Shloka 1

जटायुरावणयुद्धम्

Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तस्य यथान्यायं रावणस्य जटायुषा।क्रुद्धस्याग्निनिभास्सर्वा रेजुर्विंशतिदृष्टयः।।।।

Transliteration

ity uktasya yathā-nyāyaṁ rāvaṇasya jaṭāyuṣā |

kruddhasyāgni-nibhāḥ sarvā rejuḥ viṁśati-dṛṣṭayaḥ ||

Translation

ஜடாயு தர்மத்திற்கும் நீதிக்கும் ஏற்ப உரைத்த சொற்களை கேட்ட ராவணன் கோபத்தால் கொதித்தான்; அவனுடைய இருபது கண்களும் தீப்போல் எரிந்தன।

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इत्यादि-निर्देशक-अव्यय (quotative/thus)

• uktasya: of the addressed one
• uktasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of (him) who was spoken to’

• yathā-nyāyam: as is proper
• yathā-nyāyam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + nyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय; ‘according to justice’

• rāvaṇasya: of Ravana
• rāvaṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• jaṭāyuṣā: by Jatayu
• jaṭāyuṣā: Karana (करण/agent-instrument: by Jatayu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṭāyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• kruddhasya: of the enraged (one)
• kruddhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/qualifier of rāvaṇasya)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kruddha (प्रातिपदिक; from √krudh)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (enraged)

• agninibhāḥ: fire-like
• agninibhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier of dṛṣṭayaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + nibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (agninibhā = like fire)

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• rejuḥ: shone/glowed
• rejuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rāj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• viṃśati-dṛṣṭayaḥ: twenty eyes
• viṃśati-dṛṣṭayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject of rejuḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (viṃśati dṛṣṭayaḥ)

Context

Ravana's twenty eyes glowed like fire in anger after Jatayu thus rightly said.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

A dharmic rebuke can provoke the adharmic person’s anger; the verse contrasts just speech with uncontrolled krodha.

What is the narrative situation?

Immediately after Jatāyu’s moral admonition, Rāvaṇa reacts with fury, signaling escalation into combat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Jatāyu’s moral courage—speaking what is just even before a powerful wrongdoer.