Shloka 13

जटायुरावणयुद्धम्

Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana

Devanagari script

शरैरावारितस्तस्य संयुगे पतगेश्वरः।कुलायमुपसम्प्राप्तः पक्षीव प्रबभौ तदा।।।।

Transliteration

śarair āvāritas tasya saṁyuge patageśvaraḥ |

kulāyam upasamprāptaḥ pakṣīva prababhau tadā ||

Translation

In that clash, hemmed in on all sides by his arrows, the lord of birds shone then like a bird that has reached its nest.

Word by Word

• śaraiḥ: by arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana

• āvāritaḥ: surrounded, obstructed
• āvāritaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√vṛ (वृ धातु; ‘to cover/enclose’)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Kta (क्त) past passive participle ‘covered/surrounded’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of patageśvaraḥ

• tasya: of him (Ravana)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• saṃyuge: in the battle
• saṃyuge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• patageśvaraḥ: the lord of birds (Jatāyu)
• patageśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pataga + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa ‘lord of birds’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kulāyam: nest
• kulāyam: Karma (कर्म/Object of motion; goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kulāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• upasamprāptaḥ: having reached, returned
• upasamprāptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; participial—agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-sam-√prāp (प्राप् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Kta (क्त) ‘having reached/returned’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of patageśvaraḥ

• pakṣī: a bird
• pakṣī: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; upamāna (standard of comparison)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा/Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (उपमा-अव्यय)

• prababhau: shone, appeared splendid
• prababhau: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhā (भा धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; upasarga: pra-

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla-avyaya (काल-अव्यय)

Context

Jatayu, shot with arrows on all sides in the combat, shone like the bird that returned to its nest.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu (Patageśvara)
• Rāvaṇa
• arrows (śara)

FAQs

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

Steadfastness under attack: dharma-oriented courage persists even when overwhelmed, maintaining purpose rather than yielding to fear.

What is the narrative situation?

Jatāyu is encircled by volleys of arrows in the fight, yet the narration depicts his continued radiance and composure.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dhṛti (fortitude): the capacity to endure hardship while staying committed to a righteous duty.