Shloka 43

जटायुरावणयुद्धम्

Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana

Devanagari script

स च्छिन्नपक्षस्सहसा रक्षसा रौद्रकर्मणा।।।।निपपात हतो गृद्रो धरण्यामल्पजीवितः।

Transliteration

sa cchinnapakṣaḥ sahasā rakṣasā raudrakarmaṇā |

nipapāta hato gṛdhro dharaṇyām alpajīvitaḥ ||

Translation

And the vulture, his wings suddenly severed by that rākṣasa of cruel deeds, fell at once to the earth—wounded, with only a little life remaining.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च्छिन्नपक्षः: with wings cut off
• च्छिन्नपक्षः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद् (धातु) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (यस्य पक्षौ छिन्नौ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गृद्रः)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• रक्षसा: by the demon
• रक्षसा: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• रौद्रकर्मणा: of terrible deeds
• रौद्रकर्मणा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (रौद्रं कर्म यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying रक्षसा)

• निपपात: fell down
• निपपात: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि- पत् (धातु: पतने)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हतः: wounded/struck down
• हतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गृद्रः)

• गृद्रः: vulture (Jatayu)
• गृद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धरण्याम्: on the ground
• धरण्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• अल्पजीवितः: with little life remaining
• अल्पजीवितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प + जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (अल्पं जीवितं यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गृद्रः)

Context

Jatayu, lord of the birds, faced the arrows and other weapons showered by Ravana.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Rāvaṇa (as rākṣasa, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma may demand self-sacrifice: Jatāyu’s fall is the cost of choosing protection over self-preservation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa cripples Jatāyu by cutting his wings; Jatāyu collapses to the ground, near death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tyāga (self-sacrifice) and protective loyalty in Jatāyu.