Shloka 13
जटायुरुपदेशः — Jatāyu Confronts Rāvaṇa
Ethical Admonition and Challenge
यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः।।।।अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा।अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः।।।।यस्य त्वं लोकनाथस्य भार्यां हृत्वा गमिष्यसि।
yadi śūrpaṇakhāhetoḥ janasthānagataḥ kharaḥ | ativṛtto hataḥ pūrvaṃ rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā || atra brūhi yathātattvaṃ ko rāmasya vyatikramaḥ | yasya tvaṃ lokanāthasya bhāryāṃ hṛtvā gamiṣyasi ||
若因舒尔帕那卡之故，迦罗闯入阇那斯坦那，越界妄行，先前已被行事不劳的罗摩所诛——那么你当如实告我：罗摩究竟有何过失，使你竟要掳走那位世间之主的妻子而远去？
On account of Surpanakha, Khara trespassed into Janasthana and got killed by Rama, without much effort. Tell me truly, what transgression (of dharma) did he commit for which you are stealing away the wife of Rama who is the lord of this world?.
FAQs
Punishment follows transgression: Jatāyu frames Khara’s death as the result of overstepping dharma, and challenges the adharma of abducting another’s wife by demanding a truthful justification.
During Sītā’s abduction, Jatāyu confronts Rāvaṇa and argues that Rāma committed no wrong that could warrant such an act.
Satya and moral reasoning—Jatāyu insists on truth (yathātattvam) and exposes the absence of any legitimate grievance against Rāma.