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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 31: Śūrpaṇakhā rebukes Rāvaṇa
Summary. She exposes his ignorance of Janasthāna’s destruction and warns that pleasure, failed intelligence and neglect will cost him his Kingdom
Sequence
- Before the ministers, Śūrpaṇakhā accuses Rāvaṇa of being absorbed in pleasure and failing to recognize the grave danger that has arisen (3.31.1–3)
- she argues that a ruler who neglects business, intelligence, and the protection of his territory will lose both authority and Kingdom (3.31.4–9)
- she points to his ignorance of Janasthāna's destruction: Rāma alone has killed fourteen thousand rākṣasas, including Khara and Dūṣaṇa, and made Daṇḍaka safe for the munis (3.31.10–12)
- she warns that a harsh, arrogant, inaccessible ruler will find no support when disaster comes (3.31.13–18)
- she contrasts him with a vigilant, self-controlled King who remains alert through good policy even while asleep (3.31.19–20)
- she repeats that his failed intelligence and poor judgment will bring him grief → Rāvaṇa reflects on her accusations. (3.31.21–23)
Verses 3.31.1–23
3.31.1
tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā dīnā rāvaṇaṃ lokarāvaṇam
amātyamadhye saṃkruddhā paruṣaṃ vākyam abravīt
Then the wretched Śūrpaṇakhā, enraged, in the midst of the ministers spoke harsh words to Rāvaṇa, the tormentor of the world.
Words: tataḥ — then; śūrpaṇakhā — Śūrpaṇakhā; dīnā — wretched, miserable; rāvaṇaṃ — to Rāvaṇa; lokarāvaṇam — the tormentor of the world; amātyamadhye — in the midst of the ministers; saṃkruddhā — enraged; paruṣaṃ — harsh; vākyam — word, speech; abravīt — spoke
3.31.2
pramattaḥ kāmabhogeṣu svairavṛtto niraṅkuśaḥ
samutpannaṃ bhayaṃ ghoraṃ boddhavyaṃ nāvabudhyase
Heedless amid the enjoyments of desire, wilful and unrestrained, you fail to grasp the terrible danger that has arisen, which ought to be understood.
Words: pramattaḥ — heedless, negligent; kāmabhogeṣu — in the enjoyments of desire; svairavṛtto — acting at will, self-willed; niraṅkuśaḥ — unrestrained (lit. without a goad); samutpannaṃ — arisen; bhayaṃ — danger, fear; ghoraṃ — terrible; boddhavyaṃ — to be understood; nāvabudhyase — you do not perceive
3.31.3
saktaṃ grāmyeṣu bhogeṣu kāmavṛttaṃ mahīpatim
lubdhaṃ na bahu manyante śmaśānāgnim iva prajāḥ
A king attached to vulgar pleasures, acting on his whims and greedy, the people esteem no more than a fire in a cremation-ground.
Words: saktaṃ — attached; grāmyeṣu — vulgar, common; bhogeṣu — in pleasures; kāmavṛttaṃ — acting on whim, self-indulgent; mahīpatim — the king; lubdhaṃ — greedy; na bahu manyante — do not esteem much; śmaśānāgnim — the fire of a cremation-ground; iva — like; prajāḥ — the people, subjects
3.31.4
svayaṃ kāryāṇi yaḥ kāle nānutiṣṭhati pārthivaḥ
sa tu vai saha rājyena taiś ca kāryair vinaśyati
The king who does not himself attend to his tasks in due time perishes, along with his kingdom and those very tasks.
Words: svayaṃ — himself; kāryāṇi — tasks, affairs; yaḥ — who; kāle — in (due) time; nānutiṣṭhati — does not attend to; pārthivaḥ — the king; sa tu vai — he indeed; saha rājyena — together with his kingdom; taiś ca kāryair — and with those tasks; vinaśyati — perishes
3.31.5
ayuktacāraṃ durdarśam asvādhīnaṃ narādhipam
varjayanti narā dūrān nadīpaṅkam iva dvipāḥ
A king whose espionage is ill-managed, who is hard to approach and not his own master, men shun from afar, as elephants avoid the mud of a river.
Words: ayuktacāraṃ — one whose espionage is not deployed; durdarśam — hard to see, hard to approach; asvādhīnaṃ — not his own master; narādhipam — the king (lord of men); varjayanti — avoid, shun; narā — men; dūrān — from afar; nadīpaṅkam — the mud of a river; iva — like; dvipāḥ — elephants
3.31.6
ye na rakṣanti viṣayam asvādhīnā narādhipaḥ
te na vṛddhyā prakāśante girayaḥ sāgare yathā
Kings who, not being their own masters, do not guard their realm do not shine forth in prosperity, like mountains sunk in the sea.
Words: ye — who (pl.); na rakṣanti — do not guard; viṣayam — the realm, territory; asvādhīnā — not their own masters; narādhipaḥ — kings (lords of men); te — they; na vṛddhyā prakāśante — do not shine with prosperity; girayaḥ — mountains; sāgare — in the sea; yathā — as
3.31.7
ātmavadbhir vigṛhya tvaṃ devagandharvadānavaiḥ
ayuktacāraś capalaḥ kathaṃ rājā bhaviṣyasi
Having made war with self-possessed gods, gandharvas, and dānavas, while your espionage is ill-managed and you are fickle, how will you remain a king?
Words: ātmavadbhir — with self-possessed ones; vigṛhya — having made war, quarrelled; tvaṃ — you; devagandharvadānavaiḥ — with gods, gandharvas, and dānavas; ayuktacāraś — with ill-managed espionage; capalaḥ — fickle, unsteady; kathaṃ — how; rājā — king; bhaviṣyasi — will you be, remain
3.31.8
yeṣāṃ cāraś ca kośaś ca nayaś ca jayatāṃ vara
asvādhīnā narendrāṇāṃ prākṛtais te janaiḥ samāḥ
O best of conquerors, those kings whose espionage, treasury, and policy are not under their own control are the equal of common men.
Words: yeṣāṃ — of whom; cāraś ca — and espionage; kośaś ca — and treasury; nayaś ca — and policy; jayatāṃ vara — O best of conquerors; asvādhīnā — not under their own control; narendrāṇāṃ — of the kings; prākṛtais — with common; te — they; janaiḥ — men; samāḥ — equal
3.31.9
yasmāt paśyanti dūrasthān sarvān arthān narādhipāḥ
cāreṇa tasmād ucyante rājāno dīrghacakṣuṣaḥ
Because kings behold all matters, even distant ones, by means of spies, they are therefore called 'the far-sighted.'
Words: yasmāt — because; paśyanti — see, behold; dūrasthān — situated far off; sarvān — all; arthān — matters, affairs; narādhipāḥ — kings (lords of men); cāreṇa — by means of a spy; tasmād — therefore; ucyante — are called; rājāno — kings; dīrghacakṣuṣaḥ — the far-sighted (long-eyed)
3.31.10
ayuktacāraṃ manye tvāṃ prākṛtaiḥ sacivair vṛtam
svajanaṃ ca janasthānaṃ hataṃ yo nāvabudhyase
I consider your espionage ill-managed and you surrounded by common ministers, since you did not even perceive that your own people and Janasthāna had been destroyed.
Words: ayuktacāraṃ — with ill-managed espionage; manye — I consider; tvāṃ — you; prākṛtaiḥ — by common; sacivair — by ministers; vṛtam — surrounded; svajanaṃ ca — and your own people; janasthānaṃ — Janasthāna; hataṃ — destroyed, slain; yo — who; nāvabudhyase — you do not perceive
3.31.11
caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām
hatāny ekena rāmeṇa kharaś ca sahadūṣaṇaḥ
Fourteen thousand rākṣasas of terrible deeds were slain by Rāma alone, and Khara too, together with Dūṣaṇa.
Words: caturdaśa — fourteen; sahasrāṇi — thousands; rakṣasāṃ — of rākṣasas; bhīmakarmaṇām — of terrible deeds; hatāny — slain; ekena — by one, alone; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; kharaś ca — and Khara; sahadūṣaṇaḥ — together with Dūṣaṇa
3.31.12
ṛṣīṇām abhayaṃ dattaṃ kṛtakṣemāś ca daṇḍakāḥ
dharṣitaṃ ca janasthānaṃ rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā
Safety was granted to the sages, the Daṇḍaka regions were made secure, and Janasthāna was assailed by Rāma of untiring deeds.
Words: ṛṣīṇām — to the sages; abhayaṃ — safety, freedom from fear; dattaṃ — given, granted; kṛtakṣemāś — made secure; ca — and; daṇḍakāḥ — the Daṇḍaka (forests); dharṣitaṃ — assailed, violated; ca — and; janasthānaṃ — Janasthāna; rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā — by Rāma of untiring deeds
3.31.13
tvaṃ tu lubdhaḥ pramattaś ca parādhīnaś ca rāvaṇa
viṣaye sve samutpannaṃ bhayaṃ yo nāvabudhyase
But you, Rāvaṇa, are greedy, heedless, and dependent on others, you who do not perceive the danger arisen in your own domain.
Words: tvaṃ tu — but you; lubdhaḥ — greedy; pramattaś ca — and heedless; parādhīnaś ca — and dependent on others; rāvaṇa — O Rāvaṇa; viṣaye sve — in your own domain; samutpannaṃ — arisen; bhayaṃ — danger, fear; yo — who; nāvabudhyase — you do not perceive
3.31.14
tīkṣṇam alpapradātāraṃ pramattaṃ garvitaṃ śaṭham
vyasane sarvabhūtāni nābhidhāvanti pārthivam
A king who is harsh, a niggardly giver, heedless, arrogant, and deceitful, no creatures rush to help in his hour of calamity.
Words: tīkṣṇam — harsh, sharp; alpapradātāraṃ — a niggardly giver; pramattaṃ — heedless; garvitaṃ — arrogant, proud; śaṭham — deceitful, crafty; vyasane — in calamity; sarvabhūtāni — all creatures; nābhidhāvanti — do not run to (help); pārthivam — the king
3.31.15
atimāninam agrāhyam ātmasaṃbhāvitaṃ naram
krodhanaṃ vyasane hanti svajano 'pi narādhipam
A king who is overweening, unapproachable, self-conceited, and wrathful, even his own people destroy in his hour of calamity.
Words: atimāninam — overweening, overly proud; agrāhyam — unapproachable, not to be grasped; ātmasaṃbhāvitaṃ — self-conceited; naram — the man; krodhanaṃ — wrathful; vyasane — in calamity; hanti — kills, destroys; svajano 'pi — even his own people; narādhipam — the king
3.31.16
nānutiṣṭhati kāryāṇi bhayeṣu na bibheti ca
kṣipraṃ rājyāc cyuto dīnas tṛṇais tulyo bhaviṣyati
He who does not carry out his tasks, and does not take fright amid dangers, is quickly cast down from his kingdom and, wretched, becomes no better than grass.
Words: nānutiṣṭhati — does not carry out; kāryāṇi — tasks, affairs; bhayeṣu — in dangers; na bibheti ca — and does not fear; kṣipraṃ — quickly; rājyāc cyuto — fallen from his kingdom; dīnas — wretched; tṛṇais tulyo — equal to grass; bhaviṣyati — will become
3.31.17
śuṣkakāṣṭhair bhavet kāryaṃ loṣṭair api ca pāṃsubhiḥ
na tu sthānāt paribhraṣṭaiḥ kāryaṃ syād vasudhādhipaiḥ
Some use may be had of dry sticks, and even of clods and dust, but no use at all can be had of kings fallen from their station.
Words: śuṣkakāṣṭhair — with dry sticks; bhavet — there might be; kāryaṃ — use, purpose; loṣṭair — with clods; api ca — and even; pāṃsubhiḥ — with dust; na tu — but not; sthānāt — from (their) station; paribhraṣṭaiḥ — with those fallen; kāryaṃ — use, purpose; syād — there would be; vasudhādhipaiḥ — with kings (lords of the earth)
3.31.18
upabhuktaṃ yathā vāsaḥ srajo vā mṛditā yathā
evaṃ rājyāt paribhraṣṭaḥ samartho 'pi nirarthakaḥ
Like a garment already worn out, or like a garland crushed, so a man fallen from his kingship, though capable, is useless.
Words: upabhuktaṃ — used up, worn out; yathā — as; vāsaḥ — a garment; srajo vā — or a garland; mṛditā — crushed, trampled; yathā — as; evaṃ — so; rājyāt — from his kingship; paribhraṣṭaḥ — fallen; samartho 'pi — though capable; nirarthakaḥ — useless, purposeless
3.31.19
apramattaś ca yo rājā sarvajño vijitendriyaḥ
kṛtajño dharmaśīlaś ca sa rājā tiṣṭhate ciram
The king who is vigilant, all-knowing, master of his senses, grateful, and of righteous conduct, that king endures long.
Words: apramattaś ca — and vigilant; yo — who; rājā — king; sarvajño — all-knowing; vijitendriyaḥ — having conquered his senses; kṛtajño — grateful; dharmaśīlaś ca — and of righteous conduct; sa rājā — that king; tiṣṭhate — stands, endures; ciram — long
3.31.20
nayanābhyāṃ prasupto 'pi jāgarti nayacakṣuṣā
vyaktakrodhaprasādaś ca sa rājā pūjyate janaiḥ
Even when asleep with his two eyes, he keeps awake through the eye of policy; and the king whose wrath and favour are plainly shown is honoured by the people.
Words: nayanābhyāṃ — with (his) two eyes; prasupto 'pi — even though asleep; jāgarti — keeps awake; nayacakṣuṣā — with the eye of policy; vyaktakrodhaprasādaś ca — and whose wrath and favour are manifest; sa rājā — that king; pūjyate — is honoured; janaiḥ — by the people
3.31.21
tvaṃ tu rāvaṇadurbuddhir guṇair etair vivarjitaḥ
yasya te 'viditaś cārai rakṣasāṃ sumahān vadhaḥ
But you, Rāvaṇa of evil mind, are bereft of these virtues, you by whom, through your spies, the very great slaughter of the rākṣasas went unknown.
Words: tvaṃ tu — but you; rāvaṇadurbuddhir — O Rāvaṇa of evil mind; guṇair etair — by these virtues; vivarjitaḥ — bereft, devoid; yasya — of whom; te — by you, to you; 'viditaś — unknown; cārai — by (your) spies; rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; sumahān — very great; vadhaḥ — slaughter, slaying
3.31.22
parāvamantā viṣayeṣu saṃgato nadeśa kālapravibhāga tattvavit
ayuktabuddhir guṇadoṣaniścaye vipannarājyo na cirād vipatsyate
A despiser of others, sunk in sensual pleasures, ignorant of the true division of place and time, wrong-headed in discerning merit and fault, his kingdom ruined, will before long come to grief.
Words: parāvamantā — a despiser of others; viṣayeṣu — in sensual objects, pleasures; saṃgato — attached, sunk; nadeśa — not (knowing) place; kālapravibhāga — the division of time; tattvavit — knowing the truth of; ayuktabuddhir — of ill-applied judgement; guṇadoṣaniścaye — in determining merit and fault; vipannarājyo — whose kingdom is ruined; na cirād — before long, ere long; vipatsyate — will come to grief, will perish
3.31.23
iti svadoṣān parikīrtitāṃs tayā samīkṣya buddhyā kṣaṇadācareśvaraḥ
dhanena darpeṇa balena cānvito vicintayām āsa ciraṃ sa rāvaṇaḥ
Thus, having with his mind weighed the faults she had recounted, that lord of the night-rangers, endowed with wealth, pride, and power, Rāvaṇa reflected long.
Words: iti — thus; svadoṣān — his own faults; parikīrtitāṃs — recounted, enumerated; tayā — by her; samīkṣya — having weighed, considered; buddhyā — with his mind, intellect; kṣaṇadācareśvaraḥ — the lord of the night-rangers; dhanena — with wealth; darpeṇa — with pride; balena — with power, strength; cānvito — and endowed; vicintayām āsa — reflected, pondered; ciraṃ — long, for a long while; sa rāvaṇaḥ — that Rāvaṇa
← 3.30 Śūrpaṇakhā reaches Rāvaṇa’s court · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.32 Śūrpaṇakhā describes Sītā →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
Plain text: /text/3/31.md · JSON: /data/3/31.json