Shloka 23

जटायुरुपदेशः — Jatāyu Confronts Rāvaṇa

Ethical Admonition and Challenge

Devanagari script

असकृत्संयुगे येन निहता दैत्यदानवाः।।।।नचिराच्चीरवासास्त्वां रामो युधि वधिष्यति।

Transliteration

asakṛt saṃyuge yena nihatā daityadānavāḥ |

na cirāc cīravāsās tvāṃ rāmo yudhi vadhiṣyati ||

Translation

罗摩——在战场上屡次诛灭阿修罗与达那婆者——虽身披树皮衣，不久也必在战斗中杀你。

Word by Word

• asakṛt: many times
• asakṛt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: asakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (repeatedly)

• saṃyuge: in battle
• saṃyuge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• yena: by whom
• yena: Karana (करण/by whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• nihatāḥ: slain
• nihatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• daitya-dānavāḥ: Daityas and Danavas
• daitya-dānavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject of nihatāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + dānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (daityāś ca dānavāś ca)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• cirāt: after long (i.e., soon)
• cirāt: Kāla-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-प्रयोगे कालवाचक-अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘after long’ → ‘soon’ with na

• cīra-vāsāḥ: wearing bark garments
• cīra-vāsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier of rāmaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cīra (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (yasya cīraṃ vāsaḥ saḥ)

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yudhi: in battle
• yudhi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (युध्), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘in battle’

• vadhiṣyati: will slay
• vadhiṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vadh (धातु; √han in sense)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

O ten- headed Ravana! stay, stay for a while. O demon ! as long as I am alive I will treat you with the hospitality of war. You will be pulled down from this best of the chariots like a ripe fruit drops from the stalk.ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আদিকাব্যে অরণ্যকাণ্ডে পঞ্চাশস্সর্গঃ৷৷Thus ends the fiftieth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa
• Daityas
• Dānavas

FAQs

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

Adharma invites inevitable correction: righteous power may appear outwardly humble (bark garments) yet remains morally and spiritually authoritative.

What is the narrative situation?

Jatāyu warns Rāvaṇa that Rāma, despite living as an ascetic in exile, will soon punish this injustice in battle.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadfast strength aligned with dharma—effective protection of the world even in hardship.