दशग्रीव स्थितो धर्मे पुराणे सत्यसंश्रयः। भ्रातस्त्वं निन्दितं कर्म कर्तुं नार्हसि साम्प्रतम्
O Ten-headed one, you once stood firm in righteousness, devoted to truth; brother, you should not now commit this blameworthy deed.
जटायुर्नाम नाम्नाहं गृध्रराजो महाबलः। राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य महेन्द्रवरुणोपमः
I am Jatāyu by name, the mighty king of vultures, ruler of all beings, comparable to Mahendra and Varuṇa.
लोकानां च हिते युक्तो रामो दशरथात्मजः। तस्यैषा लोकनाथस्य धर्मपत्नी यशस्विनी
Rāma, son of Daśaratha, is devoted to the welfare of all beings; this illustrious lady is the lawful wife of that lord of the world.
सीता नाम वरारोहा यां त्वं हर्तुमिहेच्छसि। कथं राजा स्थितो धर्मे परदारान् परामृशेत्
She is named Sītā, of noble form, whom you wish to seize; how can a king, established in righteousness, touch another's wife?
रक्षणीया विशेषेण राजदारा महाबल। निवर्तय गतिं नीचां परदाराभिमर्शनात्
Especially must a king protect the wives of others, O mighty one; turn back from this base course of coveting another's wife.
न तत् समाचरेद् धीरो यत् परोऽस्य विगर्हयेत्। यथाऽऽत्मनस्तथान्येषां दारा रक्ष्या विमर्शनात्
A wise man should not do what others would condemn; as one guards his own wife from violation, so should he guard the wives of others.
अर्थं वा यदि वा कामं शिष्टाः शास्त्रेष्वनागतम्। व्यवस्यन्त्यनुराजानं धर्मं पौलस्त्यनन्दन
Whether for gain or for desire, the virtuous, even in matters not set forth in the scriptures, discern the right path, O descendant of Pulastya.
राजा धर्मश्च कामश्च द्रव्याणां चोत्तमो निधिः। धर्मः शुभं वा पापं वा राजमूलं प्रवर्तते
The king, righteousness, desire, and wealth are the highest treasures; from the king springs both virtue and vice, as well as prosperity.
पापस्वभावश्चपलः कथं त्वं रक्षसां वर। ऐश्वर्यमभिसम्प्राप्तो विमानमिव दुष्कृती
How, being fickle and of evil nature, O foremost of Rākṣasas, have you attained sovereignty, like a wicked man ascending a celestial car?
कामस्वभावो यःसोऽसौ न शक्यस्तं प्रमार्जितुम्। नहि दुष्टात्मनामार्यमावसत्यालये चिरम्
That which is rooted in desire cannot be easily removed; for noble conduct does not long dwell in the house of the wicked.
विषये वा पुरे वा ते यदा रामो महाबलः। नापराध्यति धर्मात्मा कथं तस्यापराध्यसि
Whether in your realm or city, Rāma, mighty and righteous, has committed no offense; how then do you wrong him?
यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः। अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा
If Khara, because of Śūrpaṇakhā, came to Janasthāna and was slain by Rāma, who acts without blame, having overstepped his bounds—
अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः। यस्य त्वं लोकनाथस्य हृत्वा भार्यां गमिष्यसि
Here, speak truly: what transgression has Rāma committed, that you, after abducting the wife of the lord of the world, would depart?
क्षिप्रं विसृज वैदेहीं मा त्वा घोरेण चक्षुषा। दहेद् दहनभूतेन वृत्रमिन्द्राशनिर्यथा
Quickly release Vaidehī, lest you be burned by her fierce gaze, as Vṛtra was by Indra's thunderbolt, which was like fire.
सर्पमाशीविषं बद्ध्वा वस्त्रान्ते नावबुध्यसे। ग्रीवायां प्रतिमुक्तं च कालपाशं न पश्यसि
You do not realize that you have tied a venomous serpent in the edge of your garment; nor do you see the noose of death fastened around your neck.
स भारः सौम्य भर्तव्यो यो नरं नावसादयेत्। तदन्नमपि भोक्तव्यं जीर्यते यदनामयम्
O gentle one, only that burden should be borne which does not overwhelm a man; only that food should be eaten which, when digested, brings no harm.
यत् कृत्वा न भवेद् धर्मो न कीर्तिर्न यशो ध्रुवम्। शरीरस्य भवेत् खेदः कस्तत् कर्म समाचरेत्
What action should one perform that brings neither righteousness, nor fame, nor lasting glory, but only weariness to the body?
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि जातस्य मम रावण। पितृपैतामहं राज्यं यथावदनुतिष्ठतः
For sixty thousand years, O Rāvaṇa, I have rightly upheld the kingdom inherited from my fathers and grandfathers since my birth.
वृद्धोऽहं त्वं युवा धन्वी सरथः कवची शरी। न चाप्यादाय कुशली वैदेहीं मे गमिष्यसि
I am old, while you are young, armed with a bow, a chariot, and armor; yet you will not succeed in taking Vaidehī from me and departing safely.
न शक्तस्त्वं बलाद्धर्तुं वैदेहीं मम पश्यतः। हेतुभिर्न्यायसंयुक्तैर्ध्रुवां वेदश्रुतीमिव
You are not able to seize Vaidehī by force while I watch, just as one cannot take away the firm knowledge of the Vedas, grounded in reason and justice.
युध्यस्व यदि शूरोऽसि मुहूर्तं तिष्ठ रावण। शयिष्यसे हतो भूमौ यथा पूर्वं खरस्तथा
If you are truly a hero, fight! Stay for a moment, Rāvaṇa; you will lie slain on the ground, just as Khara did before.
असकृत्संयुगे येन निहता दैत्यदानवाः। न चिराच्चीरवासास्त्वां रामो युधि वधिष्यति
By him who has slain Daityas and Dānavas many times in battle, by that Rāma in ascetic garb, you will soon be killed in combat.
किं नु शक्यं मया कर्तुं गतौ दूरं नृपात्मजौ। क्षिप्रं त्वं नश्यसे नीच तयोर्भीतो न संशयः
What can I do, since the princes have gone far away? You, vile one, will soon perish out of fear of them—of that there is no doubt.
नहि मे जीवमानस्य नयिष्यसि शुभामिमाम्। सीतां कमलपत्राक्षीं रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम्
As long as I live, you will not take this auspicious lady, Sītā, lotus-eyed and beloved queen of Rāma.
अवश्यं तु मया कार्यं प्रियं तस्य महात्मनः। जीवितेनापि रामस्य तथा दशरथस्य च
Yet I must surely do what is dear to that great-souled one, for Rāma’s sake—even at the cost of my life—and for Daśaratha as well.
तिष्ठ तिष्ठ दशग्रीव मुहूर्तं पश्य रावण। वृन्तादिव फलं त्वां तु पातयेयं रथोत्तमात्। युद्धातिथ्यं प्रदास्यामि यथाप्राणं निशाचर
Stay, stay, ten-headed one! Wait a moment, Rāvaṇa. I would strike you down from your excellent chariot like a fruit from its stalk. I will offer you the hospitality of battle, as best I can, O night-wanderer.
thumb|एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥३-
Hear now the fifty-first sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakaṇḍa.
इत्युक्तः क्रोधताम्राक्षस्तप्तकाञ्चनकुण्डलः। राक्षसेन्द्रोऽभिदुद्राव पतगेन्द्रममर्षणः
Thus addressed, the king of the Rākṣasas, his eyes reddened with anger and wearing blazing golden earrings, rushed furiously at the king of birds.
स सम्प्रहारस्तुमुलस्तयोस्तस्मिन् महामृधे। बभूव वातोद्धुतयोर्मेघयोर्गगने यथा
A tumultuous and fierce clash arose between the two in that great battle, like clouds driven together by the wind in the sky.
तद् बभूवाद्भुतं युद्धं गृध्रराक्षसयोस्तदा। सपक्षयोर्माल्यवतोर्महापर्वतयोरिव
Then there occurred a wondrous fight between the vulture and the Rākṣasa, both winged and garlanded, like two great mountains.