Shloka 11

जटायुरुपदेशः — Jatāyu Confronts Rāvaṇa

Ethical Admonition and Challenge

Devanagari script

कामं स्वभावो यो यस्य न शक्यः परिमार्जितुम्।।।।न हि दुष्टात्मनामार्यमावसत्यालये चिरम्।

Transliteration

kāmaṃ svabhāvo yo yasya na śakyaḥ parimārjitum || 3.50.11 ||

na hi duṣṭātmanām āryam āvasaty ālaye ciram |

Translation

Tunay, anuman ang likás na ugali ng tao, hindi ito basta mabubura. Hindi nananatili nang matagal ang kasaganaan sa tahanan ng masamang-loob.

Word by Word

• कामम्: indeed, surely
• कामम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपादक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/अवधारणार्थक), emphatic particle

• स्वभावः: nature, disposition
• स्वभावः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यः: which/that (who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; genitive relative

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेधार्थक निपात)

• शक्यः: possible (to be done)
• शक्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शक् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थक ‘possible’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate adjective to स्वभावः

• परिमार्जितुम्: to erase, to remove
• परिमार्जितुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+√मृज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive), ‘to wipe away/erase’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेधार्थक)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/हेतुवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात; कारण/निश्चयार्थक)

• दुष्टात्मनाम्: of evil-minded (people)
• दुष्टात्मनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्टात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: दुष्टः आत्मा यस्य/येषां (कर्मधारय); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• आर्यम्: nobility/prosperity
• आर्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; subject of āvasati (understood as ‘āryam’ = noble/prosperity)

• आवसति: dwells, stays
• आवसति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+√वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• आलये: in a house/abode
• आलये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानाधिकरण

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

Context

Indeed, it is not possible to erase the nature of any one, whatever it be. Prosperity does not rest for long in the house of the evil-minded.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma teaches that inner character governs outcomes: sustained well-being aligns with noble conduct, while wickedness destabilizes prosperity.

What is the narrative situation?

Jatāyu continues his admonition to Rāvaṇa, framing the abduction as a symptom of ingrained adharma that will not support lasting fortune.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Wisdom and ethical clarity—Jatāyu articulates a general moral law while confronting immediate injustice.