Aranya Kanda · Sarga 50 of 76 · 28 verses
Jatayu Challenges Ravana
Jatayu, who had been asleep, hears that cry; he looks quickly and sees Ravana, and sees Vaidehi. Then the glorious best of birds, like a mountain peak, with a sharp beak, sitting in the tree, speaks auspicious words: “Dashagriva, I stand in the ancient dharma and rely on truth; brother, you should not do this condemned deed now. I am named Jatayu, the very mighty king of vultures. Rama, son of Dasharatha, king of the whole world, like great Indra and Varuna, devoted to the good of the worlds: this is the glorious lawful wife of that lord of the world, named Sita, of lovely hips, whom you want to carry off. How can a king who stands in dharma touch another man’s wife? The wives of kings must be protected above all, mighty one. Turn back from this low path of touching another’s wife. A wise man would not do what another would blame him for; others’ wives must be protected from violation as one’s own. In matters of wealth or pleasure not covered by the shastras, delight of the Paulastyas, the good follow the king as their dharma. The king is dharma and pleasure and the finest treasury of goods; dharma, good or evil, proceeds with the king as its root. How did you, wicked by nature and fickle, best of rakshasas, come to power, like an evil-doer to a celestial chariot? One whose nature is desire cannot be cleansed of it; nobility does not live long in the house of the wicked. When mighty, righteous Rama has done no wrong in your realm or city, how can you wrong him? If Khara, gone to Janasthana for Shurpanakha’s sake, went too far and was killed by Rama of unwearied deeds, tell me truly, what is Rama’s offence, that you go off having stolen the wife of that lord of the world? Let Vaidehi go quickly, so that he does not burn you with his terrible, fiery eye, as Indra’s thunderbolt burned Vritra. You do not realise you have tied a venomous snake into the hem of your garment; you do not see the noose of Time fastened round your neck. That load should be carried, gentle one, which does not crush a man; that food should be eaten which is digested without sickness. Who would do a deed from which comes neither dharma, nor fame, nor lasting glory, but only weariness of the body? It is sixty thousand years since I was born, Ravana, ruling properly the kingdom of my fathers and grandfathers. I am old; you are young, a bowman, with chariot, armour and arrows. Yet you will not go away safely, taking Vaidehi. You cannot carry off Vaidehi by force while I am watching, any more than the sure word of the Veda can be overturned by reasons joined with logic. Fight, if you are a hero; stay a moment, Ravana. You will lie killed on the ground as Khara did before. Before long Rama in bark garments, who has killed daityas and danavas again and again in battle, will kill you in battle. What can I do, with the two princes gone far away? You will perish quickly, low one, afraid of them, no doubt. While I live, you will not take away this auspicious Sita, lotus-eyed, the dear chief queen of Rama. I must do what pleases that great soul Rama, even with my life, and for Dasharatha too. Stop, stop, Dashagriva; wait a moment, Ravana. I will knock you from your fine chariot like a fruit from its stalk. I will give you the hospitality of battle, as far as my life allows, night-ranger.”
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तं शब्दमवसुप्तस्तु जटायुरथ शुश्रुवे । निरैक्षद् रावणं क्षिप्रं वैदेहीं च ददर्श सः ॥ १ ॥
Then Jatayu, who was asleep, heard that sound. He looked quickly at Ravana, and he saw Vaidehi.
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Jatayu Challenges Ravana 1 min read.
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ततः पर्वतशृङ्गाभस्तीक्ष्णतुण्डः खगोत्तमः । वनस्पतिगतः श्रीमान् व्याजहार शुभां गिरम् ॥ २ ॥
Then the glorious best of birds, like a mountain peak, with a sharp beak, sitting in the tree, spoke auspicious words:
दशग्रीव स्थितो धर्मे पुराणे सत्यसंश्रयः । भ्रातस्त्वं निन्दितं कर्म कर्तुं नार्हसि साम्प्रतम् ॥ ३ ॥
“Dashagriva, I stand in ancient dharma, relying on truth. Brother, you should not do a condemned deed now.
जटायुर्नाम नाम्नाहं गृध्रराजो महाबलः । राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य महेन्द्रवरुणोपमः ॥ ४ ॥
“I am named Jatayu, the very mighty king of vultures. The king of the whole world, like great Indra and Varuna,
लोकानां च हिते युक्तो रामो दशरथात्मजः । तस्यैषा लोकनाथस्य धर्मपत्नी यशस्विनी ॥ ५ ॥
“devoted to the good of the worlds, is Rama, son of Dasharatha. This is the glorious lawful wife of that lord of the world,
सीता नाम वरारोहा यां त्वं हर्तुमिहेच्छसि । कथं राजा स्थितो धर्मे परदारान् परामृशेत् ॥ ६ ॥
“named Sita, of lovely hips, whom you wish to carry off here. How could a king standing in dharma touch the wives of others?
रक्षणीया विशेषेण राजदारा महाबल । निवर्तय गतिं नीचां परदाराभिमर्शनात् ॥ ७ ॥
“The wives of kings must be protected above all, very mighty one. Turn back from the low course of touching others’ wives.
न तत् समाचरेद् धीरो यत् परोऽस्य विगर्हयेत् । यथाऽऽत्मनस्तथान्येषां दारा रक्ष्या विमर्शनात् ॥ ८ ॥
“A wise man would not do what another would condemn. As one’s own, so others’ wives are to be protected from violation.
अर्थं वा यदि वा कामं शिष्टाः शास्त्रेष्वनागतम् । व्यवस्यन्त्यनुराजानं धर्मं पौलस्त्यनन्दन ॥ ९ ॥
“Wealth or pleasure not covered by the shastras, the good decide following the king as dharma, delight of the Paulastyas.
राजा धर्मश्च कामश्च द्रव्याणां चोत्तमो निधिः । धर्मः शुभं वा पापं वा राजमूलं प्रवर्तते ॥ १० ॥
“The king is dharma and pleasure, and the best treasury of goods. Dharma, auspicious or evil, proceeds with the king as its root.
पापस्वभावश्चपलः कथं त्वं रक्षसां वर । ऐश्वर्यमभिसम्प्राप्तो विमानमिव दुष्कृती ॥ ११ ॥
“How have you, of evil nature, fickle, best of rakshasas, gained sovereignty, like an evil-doer a celestial chariot?
कामस्वभावो यःसोऽसौ न शक्यस्तं प्रमार्जितुम् । नहि दुष्टात्मनामार्यमावसत्यालये चिरम् ॥ १२ ॥
“He whose nature is desire cannot be cleansed of it; for nobility does not dwell long in the house of the wicked-souled.
विषये वा पुरे वा ते यदा रामो महाबलः । नापराध्यति धर्मात्मा कथं तस्यापराध्यसि ॥ १३ ॥
“When mighty, righteous Rama does no wrong in your realm or in your city, how can you wrong him?
यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः । अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा ॥ १४ ॥
अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः । यस्य त्वं लोकनाथस्य हृत्वा भार्यां गमिष्यसि ॥ १५ ॥
“If Khara, gone to Janasthana for Shurpanakha’s sake, going too far, was killed before by Rama of unwearied deeds, tell truly here: what is Rama’s transgression, that you will go having carried off the wife of that lord of the world?
क्षिप्रं विसृज वैदेहीं मा त्वा घोरेण चक्षुषा । दहेद् दहनभूतेन वृत्रमिन्द्राशनिर्यथा ॥ १६ ॥
“Release Vaidehi quickly, lest he burn you with his terrible eye, become fire, as Indra’s thunderbolt burned Vritra.
सर्पमाशीविषं बद्ध्वा वस्त्रान्ते नावबुध्यसे । ग्रीवायां प्रतिमुक्तं च कालपाशं न पश्यसि ॥ १७ ॥
“You do not realise you have tied a venomous snake in the end of your garment; you do not see the noose of Time fastened on your neck.
स भारः सौम्य भर्तव्यो यो नरं नावसादयेत् । तदन्नमपि भोक्तव्यं जीर्यते यदनामयम् ॥ १८ ॥
“That load should be carried, gentle one, which would not crush a man; that food too should be eaten which is digested without sickness.
यत् कृत्वा न भवेद् धर्मो न कीर्तिर्न यशो ध्रुवम् । शरीरस्य भवेत् खेदः कस्तत् कर्म समाचरेत् ॥ १९ ॥
“That deed, having done which there would be no dharma, no fame, no lasting glory, but weariness of the body: who would do it?
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि जातस्य मम रावण । पितृपैतामहं राज्यं यथावदनुतिष्ठतः ॥ २० ॥
“Sixty thousand years have passed since I was born, Ravana, as I rightly maintained the kingdom of my fathers and grandfathers.
वृद्धोऽहं त्वं युवा धन्वी सरथः कवची शरी । न चाप्यादाय कुशली वैदेहीं मे गमिष्यसि ॥ २१ ॥
“I am old; you are young, a bowman, with chariot, armour and arrows. Yet you will not go safely, taking Vaidehi from me.
न शक्तस्त्वं बलाद्धर्तुं वैदेहीं मम पश्यतः । हेतुभिर्न्यायसंयुक्तैर्ध्रुवां वेदश्रुतीमिव ॥ २२ ॥
“You cannot carry off Vaidehi by force while I watch, as the sure word of the Veda cannot be overturned by reasons joined with logic.
युध्यस्व यदि शूरोऽसि मुहूर्तं तिष्ठ रावण । शयिष्यसे हतो भूमौ यथा पूर्वं खरस्तथा ॥ २३ ॥
“Fight, if you are a hero; stay a moment, Ravana. You will lie killed on the ground, as Khara did before.
असकृत्संयुगे येन निहता दैत्यदानवाः । न चिराच्चीरवासास्त्वां रामो युधि वधिष्यति ॥ २४ ॥
“Before long Rama in bark garments, by whom daityas and danavas have been killed again and again in battle, will kill you in battle.
किं नु शक्यं मया कर्तुं गतौ दूरं नृपात्मजौ । क्षिप्रं त्वं नश्यसे नीच तयोर्भीतो न संशयः ॥ २५ ॥
“What can I do, with the princes gone far? You will perish quickly, low one, afraid of them, without doubt.
नहि मे जीवमानस्य नयिष्यसि शुभामिमाम् । सीतां कमलपत्राक्षीं रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम् ॥ २६ ॥
“While I am alive you will not take away this auspicious Sita, lotus-eyed, Rama’s dear chief queen.
अवश्यं तु मया कार्यं प्रियं तस्य महात्मनः । जीवितेनापि रामस्य तथा दशरथस्य च ॥ २७ ॥
“I must surely do what is dear to that great soul Rama, even with my life, and to Dasharatha too.
तिष्ठ तिष्ठ दशग्रीव मुहूर्तं पश्य रावण । वृन्तादिव फलं त्वां तु पातयेयं रथोत्तमात् । युद्धातिथ्यं प्रदास्यामि यथाप्राणं निशाचर ॥ २८ ॥
“Stop, stop, Dashagriva; look a moment, Ravana! I will make you fall from your excellent chariot like a fruit from its stalk. I will give you the hospitality of battle, as far as my life allows, night-ranger.”