Shloka 16

जटायुवृत्तान्तः

Jatāyu’s Testimony and Rāma’s Grief

Devanagari script

त्वया विरहिता देवी लक्ष्मणेन च राघव।ह्रियमाणा मया दृष्टा रावणेन बलीयसा।।।।

Transliteration

tvayā virahitā devī lakṣmaṇena ca rāghava | hriyamāṇā mayā dṛṣṭā rāvaṇena balīyasā ||

Translation

“ഹേ രാഘവാ, നിന്നിലും ലക്ഷ്മണനിലും നിന്ന് വേർപെട്ട ആ ദേവിയെ ഞാൻ കണ്ടു; ബലവാനായ രാവണൻ അവളെ അപഹരിച്ച് കൊണ്ടുപോകുകയായിരുന്നു।”

Word by Word

• tvayā: by you/from you
• tvayā: Apādāna (अपादान; separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Eka-vacana

• virahitā: separated
• virahitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-rah (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; qualifies devī; sense: ‘separated’

• devī: the queen
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• lakṣmaṇena: from Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇena: Apādāna (अपादान; separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction, indeclinable

• rāghava: O Raghava
• rāghava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Eka-vacana

• hriyamāṇā: being carried away
• hriyamāṇā: Karta (कर्ता; subject of passive situation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु) + yamāna (यमान; passive pres. part.)
• Form: Present passive participle (कर्मणि-वर्तमान कृदन्त; -यमान), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; qualifies devī

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartṛ (कर्ता; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana

• dṛṣṭā: was seen
• dṛṣṭā: Kriyā (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle used as passive predicate, Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; agrees with devī

• rāvaṇena: by Ravana
• rāvaṇena: Kartṛ (कर्ता; agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana

• balīyasā: by the stronger/more powerful (one)
• balīyasā: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balīyas (प्रातिपदिक; comparative of balin)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana; comparative (तुलनात्मक), qualifies rāvaṇena

Context

I have seen her snatched from you and from Lakshmana and carried off by powerful Ravana.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is strengthened by truthful witness: accurate testimony enables righteous response and prevents wrongful blame.

What is the narrative situation?

Jatāyu confirms directly to Rāma that he personally saw Rāvaṇa carrying Sītā away.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Jatāyu’s reliability and courage—he stands as a truthful informant after resisting a stronger foe.