Shloka 40

जटायुरावणयुद्धम्

Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana

Devanagari script

ततः क्रोधाद्दशग्रीवस्सीतामुत्सृज्य रावणः।।।।मुष्टिभ्यां चरणाभ्यां च गृध्रराजमपोथयत्।

Transliteration

tataḥ krodhād daśagrīvaḥ sītām utsṛjya rāvaṇaḥ | muṣṭibhyāṁ caraṇābhyāṁ ca gṛdhra-rājam apothayat ||

Translation

പിന്നീട് ക്രോധത്താൽ ദശഗ്രീവനായ രാവണൻ സീതയെ വിട്ടുകളഞ്ഞ്, മുഷ്ടികളാലും പാദങ്ങളാലും ഗൃധ്രരാജനെ അടിച്ചു തകർത്തു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/कालवाचक (thereafter)

• क्रोधात्: from anger
• क्रोधात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; हेतुवाचक (cause)

• दशग्रीवः: ten-necked (Ravana)
• दशग्रीवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + ग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (यस्य दश ग्रीवाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपाधि (Ravana)

• सीताम्: Sita
• सीताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्सृज्य: having let go
• उत्सृज्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-सृज् (धातु: त्यागे)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund)

• रावणः: Ravana
• रावणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुष्टिभ्याम्: with (his) two fists
• मुष्टिभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन

• चरणाभ्याम्: with (his) two feet
• चरणाभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• गृध्रराजम्: the king of vultures (Jatayu)
• गृध्रराजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्रराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गृध्राणां राजा), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपोथयत्: struck/assailed
• अपोथयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-उथ्/ओथ् (धातु: अपोथने/प्रहार)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Then the ten-headed Ravana left Sita and attacked Jatayu with his fists and feet out of anger.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Jaṭāyu

FAQs

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

Unrighteous desire, when challenged, turns to rage and brutality; dharma warns against letting anger dictate action.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa momentarily releases Sītā to focus on physically overpowering Jaṭāyu.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Jaṭāyu’s steadfast opposition is implied; Rāvaṇa’s loss of restraint is explicit.