Shloka 25
जटायुरावणयुद्धम्
Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana
समित्रबन्धुस्सामात्यस्सबलस्सपरिच्छदः।।।।विषपानं पिबस्येतत्पिपासित इवोदकम्।
samitra-bandhuḥ sāmātyaḥ sa-balaḥ sa-paricchadaḥ | viṣapānaṃ pibasy etat pipāsita ivodakam ||
Along with your friends and kinsmen, your ministers, your forces, and all your attendants, you are drinking this as though it were water to a thirsty man—yet it is poison.
You are drinking poison along with all your friends, relatives, ministers, the army and your allies. like a thirsty man drinks water.
FAQs
Adharma may appear attractive in the moment, but it is intrinsically self-destructive—like poison mistaken for water. Dharma requires discerning the true nature and outcome of one’s choices.
After Sītā’s abduction, Jaṭāyu confronts Rāvaṇa and warns him that his act will ruin him and those connected to him.
Jaṭāyu’s moral courage and truth-speaking (satya): he openly rebukes a powerful aggressor for wrongdoing.