Shloka 7

जटायुनिर्वाणसंस्कारः

Jatayu’s Final Testimony and Funeral Rites

Devanagari script

कथं वीर्यः कथं रूपः किं कर्मा स च राक्षसः।क्व चास्य भवनं तात ब्रूहि मे परिपृच्छतः।।।।

Transliteration

kathaṃ vīryaḥ kathaṃ rūpaḥ kiṃ karmā sa ca rākṣasaḥ |

kva cāsya bhavanaṃ tāta brūhi me paripṛcchataḥ ||

Translation

โอ้ผู้เป็นที่รัก จงบอกแก่ข้าเถิด—ยักษ์นั้นมีกำลังกล้าเพียงใด รูปโฉมเป็นเช่นไร กระทำกรรมใดอยู่ และที่พำนักของมันอยู่ ณ ที่ใด พ่อเอ๋ย เมื่อข้าถามแล้วจงกล่าวมา

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-वाचक अव्यय (how)

• वीर्यः: strength/valor
• वीर्यः: Karta (कर्ता/nominal predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘strength/valor’ (as attribute queried)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-वाचक अव्यय

• रूपः: appearance
• रूपः: Karta (कर्ता/nominal predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘form/appearance’

• किम्: what kind of
• किम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative used adjectivally with कर्मा

• कर्मा: of what deeds/doing what
• कर्मा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे/विशेषणरूपे: ‘one whose deeds are ...’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• राक्षसः: demon
• राक्षसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन

• क्व: where
• क्व: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-वाचक प्रश्न-अव्यय (where)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• अस्य: his
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• भवनम्: dwelling/abode
• भवनम्: Karma (कर्म/asked-about object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘dwelling’

• तात: dear one
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; affectionate address

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; enclitic ‘to me’

• परिपृच्छतः: (of me) asking/inquiring
• परिपृच्छतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; ‘of me who am asking’

Context

O best of birds! how did her delightful, Moon-like face look when she was hijacked. What did she say at that time?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Jaṭāyu
• Rākṣasa
• Rāvaṇa (implied by context)

FAQs

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

Dharma in action requires informed, truthful inquiry before undertaking righteous response; Rāma seeks facts (power, form, location) to pursue justice responsibly.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma questions Jaṭāyu for actionable details about the abductor—his strength, appearance, conduct, and residence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and niścaya (determined resolve guided by accurate intelligence).