Shloka 26

जटायुरुपदेशः — Jatāyu Confronts Rāvaṇa

Ethical Admonition and Challenge

Devanagari script

अवश्यं तु मया कार्यं प्रियं तस्य महात्मनः।।।।जीवितेनापि रामस्य तथा दशरथस्य च।

Transliteration

avaśyaṃ tu mayā kāryaṃ priyaṃ tasya mahātmanaḥ |

jīvitenāpi rāmasya tathā daśarathasya ca ||

Translation

เราจักต้องกระทำสิ่งอันเป็นที่รักและสมควรแก่พระรามผู้มีมหาตมัน—และแก่ท้าวทศรถด้วย—แม้ต้องแลกด้วยชีวิตของเราเองก็ตาม

Word by Word

• avaśyam: certainly
• avaśyam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (adverb): certainly

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता/agent of kāryam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• kāryam: a duty
• kāryam: Karma (कर्म/thing to be done)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; from √kṛ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be done/duty’

• priyam: pleasing
• priyam: Karma (कर्म/qualifier of kāryam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (dear/pleasing)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled one
• mahātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• jīvitena: with (my) life
• jīvitena: Karana (करण/instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; साधन/परित्यागार्थे (with life)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (and likewise)

• daśarathasya: of Dasharatha
• daśarathasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Context

The lady you want to abduct from here is the famous Sita, the lawful wife of Rama, the lord of the world.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Rāvaṇa
• Jatāyu

FAQs

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

Dharma as duty (kartavya) may require personal sacrifice; loyalty to the righteous is upheld even at the cost of life.

What is the narrative situation?

Before engaging Rāvaṇa, Jatāyu declares his resolve to act for Rāma’s good and in honor of Daśaratha’s line.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Niṣkāma-sevā (selfless service): action motivated by righteousness rather than self-preservation.