Shloka 14

जटायुरावणयुद्धम्

Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana

Devanagari script

स तानि शरवर्षाणि पक्षाभ्यां च विधूयच।चरणाभ्यां महातेजा बभञ्जास्य महद्धनुः।।।।

Transliteration

sa tāni śara-varṣāṇi pakṣābhyāṁ ca vidhūya ca |

caraṇābhyāṁ mahā-tejā babhañjāsya mahad dhanuḥ ||

Translation

Sacudió con sus alas aquellas lluvias de flechas; y el poderoso quebró con sus pies el gran arco de Rāvaṇa.

Word by Word

• सः: he (Jatāyu)
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• तानि: those
• तानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• शरवर्षाणि: showers of arrows
• शरवर्षाणि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर-वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive tatpuruṣa): शराणां वर्षाणि

• पक्षाभ्याम्: with (his) two wings
• पक्षाभ्याम्: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विधूय: having shaken off
• विधूय: पूर्वकाल (Absolutive; prior action to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; ‘having shaken off/scattered’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चरणाभ्याम्: with (his) two feet/claws
• चरणाभ्याम्: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• महातेजाः: very powerful/bright
• महातेजाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्-तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: महत् तेजः यस्य सः

• बभञ्ज: broke
• बभञ्ज: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अस्य: of him (Rāvaṇa)
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महत्: great
• महत्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Context

Powerful Jatayu scattered the shower of arrows with his wings and broke down the great bow with his claws.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Rāvaṇa
• arrows (śara)
• bow (dhanuḥ)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes decisive action: defending the innocent may require neutralizing the aggressor’s capacity to harm.

What is the narrative situation?

Jatāyu withstands the arrow barrage and again destroys Rāvaṇa’s bow to stop the abduction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective bravery (rakṣaṇa-vīrya): courage expressed as shielding another from injustice.