Shloka 3.68.28

जटायुनिर्वाणसंस्कारः — Jatayu’s Final Testimony and Funeral Rites

Devanagari script

नाथं पतगलोकस्य चितामारोप्य राघव।।।।इमं धक्ष्यामि सौमित्रे हतं रौद्रेण रक्षसा।

Transliteration

nāthaṃ patagalokasya citām āropya rāghava |

imaṃ dhakṣyāmi saumitre hataṃ raudreṇa rakṣasā ||

Translation

O Rāghava—O Saumitri—I shall place this lord of the bird-world upon the funeral pyre and cremate him, for he has been slain by a fierce rākṣasa.

Context

O scion of the Raghus ! I will place the body of the lord of the world of birds, killed by the fierce demon, on the funeral pyre and crimate him with honour.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitri)
• Jaṭāyu (lord of bird-world)
• rākṣasa (demon)

FAQs

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

Dharma of honoring protectors: one who upheld righteousness deserves dignified rites; respect is a moral obligation, not merely a social formality.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma confirms the intention to cremate Jaṭāyu with due honor after he was killed by the fierce rākṣasa (Rāvaṇa in context).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s reverence and compassion—treating Jaṭāyu as a dignitary deserving proper funerary respect.