Shloka 20

जटायुनिर्वाणसंस्कारः

Jatayu’s Final Testimony and Funeral Rites

Devanagari script

बहूनि रक्षसां वासे वर्षाणि वसता सुखम्।।।।अनेन दण्डकारण्ये विशीर्णमिह पक्षिणा।

Transliteration

bahūni rakṣasāṃ vāse varṣāṇi vasatā sukham |

anena daṇḍakāraṇye viśīrṇam iha pakṣiṇā ||

Translation

Bertahun-tahun lamanya ia hidup tenteram di sini, di Daṇḍakāraṇya—tempat tinggal para rākṣasa; namun kini, di rimba ini, burung ini telah hancur dan menemui ajalnya.

Word by Word

• bahūni: many
• bahūni: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वर्षाणि विशेषयति

• rakṣasām: of the rākṣasas
• rakṣasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (collective) / पुंलिङ्ग (usage varies), षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• vāse: in the dwelling/place of stay
• vāse: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• varṣāṇi: years
• varṣāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (duration as object)

• vasatā: by living
• vasatā: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), तृतीया, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘by (him) dwelling’

• sukham: happily, in comfort
• sukham: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन (accusative used adverbially)

• anena: by this (one)
• anena: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• daṇḍakāraṇye: in the Daṇḍaka forest
• daṇḍakāraṇye: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍaka + araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘दण्डकानां अरण्यम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• viśīrṇam: has been destroyed
• viśīrṇam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√śṝ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘shattered/destroyed’ (predicate)

• iha: here
• iha: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• pakṣiṇā: by the bird
• pakṣiṇā: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Context

Dwelling for many years happily in Dandaka forest, the abode of demons, the bird lost his life (on our account).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Daṇḍakāraṇya
• rākṣasas (demons)
• Jaṭāyu (as the bird)

FAQs

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

Gratitude and moral accountability: Rāma reflects that the bird’s death is connected to their cause, underscoring responsibility toward those who help in dharmic struggles.

What is the narrative situation?

After Sītā’s abduction, Rāma recognizes that Jaṭāyu—who had long lived in the dangerous Daṇḍaka region—has died in the aftermath of resisting the rākṣasa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Jaṭāyu’s steadfastness in living amid danger and still choosing to act righteously when the moment demanded.