Shloka 24

जटायुवृत्तान्तः

Jatāyu’s Testimony and Rāma’s Grief

Devanagari script

राज्यं भ्रष्टं वने वासस्सीता नष्टा हतो द्विजः।ईदृशीयं ममालक्ष्मीर्निर्दहेदपि पावकम्।।।।

Transliteration

rājyaṃ bhraṣṭaṃ vane vāsaḥ sītā naṣṭā hato dvijaḥ |

īdṛśīyaṃ mamālakṣmīr nirdahēd api pāvakam ||

Translation

“രാജ്യത്തിൽ നിന്ന് വീണു, വനവാസം ചെയ്യുന്നു; സീത നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടു; ഈ ദ്വിജൻ വധിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. എന്റെ ഇത്തരമൊരു അലക്ഷ്മി അഗ്നിയെയ്ക്കും ദഹിപ്പിക്കുമെന്നത്രേ.”

Word by Word

• rājyam: kingdom
• rājyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• bhraṣṭam: lost/ruined
• bhraṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhraṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; √bhraṃś (धातु) + kta)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with rājyaṃ

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana

• vāsaḥ: dwelling/exile-residence
• vāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sītā: Sita
• sītā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā, Ekavacana

• naṣṭā: lost
• naṣṭā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; √naś (धातु) + kta)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with sītā

• hataḥ: slain
• hataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (प्रातिपदिक; √han (धातु) + kta)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with dvijaḥ

• dvijaḥ: the twice-born bird (Jatāyu)
• dvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• īdṛśīyam: such as this
• īdṛśīyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; deictic adjective 'such as this'

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• alakṣmīḥ: misfortune
• alakṣmīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• nirdahēt: would burn
• nirdahēt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√dah (धातु)
• Form: Vidhiliṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात) = 'even/also'

• pāvakam: fire
• pāvakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

Context

I have been expelled from the kingdom. I am made to stay in the forest. I have lost Sita (my beloved wife). This bird (who was my well-wisher) has been slain. Such misfortune will burn even fire.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita
• Lakshmana
• Jatayu (dvija)
• forest (vana)
• kingdom (rājya)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes truthful acknowledgment of suffering without abandoning duty; Rāma names his calamities plainly, setting the stage for steadfast action rather than denial.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, overwhelmed after learning of Sītā’s abduction and seeing Jatāyu slain, laments his cascading losses to Lakṣmaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya (honest speech) and emotional transparency, which in the epic supports resolute dharmic action rather than escapism.