Shloka 3.68.18

जटायुनिर्वाणसंस्कारः — Jatayu’s Final Testimony and Funeral Rites

Devanagari script

स निक्षिप्य शिरो भूमौ प्रसार्य चरणौ तदा।।।।विक्षिप्य च शरीरं स्वं पपात धरणीतले।

Transliteration

sa nikṣipya śiro bhūmau prasārya caraṇau tadā |

vikṣipya ca śarīraṃ svaṃ papāta dharaṇītale ||

Translation

Then he cast his head upon the ground, stretched out his feet, and with his body splayed, fell upon the earth.

Context

Then Jatayu dropped his head down, his feet thrown about, his body outstretched on earth.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu

FAQs

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

The cost of protecting the innocent: dharma may demand sacrifice, and the narrative honors that sacrifice by recording it with gravity.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator describes the physical moment of Jatāyu’s death and collapse.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Jatāyu’s self-sacrifice—his body falls, but his dharmic act stands as enduring merit.