English Commentaries


Jatayu speaks of dharma to Ravana 3.50.2-28


Jatayu said to Ravana, “Rama is the king of the whole world. This implies that Rama is the king even for Ravana. Sita is his wife wedded according to dharma indicating that Sita’s abduction is a very serious sin. The wife of a king should be specially protected. This implies that the abduction of a king’s wife is equally sinful as the molestation of the wife of one’s Guru. The idea is that people follow rules and regulations of dharma, even though they are not very clear about the sastras, by following their king, who has abundant knowledge of moksa, dharma etc”.

If the reading is Raja dharmasca kamasca,(sloka 8) the meaning is, since the king is the source of all financial powers, the king is dharma and kama because dharma and kama ensue only from the king. Jatayu says that it is a mystery how the royal power stays in Ravana even though he does not possess the dharma needed in a king. The idea is royal power obtained as a result of good deeds done by an evil person will become fruitless. Or, it is not possible to wash off the nature of a person because good thoughts will not remain for long in the minds of evil persons. It is said in the Vedas Dharmena papam apanudati, one gets rid of sin by means of dharma. Dharma is thus taught as the remover of nature predominated by kama (desire). Sinners give no room to dharma. There is absence of dharma in sinners. So sinful nature cannot be washed out by any one. One whose conduct transgresses the boundary of propriety will go.” This is an ironic statement. The meaning is, “You will not go from here alive”.

The eternal and independent authoritative Vedas state ‘One should not drink liquor’. It cannot be annulled by arguments like ‘Liquor must be drunk, because it is a liquid, like milk’. But the Vedic statements can annul arguments by showing the reasons to be invalid on account of flaws like kalatyayapadista. Similarly, you possess the power of magic which is like reasoning. Sita is like the Sruti. So you cannot abduct her, but you will perish by her power. Ravana, if you are a valiant fighter, fight with me, or stay for a while until Rama comes here.”