Shloka 32

जटायुनिर्वाणसंस्कारः

Jatayu’s Final Testimony and Funeral Rites

Devanagari script

रामोऽथ सहसौमित्रिर्वनं गत्वा स वीर्यवान्।।।।स्थूलान्हत्वा महारोहीननुतस्तार तं द्विजम्।

Transliteration

rāmo 'tha saha saumitrir vanaṃ gatvā sa vīryavān |

sthūlān hatvā mahārohīn anutas tāra taṃ dvijam ||

Translation

പിന്നീട് വീരനായ രാമൻ സൗമിത്രിയോടൊപ്പം വനത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി; വലിയ മാൻകളെ വേട്ടയാടി കൊന്ന്, ആ ദ്വിജപക്ഷിക്കായി അർപ്പണമായി കൊണ്ടുവന്ന് ഒരുക്കി.

Word by Word

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb/particle): ‘then’

• saha: with
• saha: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Preposition-like): ‘with’; governs instrumental sense (here with companion noun)

• saumitriḥ: Saumitri (Lakshmana)
• saumitriḥ: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा Absolutive): ‘having gone’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; refers to Rama

• vīryavān: mighty
• vīryavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīryavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘saḥ/rāmaḥ’

• sthūlān: large
• sthūlān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण of ‘mahārohīn’

• hatvā: having killed
• hatvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा Absolutive): ‘having killed’

• mahā-rohīn: large deer
• mahā-rohīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rohī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘महान्तः रोहिणः’ (large deer); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• anutastāra: spread/laid out
• anutastāra: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-stṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘spread/laid out (as offering)’

• tam: to/for that
• tam: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• dvijam: bird (Jatayu)
• dvijam: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; here ‘bird’

Context

Then the mighty Rama, accompanied by Saumitri, got into the forest and killed a hugedeer, brought it and spread it as an offering (to the dead Jatayu).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitri)
• forest (vana)
• Jatāyu (as dvija/bird)

FAQs

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

Dharma is careful performance of prescribed duties: Rāma ensures the departed receives proper offerings, showing that righteousness includes concrete acts, not only emotion.

What is the narrative situation?

Following cremation, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa procure meat offerings (as part of the rite described here) and prepare them for Jatāyu.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsibility and thoroughness—Rāma completes the rites in full, reflecting disciplined dharmic conduct.