Shloka 3.50.14
जटायुरुपदेशः — Jatāyu Confronts Rāvaṇa (Ethical Admonition and Challenge)
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।
yadi śūrpaṇakhāhetoḥ janasthānagataḥ kharaḥ | ativṛtto hataḥ pūrvaṃ rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā || atra brūhi yathātattvaṃ ko rāmasya vyatikramaḥ | yasya tvaṃ lokanāthasya bhāryāṃ hṛtvā gamiṣyasi ||
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?
On account of Surpanakha, Khara trespassed into Janasthana and got killed by Rama, without much effort. Tell me truly, what transgression (of dharma) did he commit for which you are stealing away the wife of Rama who is the lord of this world?.
Punishment follows transgression: Jatāyu frames Khara’s death as the result of overstepping dharma, and challenges the adharma of abducting another’s wife by demanding a truthful justification.
During Sītā’s abduction, Jatāyu confronts Rāvaṇa and argues that Rāma committed no wrong that could warrant such an act.
Satya and moral reasoning—Jatāyu insists on truth (yathātattvam) and exposes the absence of any legitimate grievance against Rāma.