ||

People shun a king who is hard for spies to reach, difficult to gain audience with, and lacking in self-control — just as elephants keep their distance from the mire of a river.

Shloka 6 (aranya.33.6)

ये न रक्षन्ति विषयमस्वाधीनं नराधिपाः । ते न वृद्ध्या प्रकाशन्ते गिरयः सागरे यथा ॥ 33.6 ॥

ye na rakṣanti viṣayamasvādhīnaṃ narādhipāḥ | te na vṛddhyā prakāśante girayaḥ sāgare yathā || 33.6 ||

Those kings who, lacking self-restraint, fail to protect their realm never shine forth in prosperity — like mountains sunk beneath the ocean.

Shloka 7 (aranya.33.7)

आत्मवद्भिर्विगृह्य त्वं देवगन्धर्वदानवैः । अयुक्तचारश्चपलः कथं राजा भविष्यसि ॥ 33.7 ॥

ātmavadbhirvigṛhya tvaṃ devagandharvadānavaiḥ | ayuktacāraścapalaḥ kathaṃ rājā bhaviṣyasi || 33.7 ||

Having picked quarrels with gods, gandharvas, and danavas alike, yet without spies of your own, fickle as you are — how, then, will you remain a king?

Shloka 8 (aranya.33.8)

त्वं तु बालस्वभावश्च बुद्धिहीनश्च राक्षस । ज्ञातव्यं तन्न जानीषे कथं राजा भविष्यसि ॥ 33.8 ॥

tvaṃ tu bālasvabhāvaśca buddhihīnaśca rākṣasa | jñātavyaṃ tanna jānīṣe kathaṃ rājā bhaviṣyasi || 33.8 ||

O demon, you are childish by nature and devoid of good sense; you do not even know what ought to be known — how, then, will you remain a king?

Shloka 9 (aranya.33.9)

येषां चाराश्च कोशश्च नयश्च जयतां वर । अस्वाधीना नरेन्द्राणां प्राकृतैस्ते जनैः समाः ॥ 33.9 ॥

yeṣāṃ cārāśca kośaśca nayaśca jayatāṃ vara | asvādhīnā narendrāṇāṃ prākṛtaiste janaiḥ samāḥ || 33.9 ||

O best among the triumphant — those kings whose spies, treasury, and policy are not under their own control are no better than common folk.

Shloka 10 (aranya.33.10)

यस्मात् पश्यन्ति दूरस्थान् सर्वानर्थान् नराधिपाः । चारेण तस्मादुच्यन्ते राजानो दीर्घचक्षुषः ॥ 33.10 ॥

yasmāt paśyanti dūrasthān sarvānarthān narādhipāḥ | cāreṇa tasmāducyante rājāno dīrghacakṣuṣaḥ || 33.10 ||

Because kings, through their spies, are able to see all matters however distant, kings are for that very reason called far-sighted.

Shloka 11 (aranya.33.11)

अयुक्तचारं मन्ये त्वां प्राकृतैः सचिवैर्युतः । स्वजनं च जनस्थानं निहतं नावबुध्यसे ॥ 33.11 ॥

ayuktacāraṃ manye tvāṃ prākṛtaiḥ sacivairyutaḥ | svajanaṃ ca janasthānaṃ nihataṃ nāvabudhyase || 33.11 ||

I can only conclude that you are inept at maintaining spies and are surrounded by mediocre ministers — for you did not even become aware of the destruction of your own subjects and of Janasthana itself.

Shloka 12 (aranya.33.12)

चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम् । हतान्येकेन रामेण खरश्च सहदूषणः ॥ 33.12 ॥

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām | hatānyekena rāmeṇa kharaśca sahadūṣaṇaḥ || 33.12 ||

Fourteen thousand demons of dreadful deeds have been slain by Rama alone, and Khara along with Dushana too has been slain by him.

Shloka 13 (aranya.33.13)

ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः । धर्षितं च जनस्थानं रामेणाक्लिष्टकारिणा ॥ 33.13 ॥

ṛṣīṇāmabhayaṃ dattaṃ kṛtakṣemāśca daṇḍakāḥ | dharṣitaṃ ca janasthānaṃ rāmeṇākliṣṭakāriṇā || 33.13 ||

That indefatigable Rama has granted safety to the sages, made the Dandaka forest secure, and utterly overrun Janasthana.

Shloka 14 (aranya.33.14)

त्वं तु लुब्धः प्रमत्तश्च पराधीनश्च राक्षस । विषये स्वे समुत्पन्नं यद् भयं नावबुध्यसे ॥ 33.14 ॥

tvaṃ tu lubdhaḥ pramattaśca parādhīnaśca rākṣasa | viṣaye sve samutpannaṃ yad bhayaṃ nāvabudhyase || 33.14 ||

O demon, you are greedy, negligent, and dependent on others — that is why you fail even to perceive this peril that has arisen in your own realm.

Shloka 15 (aranya.33.15)

तीक्ष्णमल्पप्रदातारं प्रमत्तं गर्वितं शठम् । व्यसने सर्वभूतानि नाभिधावन्ति पार्थिवम् ॥ 33.15 ॥

tīkṣṇamalpapradātāraṃ pramattaṃ garvitaṃ śaṭham | vyasane sarvabhūtāni nābhidhāvanti pārthivam || 33.15 ||

When a king is harsh, niggardly, negligent, arrogant, and deceitful, no one hastens to his side when calamity strikes.

Shloka 16 (aranya.33.16)

अतिमानिनमग्राह्यमात्मसम्भावितं नरम् । क्रोधनं व्यसने हन्ति स्वजनोऽपि नराधिपम् ॥ 33.16 ॥

atimāninamagrāhyamātmasambhāvitaṃ naram | krodhanaṃ vyasane hanti svajano'pi narādhipam || 33.16 ||

A man who is excessively conceited, unapproachable, self-admiring, and quick to anger — such a king, in his hour of distress, is destroyed by his own people.

Shloka 17 (aranya.33.17)

नानुतिष्ठति कार्याणि भयेषु न बिभेति च । क्षिप्रं राज्याच्च्युतो दीनस्तृणैस्तुल्यो भवेदिह ॥ 33.17 ॥

nānutiṣṭhati kāryāṇi bhayeṣu na bibheti ca | kṣipraṃ rājyāccyuto dīnastṛṇaistulyo bhavediha || 33.17 ||

The king who neither attends to his duties nor fears situations that call for fear will soon be toppled from his throne, and in his wretchedness will be reckoned no better than a blade of straw.

Shloka 18 (aranya.33.18)

शुष्ककाष्ठैर्भवेत् कार्यं लोष्ठैरपि च पांसुभिः । न तु स्थानात् परिभ्रष्टैः कार्यं स्याद् वसुधाधिपैः ॥ 33.18 ॥

śuṣkakāṣṭhairbhavet kāryaṃ loṣṭhairapi ca pāṃsubhiḥ | na tu sthānāt paribhraṣṭaiḥ kāryaṃ syād vasudhādhipaiḥ || 33.18 ||

Even dry sticks, clods of earth, and particles of dust serve some purpose, but kings fallen from their station serve none at all.

Shloka 19 (aranya.33.19)

उपभुक्तं यथा वासः स्रजो वा मृदिता यथा । एवं राज्यात् परिभ्रष्टः समर्थोऽपि निरर्थकः ॥ 33.19 ॥

upabhuktaṃ yathā vāsaḥ srajo vā mṛditā yathā | evaṃ rājyāt paribhraṣṭaḥ samartho'pi nirarthakaḥ || 33.19 ||

As a garment once worn, or a garland once crushed, becomes useless, so too a man fallen from his kingdom, however capable, becomes useless.

Shloka 20 (aranya.33.20)

अप्रमत्तश्च यो राजा सर्वज्ञो विजितेन्द्रियः । कृतज्ञो धर्मशीलश्च स राजा तिष्ठते चिरम् ॥ 33.20 ॥

apramattaśca yo rājā sarvajño vijitendriyaḥ | kṛtajño dharmaśīlaśca sa rājā tiṣṭhate ciram || 33.20 ||

The king who is vigilant, all-knowing, master of his senses, grateful, and devoted to righteousness — that king endures for a very long time.

Shloka 21 (aranya.33.21)

नयनाभ्यां प्रसुप्तो वा जागर्ति नयचक्षुषा । व्यक्तक्रोधप्रसादश्च स राजा पूज्यते जनैः ॥ 33.21 ॥

nayanābhyāṃ prasupto vā jāgarti nayacakṣuṣā | vyaktakrodhaprasādaśca sa rājā pūjyate janaiḥ || 33.21 ||

He who, even while his eyes are closed in sleep, remains awake through the eye of prudent policy, and whose displeasure and favor are both made plain — such a king is revered by his people.

Shloka 22 (aranya.33.22)

त्वं तु रावण दुर्बुद्धिर्गुणैरेतैर्विवर्जितः । यस्य तेऽविदितश्चारै रक्षसां सुमहान् वधः ॥ 33.22 ॥

tvaṃ tu rāvaṇa durbuddhirguṇairetairvivarjitaḥ | yasya te'viditaścārai rakṣasāṃ sumahān vadhaḥ || 33.22 ||

But you, O Ravana, are ill-counseled and bereft of all these virtues — that is why even your spies never brought you word of this great massacre of the demons.

Shloka 23 (aranya.33.23)

परावमन्ता विषयेषु सङ्गवान् न देशकालप्रविभागतत्त्ववित् । अयुक्तबुद्धिर्गुणदोषनिश्चये विपन्नराज्यो न चिराद् विपत्स्यसे ॥ 33.23 ॥

parāvamantā viṣayeṣu saṅgavān na deśakālapravibhāgatattvavit | ayuktabuddhirguṇadoṣaniścaye vipannarājyo na cirād vipatsyase || 33.23 ||

"You are one who scorns others and clings to sensual indulgence; you do not grasp the principle of rightly apportioning place and time; your judgment falters in deciding right from wrong — hence your kingdom, already imperiled, will before long bring ruin upon you too." Thus did Shurpanakha upbraid Ravana for his unfitness as a king.

Shloka 24 (aranya.33.24)

इति स्वदोषान् परिकीर्तितांस्तथा समीक्ष्य बुद्ध्या क्षणदाचरेश्वरः । धनेन दर्पेण बलेन चान्वितो विचिन्तयामास चिरं स रावणः ॥ 33.24 ॥

iti svadoṣān parikīrtitāṃstathā samīkṣya buddhyā kṣaṇadācareśvaraḥ | dhanena darpeṇa balena cānvito vicintayāmāsa ciraṃ sa rāvaṇaḥ || 33.24 ||

Having thus heard his own faults proclaimed by Shurpanakha, that lord of the night-wanderers, endowed with wealth, pride, and power, weighed them over in his mind and remained lost in thought for a long while.