Shloka 22

रामायणकथासंक्षेपः — ब्रह्मोक्तो रामावतारवृत्तान्तः

Devanagari script

जटायुषं विनिर्भिद्य ययौ लङ्कां ततो बली / अशोकवृक्षच्छायायां रक्षितां तामधारयत्

Transliteration

jaṭāyuṣaṃ vinirbhidya yayau laṅkāṃ tato balī / aśokavṛkṣacchāyāyāṃ rakṣitāṃ tāmadhārayat

Translation

ครั้นแทงทะลุชฏายุแล้ว ผู้มีกำลังนั้นก็ไปยังลงกา และกักนางไว้ใต้ร่มเงาต้นอโศก โดยมีการคุ้มกันแน่นหนา

Word by Word

• जटायुषम्: Jaṭāyus
• जटायुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटायुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विनिर्भिद्य: having wounded/pierced
• विनिर्भिद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + निर् + भिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having pierced/split’

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• लङ्काम्: to Laṅkā
• लङ्काम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Desha/Kala-adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (indeclinable adverb: ‘then/from there’)

• बली: the strong one
• बली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the subject)

• अशोकवृक्षच्छायायाम्: in the shade of an aśoka tree
• अशोकवृक्षच्छायायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशोक (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष: ‘अशोकवृक्षस्य छाया’ इति

• रक्षिताम्: guarded/protected
• रक्षिताम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘ताम्’)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अधारयत्: kept/placed
• अधारयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration within Garuḍa Purāṇa; not a direct Vishnu–Garuḍa dialogue line)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma may be upheld through self-sacrifice (Jatāyu), yet adharma can temporarily prevail; endurance and fidelity become spiritual strength.

Vedantic Theme: Karma unfolds in time; steadfastness (dhairya) amid suffering supports inner sattva.

Application: Honor protectors and elders; in adversity, preserve integrity and patience while seeking righteous support.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: island fortress and grove

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.143.24 (Jatāyu’s rites follow)

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Laṅkā
• Aśoka tree

FAQs

What is the importance of the Jatāyu episode in Garuda Purana?

This verse recalls Jatāyu’s resistance and the abduction to Laṅkā, highlighting dharma-based courage and the moral contrast between protection of the innocent and violent wrongdoing.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it uses an epic narrative moment to underscore ethical causality (dharma/adharma) that later connects to karmic outcomes discussed elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold dharma by protecting the vulnerable, resisting injustice, and recognizing that acts of harm and coercion carry consequences—socially and karmically.