Shloka 2

जटायुनिर्वाणसंस्कारः

Jatayu’s Final Testimony and Funeral Rites

Devanagari script

ममायं नूनमर्थेषु यतमानो विहङ्गमः।राक्षसेन हतस्संख्ये प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यति दुस्त्यजान्।।।।

Transliteration

mamāyaṃ nūnam artheṣu yatamāno vihaṅgamaḥ |

rākṣasena hataḥ saṅkhye prāṇāṃs tyakṣyati dustyajān ||

Translation

Assurément, cet oiseau, s’efforçant d’accomplir mon dessein, a été frappé au combat par un rākṣasa, et maintenant il va rendre ces souffles de vie si difficiles à quitter.

Word by Word

• mama: my
• mama: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• nūnam: surely
• nūnam: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; certainty particle

• artheṣu: in (my) aims/affairs
• artheṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Bahuvacana

• yatamānaḥ: striving/making effort
• yatamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yat (धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present middle participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with vihaṅgamaḥ

• vihaṅgamaḥ: bird
• vihaṅgamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vihaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• rākṣasena: by a demon
• rākṣasena: Kartṛ/Karaṇa (कर्ता/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental agent

• hataḥ: slain/struck down
• hataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (प्रातिपदिक; √han (धातु) + kta)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with vihaṅgamaḥ

• saṅkhye: in battle
• saṅkhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅkhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• prāṇān: life-breaths
• prāṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana

• tyakṣyati: will abandon
• tyakṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (लुट्, periphrastic future sense; here simple future meaning), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• dustyajān: hard to give up
• dustyajān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dus-tyajya (प्रातिपदिक; √tyaj (धातु) + yat)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana; agreeing with prāṇān

Context

Struck down by the demon in the combat on my account this bird is going to give up his life which is indeed difficult.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Jaṭāyu (implied as the bird)
• rākṣasa (demon)

FAQs

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

Recognition of selfless service: Rāma acknowledges that another being strove for his righteous cause and suffered for it, highlighting gratitude and respect for dharmic sacrifice.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma encounters the wounded/stricken bird (Jaṭāyu) after the abduction of Sītā and understands that it was injured by a rākṣasa in combat while trying to help.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Jaṭāyu’s courage and self-sacrifice in defense of righteousness, and Rāma’s gratitude in recognizing that sacrifice.