Shloka 22

जटायुनिर्वाणसंस्कारः

Jatayu’s Final Testimony and Funeral Rites

Devanagari script

पश्य लक्ष्मण गृध्रोऽयमुपकारी हतश्च मे।।।।सीतामभ्यवपन्नो वै रावणेन बलीयसा।

Transliteration

paśya lakṣmaṇa gṛdhro ’yam upakārī hataś ca me |

sītām abhyavapanno vai rāvaṇena balīyasā ||

Translation

Vois, ô Lakṣmaṇa : ce vautour, mon bienfaiteur, a été tué par le puissant Rāvaṇa lorsqu’il s’élança pour secourir Sītā.

Word by Word

• paśya: see
• paśya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paś (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• lakṣmaṇa: O Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधनम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• gṛdhraḥ: vulture
• gṛdhraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛdhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• upakārī: benefactor, helper
• upakārī: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upakārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; गृध्रस्य विशेषणम्

• hataḥ: killed
• hataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• me: of me / my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• sītām: Sītā
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• abhyavapannaḥ: having come forward/approached
• abhyavapannaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-ava-√pad (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having approached/come upon (to help)’

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• rāvaṇena: by Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇena: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• balīyasā: by the stronger (one)
• balīyasā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balīyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तुलनात्मक-विशेषण (comparative), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; रावणेन विशेषणम्

Context

O Lakshmana, see this Jatayu, my benefactor, killed by the powerful Ravana while he was reaching out to help Sita.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Jaṭāyu

FAQs

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

Dharma as protection: rushing to defend Sītā is presented as righteous conduct, even when the protector is weaker than the aggressor.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma identifies Jaṭāyu as the one who tried to intervene during Sītā’s abduction and was slain by Rāvaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Jaṭāyu’s protective courage and loyalty; Rāma’s gratitude and truthful recognition of Jaṭāyu’s aid.