Aranya Kanda · Sarga 33 of 76 · 24 verses
Shurpanakha Rebukes the King
Then Shurpanakha, wretched and furious, speaks harsh words to Ravana, who makes the worlds cry, in the midst of his ministers: “Drunk on pleasures and enjoyments, acting as you please without restraint, you do not see the terrible danger that has arisen and ought to be seen. A king attached to vulgar pleasures, acting from desire, greedy, is not respected by his subjects, any more than a cremation-ground fire. A king who does not attend to his affairs himself at the right time perishes with his kingdom and his affairs. People avoid from afar a king who has no spies at work, who is hard to see and not his own master, as elephants avoid river mud. Kings who do not protect their realm and are not their own masters do not shine with prosperity, like mountains sunk in the ocean. Having made enemies of the self-possessed gods, gandharvas and danavas, fickle and without spies, how will you remain king? You have the nature of a child and no judgement, rakshasa; you do not know what you should know; how will you remain king? Kings whose spies, treasury and policy are not under their own control are equal to common people, best of victors. Because they see all things far away by their spies, kings are called long-sighted. I think you have no spies at work and are surrounded by common ministers, since you do not know that your own people and Janasthana have been destroyed. Fourteen thousand rakshasas of terrible deeds have been killed by Rama alone, and Khara with Dushana. Rama of unwearied deeds has given safety to the seers, made the Dandakas secure and overrun Janasthana. You are greedy, careless and dependent on others, rakshasa, since you do not know of the danger arisen in your own realm. In calamity no beings run to help a king who is harsh, who gives little, who is careless, proud and deceitful. Even his own people kill in calamity a king who is overproud, inaccessible, conceited and angry. One who does not attend to his affairs and does not fear dangers quickly falls from his kingdom and becomes wretched, equal to straw. Dry wood, clods and even dust have their uses, but kings fallen from their place have none. Like a worn garment or a crushed garland, one fallen from his kingdom, however able, is useless. The king who is vigilant, all-knowing, master of his senses, grateful and righteous lasts long. The king who, though asleep with his eyes, is awake with the eye of policy, and whose anger and favour are clearly seen, is honoured by the people. But you, Ravana, foolish, lack these virtues, you who did not know through your spies of the great slaughter of the rakshasas. Despising others, attached to sense-objects, not knowing the true division of place and time, unable to decide between merit and fault, your kingdom ruined, you will soon perish.” Hearing his faults so listed, the lord of the night-rangers, endowed with wealth, pride and power, considers them with his mind and thinks for a long time.
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ततः शूर्पणखा दीना रावणं लोकरावणम् । अमात्यमध्ये संक्रुद्धा परुषं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
Then Shurpanakha, wretched, very angry, spoke harsh words to Ravana, who makes the world cry, in the midst of his ministers:
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प्रमत्तः कामभोगेषु स्वैरवृत्तो निरङ्कुशः । समुत्पन्नं भयं घोरं बोद्धव्यं नावबुध्यसे ॥ २ ॥
“Careless in the enjoyments of desire, acting as you please, without a goad, you do not perceive the terrible danger that has arisen and should be perceived.
सक्तं ग्राम्येषु भोगेषु कामवृत्तं महीपतिम् । लुब्धं न बहु मन्यन्ते श्मशानाग्निमिव प्रजाः ॥ ३ ॥
“A lord of the earth attached to vulgar enjoyments, acting from desire, greedy, the subjects do not esteem, any more than a cremation-ground fire.
स्वयं कार्याणि यः काले नानुतिष्ठति पार्थिवः । स तु वै सह राज्येन तैश्च कार्यैर्विनश्यति ॥ ४ ॥
“A lord of the earth who does not himself attend to his affairs at the proper time perishes together with his kingdom and those affairs.
अयुक्तचारं दुर्दर्शमस्वाधीनं नराधिपम् । वर्जयन्ति नरा दूरान्नदीपङ्कमिव द्विपाः ॥ ५ ॥
“People avoid from afar a king who has no spies employed, who is hard to see, who is not his own master, as elephants avoid river mud.
ये न रक्षन्ति विषयमस्वाधीनं नराधिपाः । ते न वृद्ध्या प्रकाशन्ते गिरयः सागरे यथा ॥ ६ ॥
“Kings who do not protect their realm and are not their own masters do not shine with prosperity, like mountains in the ocean.
आत्मवद्भिर्विगृह्य त्वं देवगन्धर्वदानवैः । अयुक्तचारश्चपलः कथं राजा भविष्यसि ॥ ७ ॥
“Having made war with the self-possessed gods, gandharvas and danavas, without employed spies, fickle, how will you be king?
त्वं तु बालस्वभावश्च बुद्धिहीनश्च राक्षस । ज्ञातव्यं तन्न जानीषे कथं राजा भविष्यसि ॥ ८ ॥
“You have a child’s nature and are without judgement, rakshasa. You do not know what is to be known; how will you be king?
येषां चाराश्च कोशश्च नयश्च जयतां वर । अस्वाधीना नरेन्द्राणां प्राकृतैस्ते जनैः समाः ॥ ९ ॥
“Those kings whose spies, treasury and policy are not under their own control, best of victors, are equal to common people.
यस्मात् पश्यन्ति दूरस्थान् सर्वानर्थान् नराधिपाः । चारेण तस्मादुच्यन्ते राजानो दीर्घचक्षुषः ॥ १० ॥
“Because kings see all affairs that are far away by means of spies, kings are therefore called long-sighted.
अयुक्तचारं मन्ये त्वां प्राकृतैः सचिवैर्युतः । स्वजनं च जनस्थानं निहतं नावबुध्यसे ॥ ११ ॥
“I think you have no spies employed and are joined with common ministers, since you do not know that your own people and Janasthana have been destroyed.
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम् । हतान्येकेन रामेण खरश्च सहदूषणः ॥ १२ ॥
“Fourteen thousand rakshasas of terrible deeds have been killed by Rama alone, and Khara together with Dushana.
ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः । धर्षितं च जनस्थानं रामेणाक्लिष्टकारिणा ॥ १३ ॥
“Safety has been given to the seers, the Dandakas have been made secure, and Janasthana has been overrun by Rama of unwearied deeds.
त्वं तु लुब्धः प्रमत्तश्च पराधीनश्च राक्षस । विषये स्वे समुत्पन्नं यद् भयं नावबुध्यसे ॥ १४ ॥
“But you are greedy, careless and dependent on others, rakshasa, since you do not perceive the danger arisen in your own realm.
तीक्ष्णमल्पप्रदातारं प्रमत्तं गर्वितं शठम् । व्यसने सर्वभूतानि नाभिधावन्ति पार्थिवम् ॥ १५ ॥
“In calamity all beings do not run to a lord of the earth who is harsh, gives little, careless, proud and deceitful.
अतिमानिनमग्राह्यमात्मसम्भावितं नरम् । क्रोधनं व्यसने हन्ति स्वजनोऽपि नराधिपम् ॥ १६ ॥
“Even his own people kill in calamity a king who is overproud, not to be approached, conceited and angry.
नानुतिष्ठति कार्याणि भयेषु न बिभेति च । क्षिप्रं राज्याच्च्युतो दीनस्तृणैस्तुल्यो भवेदिह ॥ १७ ॥
“He who does not attend to his affairs and does not fear dangers, quickly fallen from his kingdom, wretched, becomes here like straw.
शुष्ककाष्ठैर्भवेत् कार्यं लोष्ठैरपि च पांसुभिः । न तु स्थानात् परिभ्रष्टैः कार्यं स्याद् वसुधाधिपैः ॥ १८ ॥
“There may be use for dry wood, and for clods and even dust; but there is no use for lords of the earth fallen from their place.
उपभुक्तं यथा वासः स्रजो वा मृदिता यथा । एवं राज्यात् परिभ्रष्टः समर्थोऽपि निरर्थकः ॥ १९ ॥
“As a garment that has been worn, or as garlands that have been crushed, so one fallen from his kingdom, though able, is useless.
अप्रमत्तश्च यो राजा सर्वज्ञो विजितेन्द्रियः । कृतज्ञो धर्मशीलश्च स राजा तिष्ठते चिरम् ॥ २० ॥
“The king who is vigilant, all-knowing, master of his senses, grateful and of righteous character: that king lasts long.
नयनाभ्यां प्रसुप्तो वा जागर्ति नयचक्षुषा । व्यक्तक्रोधप्रसादश्च स राजा पूज्यते जनैः ॥ २१ ॥
“The king who, though asleep with his eyes, is awake with the eye of policy, and whose anger and favour are manifest, is honoured by the people.
त्वं तु रावण दुर्बुद्धिर्गुणैरेतैर्विवर्जितः । यस्य तेऽविदितश्चारै रक्षसां सुमहान् वधः ॥ २२ ॥
“But you, Ravana, of bad judgement, are without these virtues, you to whom the very great slaughter of the rakshasas is unknown through spies.
परावमन्ता विषयेषु सङ्गवान् न देशकालप्रविभागतत्त्ववित् । अयुक्तबुद्धिर्गुणदोषनिश्चये विपन्नराज्यो न चिराद् विपत्स्यसे ॥ २३ ॥
“Despising others, attached to sense-objects, not knowing the truth of the division of place and time, of unfit judgement in deciding virtue and fault, your kingdom ruined, you will before long come to ruin.”
इति स्वदोषान् परिकीर्तितांस्तथा समीक्ष्य बुद्ध्या क्षणदाचरेश्वरः । धनेन दर्पेण बलेन चान्वितो विचिन्तयामास चिरं स रावणः ॥ २४ ॥
Considering with his mind his own faults so recounted, the lord of the night-rangers, that Ravana, endowed with wealth, pride and strength, thought for a long time.