Shloka 3.68.7
जटायुनिर्वाणसंस्कारः — Jatayu’s Final Testimony and Funeral Rites
कथं वीर्यः कथं रूपः किं कर्मा स च राक्षसः।क्व चास्य भवनं तात ब्रूहि मे परिपृच्छतः।।।।
tam udvīkṣyātha dīnātmā vilapantam anantaram |
vācātisannayā rāmaṃ jaṭāyur idam abravīt ||
Seeing Rāma wailing without pause, the sorrow-stricken Jaṭāyu looked up and, in a voice grown faint, spoke these words to him.
O father ! how powerful is that demon ? How does he look?What work does he do? Where does he dwell? Do answer my questions?
Even in suffering, a righteous witness speaks truth for the sake of justice; Jaṭāyu’s last effort is to report faithfully, aiding the dharmic cause.
Jaṭāyu, near death, responds to Rāma’s grief and prepares to disclose what he saw about Sītā’s abduction.
Jaṭāyu’s courage and duty-bound truthfulness despite physical collapse.