Shloka 4.56.12
सम्पातिदर्शनम् (Encounter with Sampāti) — Angada’s Lament and the Vulture-King’s Response
प्रियं कृतं हि रामस्य धर्मज्ञेन जटायुषा।राघवार्थे परिश्रान्ता वयं सन्त्यक्तजीविताः।।।।कान्ताराणि प्रपन्नाः स्म न च पश्याम मैथिलीम्।
priyaṃ kṛtaṃ hi rāmasya dharmajñena jaṭāyuṣā |
rāghavārthe pariśrāntā vayaṃ santyaktajīvitāḥ ||
kāntārāṇi prapannāḥ sma na ca paśyāma maithilīm |
Indeed, Jaṭāyu—knower of dharma—did what was dear to Rāma. Worn out for Rāghava’s sake, we are like those who have abandoned life itself. We have entered these wild forests, and yet we do not see Maithilī.
'Jatayu, the knower of dharma, has laid down his life for the well-being of Rama. We are exhausted in the process of helping Rama. We have lost hope of our lives after entering these forests. Yet we have failed to find the princess from Mithila.
Dharma is shown as steadfast service to a righteous cause: Jaṭāyu’s dharma-based action becomes a moral benchmark, while the Vanaras measure their own duty by the sincerity of effort and loyalty to truth.
The search party, exhausted and hopeless, contrasts their failure to find Sītā with Jaṭāyu’s successful self-sacrifice for Rāma’s good.
Dharmajñatā (moral discernment) in Jaṭāyu; and perseverance-in-duty (though strained) in the Vanaras.