Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 33: Śūrpaṇakhā Criticizes Rāvaṇa
Text 3.33.9
येषां चारश्च कोशश्च नयश्च जयतां वर।
अस्वाधीना नरेन्द्राणां प्राकृतैस्ते जनैः समाः॥
yeṣāṁ cāraś ca kośaś ca nayaś ca jayatāṁ vara
asvādhīnā narendrāṇāṁ prākṛtais te janaiḥ samāḥ
yeṣām = whose; cāraḥ ca = spy; kośaḥ ca = treasury; nayaḥ ca = and policy; jayatām = of the victorious; vara = O best; asva-adhīnāḥ = are not under their control; nara-indrāṇām = kings; prākṛtaiḥ = ordinary; te1 janaiḥ = people; samāḥ = are equal to.
O best of the victorious, kings whose spies, treasuries and policies are not under their control are equal to ordinary people.1
Spies provides information about what people in their kingdom and others’ kingdoms are planning to do and what those people are planning to avoid.1
Treasury refers to an increase of wealth.
She states why spies are needed in the following verse.