Shloka 8

जटायुरावणयुद्धम्

Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana

Devanagari script

अथ क्रोधाद्धशग्रीवो जग्राह दश मार्गणान्।मृत्युदण्डनिभान्घोरान्छत्रुमर्दनकाङ्क्षया।।।।

Transliteration

atha krodhād daśagrīvo jagrāha daśa mārgaṇān |

mṛtyudaṇḍanibhān ghorān śatrumardanakāṅkṣayā ||

Translation

แล้วทศกรีวะเมื่อเดือดดาล ก็ฉวยศรสิบดอกอันน่าสะพรึงกลัว ดุจคทาแห่งพระยมราช ด้วยความปรารถนาจะบดขยี้ศัตรูให้ราบคาบ

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Ārambha/krama-avyaya (आरम्भ/क्रम-अव्यय)

• krodhāt: from anger
• krodhāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (5th/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; hetu (cause) sense

• daśa-grīvaḥ: the ten-headed (Ravana)
• daśa-grīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa + grīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) ‘one who has ten necks/heads’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana (Rāvaṇa)

• jagrāha: took, seized
• jagrāha: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Saṅkhyā-viśeṣaṇa (संख्या-विशेषण/Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśan (दशन्/संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; Dvitīyā (2nd), Bahuvacana; agrees with mārgaṇān

• mārgaṇān: arrows/darts
• mārgaṇān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārgaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Bahuvacana

• mṛtyu-daṇḍa-nibhān: like Death’s rod
• mṛtyu-daṇḍa-nibhān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛtyu + daṇḍa + nibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘like the staff of Death’; Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of mārgaṇān

• ghorān: terrible
• ghorān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of mārgaṇān

• śatru-mardana-kāṅkṣayā: with the desire to crush the enemy
• śatru-mardana-kāṅkṣayā: Hetu (हेतु/Motive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru + mardana + kāṅkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘desire for crushing the enemy’; Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana; hetu/instrumental of motive

Context

Sita, daughter of Janaka, whose face was radiant like the Moon once again embraced Jatayu, the winged warrior, fallen on the ground, crushed by Ravana's onslaught and wept.itayārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē ēkapañcāśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the fiftyfirst sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa (Daśagrīva)
• Jatāyu (implicit as enemy)

FAQs

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

The verse warns that anger (krodha) distorts judgment and pushes one toward excessive, destructive action—an engine of adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

After being wounded, Rāvaṇa becomes furious and prepares a decisive, deadly strike.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, the absence of self-control in Rāvaṇa is highlighted; the virtue implicitly upheld is dama (restraint).