जटायुरुपदेशः — Jatāyu Confronts Rāvaṇa (Ethical Admonition and Challenge)
अरण्यकाण्ड
Sarga 50 opens with Jatāyu hearing the distress-call and immediately sighting Rāvaṇa carrying Vaidehī. From a tree-top vantage, the vulture-king introduces himself as a सत्यसंश्रय (truth-abiding) guardian aligned with eternal dharma, then identifies Sītā as Rama’s lawful पत्नी and frames her abduction as a violation of राजधर्म and social protection norms. Jatāyu argues that kings become the root-source of virtue and vice, so their conduct sets public standards for dharma, artha, and kāma. He indicts Rāvaṇa’s fickle, sinful disposition, warns that prosperity cannot endure with the evil-minded, and asks what offense Rama committed to merit this aggression—especially since Khara’s death followed Khara’s own trespass. The discourse escalates into direct deterrence: release Sītā or face ruin; the act is likened to binding a venomous serpent or tightening a noose of death. Jatāyu declares willingness to die performing a प्रियकार्य for Rama and Daśaratha, challenges Rāvaṇa to fight, and vows to pull him from the chariot like fruit from a stalk.
Verse 3.50.1
तं शब्दमवसुप्तस्तु जटायुरथ शुश्रुवे।निरीक्ष्य रावणं क्षिप्रं वैदेहीं च ददर्श सः।।।।
Jatāyu, who was resting, heard that cry; looking up at once, he saw Rāvaṇa and Vaidehī (Sītā).
Verse 3.50.2
ततः पर्वतकूटाभस्तीक्ष्णतुण्डः खगोत्तमः।वनस्पतिगतश्श्रीमान्व्याजहार शुभां गिरम्।।।।
I am old; you are young—armed with bow and arrows, armored, and mounted on a chariot. Even so, carrying off Vaidehī, you will not depart in safety.
Verse 3.50.3
दशग्रीव स्थितो धर्मे पुराणे सत्यसंश्रयः।जटायुर्नाम नाम्नाहं गृध्रराजो महाबलः।।।।
What more can I do, when the two princes have gone far away? You wretch—soon you will perish, for you acted out of fear of them; of this there is no doubt.
Verse 3.50.4
राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य महेन्द्रवरुणोपमः।लोकानां च हिते युक्तो रामो दशरथात्मजः।।।।
So long as I live, you will not take this auspicious Sītā—lotus-eyed, the beloved queen-consort of Rāma—away with you.
Verse 3.50.5
तस्यैषा लोकनाथस्य धर्मपत्नी यशस्विनी।सीता नाम वरारोहा यां त्वं हर्तुमिहेच्छसि।।।।
I must surely do what is dear and fitting for the great-souled Rāma—and for Daśaratha as well—even if it costs me my life.
Verse 3.50.6
कथं राजास्थितो धर्मे परदारान्परामृशेत्।रक्षणीया विशेषेण राजदारा महाबल।।।।
Stay, stay, O ten-necked Rāvaṇa—look here for a moment! O night-roamer, as long as I have breath I will offer you the “hospitality” of battle, and I will hurl you down from your splendid chariot like a fruit falling from its stalk.
Verse 3.50.7
निवर्तय मतिं नीचां परदाराभिमर्शनात्।न तत्समाचरेद्धीरो यत्परोऽस्य विगर्हयेत्।।।।यथात्मनस्तथान्येषां दारा रक्ष्या विपश्चिता।
Turn your mind back from the base impulse of violating another man’s wife. A steadfast man should not do what others would rightly condemn in him. As he safeguards his own wife, so should a wise man protect the wives of others.
Verse 3.50.8
धर्ममर्थं वा कामं वा शिष्टाश्शास्त्रेष्वनागतम्।।।।व्यवस्यन्त्यनु राजानं धर्मं पौलस्त्यनन्दन।
O son of Paulastya, even when a rule is not explicitly found in the śāstras, the learned discern what is dharma, artha, and kāma by observing and judging in light of a king’s conduct, for royal behavior sets the public standard.
Verse 3.50.9
राजा धर्मस्य कामस्य द्रव्याणां चोत्तमो निधिः।।।।धर्मश्शुभं वा पापं वा राजमूलं प्रवर्तते।
The king is the foremost repository of dharma, kāma, and wealth. Whether righteousness takes a good form or turns to sin, its course in the world proceeds with the king as its root.
Verse 3.50.10
पापस्वभावश्चपलः कथं त्वं रक्षसां वर।।।।ऐश्वर्यमभिसम्प्राप्तो विमानमिव दुष्कृतिः।
“Sinful by nature and fickle—how, O ‘best of rākṣasas’, have you obtained such lordly power, like a celestial vimāna, when your deeds are wicked?”
Verse 3.50.11
कामं स्वभावो यो यस्य न शक्यः परिमार्जितुम्।।।।न हि दुष्टात्मनामार्यमावसत्यालये चिरम्।
Truly, whatever a person’s inborn nature may be, it cannot simply be wiped away. Prosperity does not dwell long in the house of the evil-minded.
Verse 3.50.12
विषये वा पुरे वा ते यदा रामो महाबलः।।।।नापराध्यति धर्मात्मा कथं तस्यापराध्यसि।
When the mighty Rāma—righteous in spirit—has not wronged you, whether in your realm or in your city, how can you commit an offence against him?
Verse 3.50.13
यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः।।।।अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा।अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः।।।।यस्य त्वं लोकनाथस्य भार्यां हृत्वा गमिष्यसि।
Then the glorious Jatāyu—best among birds, sharp-beaked, and mountain-peak-like in appearance—spoke auspicious words from the top of a tree.
Verse 3.50.14
यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः।।3.50.13।।अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा।अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः।।3.50.14।।यस्य त्वं लोकनाथस्य भार्यां हृत्वा गमिष्यसि।
If, on account of Śūrpaṇakhā, Khara entered Janasthāna and—having overstepped—was earlier slain by Rāma, whose deeds meet no strain, then tell me truly: what wrongdoing of Rāma is there, that you would go off after stealing the wife of that lord of the world?
Verse 3.50.15
क्षिप्रं विसृज वैदेहीं मा त्वा घोरेण चक्षुषा।।।।दहेद्दहनभूतेन वृत्रमिन्द्राशनिर्यथा।
Release Vaidehī at once—lest, with her fierce gaze turned into consuming fire, she burn you as Indra’s thunderbolt burned Vṛtra.
Verse 3.50.16
सर्पमाशीविषं बद्ध्वा वस्त्रान्ते नावबुध्यसे।।।।ग्रीवायां प्रतिसक्तं च कालपाशं न पश्यसि।
You do not perceive that you are binding a venomous serpent to the hem of your garment; nor do you see the noose of Death already tightened around your neck.
Verse 3.50.17
स भारस्सौम्य भर्तव्यो यो नरं नावसादयेत्।।।।तदन्नमपि भोक्तव्यं जीर्यते यदनामयम्।
O gentle one, one should bear only that burden which does not exhaust a person; and one should eat only that food which is wholesome and digests without harm.
Verse 3.50.18
यत्कृत्वा न भवेद्धर्मो न कीर्तिर्न यशो भुवि।।।।शरीरस्य भवेत्खेदः कस्तत्कर्म समाचरेत्।
Who would undertake a deed that yields neither dharma, nor good repute, nor glory in the world, and brings only weariness to the body?
Verse 3.50.19
षष्टिर्वर्षसहस्राणि मम जातस्य रावण।।।।पितृपैतामहं राज्यं यथावदनुतिष्ठतः।
O Rāvaṇa, sixty thousand years have passed since my birth, during which I have duly upheld my ancestral kingdom in the proper way.
Verse 3.50.20
वृद्धोऽहं त्वं युवा धन्वी सशरः कवची रथी।।।।तथाप्यादाय वैदेहीं कुशली न गमिष्यसि।
You cannot seize Vaidehī by force while I look on—just as one cannot, by mere reasoning, steal away the enduring Vedic revelation, established by rightful order.
Verse 3.50.21
न शक्तस्त्वं बलाद्धर्तुं वैदेहीं मम पश्यतः।।।।हेतुभिर्न्यायसंसिद्धैद्धृवां वेदश्रुतीमिव।
You are not able to carry off Vaidehī by force while I am watching. She is as unassailable as the everlasting Vedic revelation—firmly established by sound reasons and rightful grounds.
Verse 3.50.22
युद्ध्यस्व यदि शूरोऽसि मुहूर्तं तिष्ठ रावण।।।।शयिष्यसे हतो भूमौ यथापूर्वं खरस्तथा।
O Ten-necked one, I am Jatāyu by name—the mighty king of vultures—steadfast in the ancient dharma and grounded in truth.
Verse 3.50.23
असकृत्संयुगे येन निहता दैत्यदानवाः।।।।नचिराच्चीरवासास्त्वां रामो युधि वधिष्यति।
Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, is a king for the whole world—like Indra and Varuṇa—ever devoted to the welfare of all beings.
Verse 3.50.24
किं नु शक्यं मया कर्तुं गतौदूरं नृपात्मजौ।।।।क्षिप्रं त्वं नश्यसे नीच तयोर्भीतो न संशयः।
This illustrious woman is Sītā, the noble and lawful wife of Rāma, lord of the world—the very one whom you seek to carry away from here.
Verse 3.50.25
न हि मे जीवमानस्य नयिष्यसि शुभामिमाम्।।।।सीतां कमलपत्राक्षीं रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम्।
How could a king established in dharma violate another man’s wife? A king’s consort, above all, must be guarded with special protection, O mighty one.
Verse 3.50.26
अवश्यं तु मया कार्यं प्रियं तस्य महात्मनः।।।।जीवितेनापि रामस्य तथा दशरथस्य च।
If you are truly a hero, then fight—stand your ground for a moment, O Rāvaṇa. Slain, you will lie upon the earth, just as Khara did before.
Verse 3.50.27
तिष्ठ तिष्ठ दशग्रीव मुहूर्तं पश्य रावण।।।।युद्धातिथ्यं प्रदास्यामि यथाप्राणं निशाचर।वृन्तादिव फलं त्वां तु पातयेयं रथोत्तमात्।।।।
Rāma—who time and again in battle has slain demons and Dānavas—though clad in bark garments, will soon kill you in war.