Shloka 5

जटायुरावणयुद्धम्

Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana

Devanagari script

ततो नालीकनाराचैस्तीक्ष्णाग्रैश्च विकर्णिभिः।अभ्यवर्षन्महाघोरैर्गृध्रराजं महाबलः।।।।

Transliteration

tato nālīkanārācais tīkṣṇāgraiś ca vikarṇibhiḥ |

abhyavarṣan mahāghorair gṛdhrarājaṃ mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

ついで大力のラーヴァナは、鷲鷹の王に向けて、恐るべき武器を雨のごとく浴びせた――鋭い穂先のナーリーカ槍、ナーラーチャの矢、そしてヴィカルニーの飛び道具を。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time-sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय; pronominal adverb)
• Form: Kāla/krama-avyaya (काल/क्रम-अव्यय; ‘thereupon/then’)

• nālīka-nārācaiḥ: with spears and shafts
• nālīka-nārācaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nālīka + nārāca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) ‘spears and iron shafts’; Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• tīkṣṇāgraiḥ: sharp-pointed
• tīkṣṇāgraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīkṣṇāgra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘sharp-tipped’; Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); viśeṣaṇa of nālīka-nārācaiḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (समुच्चय-अव्यय/conjunction)

• vikarṇibhiḥ: with vikarṇi weapons
• vikarṇibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikarṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• abhyavarṣat: rained upon, showered
• abhyavarṣat: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛṣ (वृष् धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, past/imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन); upasarga: abhi-

• mahā-ghoraiḥ: very dreadful
• mahā-ghoraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘very dreadful’; Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); viśeṣaṇa of weapons

• gṛdhra-rājam: the king of vultures (Jatāyu)
• gṛdhra-rājam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛdhra-rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘king of vultures’; Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• mahā-balaḥ: the mighty one
• mahā-balaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘greatly strong’; Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); used substantively for Rāvaṇa

Context

(Seriously) wounded and almost dead,the vulture fell down on the ground all at once, when his wings were chipped by the demon of terrible deeds.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Jatāyu (Gṛdhrarāja)

FAQs

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

The verse contrasts power used for adharma with the dharmic duty of protection; Rāvaṇa’s weapon-shower represents force divorced from righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa escalates the fight by bombarding Jatāyu with multiple fierce weapons during the abduction episode.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Jatāyu’s protective courage is implied by the intensity of the assault he faces while opposing Rāvaṇa.