Shloka 3.50.10
जटायुरुपदेशः — Jatāyu Confronts Rāvaṇa (Ethical Admonition and Challenge)
पापस्वभावश्चपलः कथं त्वं रक्षसां वर।।।।ऐश्वर्यमभिसम्प्राप्तो विमानमिव दुष्कृतिः।
pāpasvabhāvaś capalaḥ kathaṃ tvaṃ rakṣasāṃ vara || 3.50.10 ||
aiśvaryam abhisamprāpto vimānam iva duṣkṛtiḥ |
“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?”
O best of demons ! by nature you are sinful, and fickle-minded. You do all forbidden acts. Otherwise,how could you get this wealth, like the celestial chariot?
Dharma includes moral truth-telling: the righteous openly challenge wrongdoing and question the legitimacy of power gained through adharma.
Jatāyu confronts Rāvaṇa mid-abduction, rebuking him and highlighting the contradiction between wicked conduct and royal splendor.
Moral courage—Jatāyu speaks truth to a powerful aggressor despite danger.