Shloka 22

Devanagari script

युद्ध्यस्व यदि शूरोऽसि मुहूर्तं तिष्ठ रावण।।।।शयिष्यसे हतो भूमौ यथापूर्वं खरस्तथा।

Transliteration

yuddhyasva yadi śūro 'si muhūrtaṃ tiṣṭha rāvaṇa |

śayiṣyase hato bhūmau yathāpūrvaṃ kharas tathā ||

Translation

若你真是勇士，就来战吧——且暂立片刻，罗波那。被杀之后，你必倒卧大地，如同先前的迦罗一般。

Word by Word

• yuddhyasva: fight
• yuddhyasva: Kriya (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yudh (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• śūraḥ: a hero
• śūraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम/विशेष्य

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया/copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• muhūrtam: for a moment
• muhūrtam: Kāla-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण/time extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालावधि-अर्थे (for a moment)

• tiṣṭha: stand/stay
• tiṣṭha: Kriya (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• rāvaṇa: O Ravana
• rāvaṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• śayiṣyase: you will lie (sleep)
• śayiṣyase: Kriya (क्रिया/predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śī (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• hataḥ: slain
• hataḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement of śayiṣyase)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘slain’

• bhūmau: on the ground
• bhūmau: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as)

• pūrvam: formerly
• pūrvam: Kāla-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• kharaḥ: Khara
• kharaḥ: Upamana (उपमान/example)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (so, likewise)

Context

I should do this important work of those great souls, Rama and Dasaratha, even if it claims my life.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Rāvaṇa
• Khara

FAQs

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

Wrongdoing must be confronted, and a so-called hero is tested by facing righteous resistance rather than preying on the vulnerable.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāvaṇa carries off Sītā, Jatāyu challenges him to a direct fight and foretells his fall, recalling Khara’s earlier defeat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Valor in defense of dharma: Jatāyu chooses combat to protect Sītā and uphold moral order.