Shloka 18

जटायुवृत्तान्तः

Jatāyu’s Testimony and Rāma’s Grief

Devanagari script

एतदस्य धनुर्भग्नमेतदस्य शरावरम्।अयमस्य रथो राम भग्नसाङ्ग्रामिको मया।।।।

Transliteration

etad asya dhanur bhagnam etad asya śarāvaram | ayam asya ratho rāma bhagnasāṅgrāmiko mayā ||

Translation

ഹേ രാമാ, ഇതാ അവന്റെ ഒടിഞ്ഞ ധനുസ്സ്; ഇതാ അവന്റെ അമ്പുകൂട്; ഇതാ അവന്റെ രഥം—ഞാൻ അവന്റെ യുദ്ധസജ്ജീകരണം തകർത്തിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता; subject of nominal sentence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṃsakliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• asya: of him/his
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; possession)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī, Eka-vacana

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to etat)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• bhagnam: broken
• bhagnam: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaj/bhañj (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle used adjectivally, Napuṃsakliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; agrees with dhanuḥ

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṃsakliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• asya: his
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī, Eka-vacana

• śarāvaram: quiver
• śarāvaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara-āvara (प्रातिपदिक; ‘arrow-container’)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (शरावर = ‘quiver’), Napuṃsakliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• asya: his
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī, Eka-vacana

• rathaḥ: chariot
• rathaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• rāma: O Rama
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Eka-vacana

• bhagna-sāṅgrāmikaḥ: battle-chariot shattered
• bhagna-sāṅgrāmikaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagna (भञ्ज् धातु + क्त) + sāṅgrāmika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (भग्नसाङ्ग्रामिक = ‘battle-gear destroyed’/‘battle-worthy (thing) broken’), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; qualifies rathaḥ

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

Context

O Rama this is his broken bow, this is his quiver and this is his war-chariot all devastated by me.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa (implied by 'his')
• Bow (dhanuḥ)
• Quiver (śarāvara)
• Chariot (ratha)

FAQs

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

Satya is supported by pramāṇa (evidence): Jatāyu not only speaks truth but points to tangible signs, enabling dharmic action grounded in certainty.

What is the narrative situation?

Jatāyu indicates the broken weapons and chariot as physical proof of his fight with Rāvaṇa during Sītā’s abduction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Accountability and truthfulness—Jatāyu provides verifiable details, embodying the ethics of reliable testimony.