Shloka 4
Sāvitrī’s Trirātra-Vrata and Departure with Satyavān (सावित्रीव्रतनिश्चयः सहगमनं च)
न हि मे मोक्ष्यसे जीवन् यदि नोत्सृजसे वधूम् । उक्त्वैवं राक्षसेन्द्रं तं चकर्त नखरैर्भुशम्,“यदि मेरी पुत्रवधू सीताको तू नहीं छोड़ेगा तो मेरे हाथसे जीवित नहीं बच सकेगा।' ऐसा कहकर जटायुने अपने नखोंसे राक्षसराज रावणको बहुत घायल कर दिया
na hi me mokṣyase jīvan yadi notsṛjase vadhūm | uktvaivaṁ rākṣasendraṁ taṁ cakarta nakharair bhṛśam |
Mārkaṇḍeya said: “You will not escape alive from me if you do not release the bride.” Having spoken thus to that lord of the Rākṣasas, Jaṭāyu tore and grievously wounded him with his talons. The verse frames resistance to abduction as a dharmic duty: protection of a woman taken by force is upheld even at the cost of one’s own life, and righteous anger is directed toward restraining adharma rather than personal gain.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds dharma as active protection: when a woman is seized unlawfully, it is righteous to confront the aggressor and attempt rescue, even at personal risk. Moral force is shown through courage and restraint aimed at stopping wrongdoing.
In Mārkaṇḍeya’s account, Jaṭāyu warns Rāvaṇa that he will not escape alive unless he releases the abducted bride (Sītā). After issuing this challenge, Jaṭāyu attacks and wounds Rāvaṇa fiercely with his talons.