Shloka 24

जटायुरावणयुद्धम्

Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana

Devanagari script

वज्रसंस्पर्शबाणस्य भार्यां रामस्य रावण।।।।अल्पबुद्धे हरस्येनां वधाय खलु रक्षसाम्।

Transliteration

vajrasaṁsparśabāṇasya bhāryāṁ rāmasya rāvaṇa | alpabuddhe harasy enāṁ vadhāya khalu rakṣasām ||

Translation

Rāvaṇa, you fool—by abducting her, the wife of Rāma whose arrows strike like a thunderbolt, you are truly bringing about the destruction of the rākṣasas.

Word by Word

• vajra-saṅsparśa-bāṇasya: of (him) whose arrows have thunderbolt-like impact
• vajra-saṅsparśa-bāṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra + saṅsparśa + bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa-samāsa: vajrasya saṅsparśaḥ (thunderbolt-like touch) yasya bāṇaḥ (whose arrows)

• bhāryām: wife
• bhāryām: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana

• rāvaṇa: O Ravana
• rāvaṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

• alpa-buddhe: O foolish one
• alpa-buddhe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alpa + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: alpā buddhiḥ yasya (one of little intellect)

• harasi: you carry off / abduct
• harasi: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/वर्तमान), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यम), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• enām: this woman (her)
• enām: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam/enad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; sarvanāma (pronoun)

• vadhāya: for destruction
• vadhāya: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Caturthī (4th/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana; prayojana-dative (purpose)

• khalu: indeed
• khalu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta/particle (emphasis/indeed)

• rakṣasām: of the demons
• rakṣasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana

Context

Foolish Ravana, you are kidnapping this lady, wife of Rama, whose arrows can hit like a thunderbolt. This will lead to the destruction of all demons.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma
• Sītā (Rāma’s wife)
• rākṣasas

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma warns that violating another’s marriage and abducting the innocent is grave adharma that inevitably brings ruin.

What is the narrative situation?

Mid-air, Jatāyu confronts Rāvaṇa and declares that abducting Sītā will lead to the downfall of the rākṣasas due to Rāma’s power.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya (truthful admonition) and dhārmic guardianship—speaking truth to stop a moral crime.