Shloka 36

जटायुनिर्वाणसंस्कारः

Jatayu’s Final Testimony and Funeral Rites

Devanagari script

शास्त्रदृष्टेन विधिना जले गृध्राय राघवौ।।।।स्नात्वा तौ गृध्रराजाय उदकं चक्रतुस्तदा।

Transliteration

śāstradṛṣṭena vidhinā jale gṛdhrāya rāghavau |

snātvā tau gṛdhrarājāya udakaṃ cakratus tadā ||

Translation

پھر دونوں راغھوؤں نے جل میں اشنان کیا اور شاستروں میں بتائے ہوئے ودھان کے مطابق گِدھ راج کے لیے تَرپن کے طور پر اُدک ارپن کیا۔

Word by Word

• śāstra-dṛṣṭena: as prescribed by scripture
• śāstra-dṛṣṭena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭa (√dṛś; दृष्ट कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'seen/ordained by scripture'; qualifies 'vidhinā'

• vidhinā: by the rite/method
• vidhinā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• jale: in water
• jale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• gṛdhrāya: to the vulture
• gṛdhrāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛdhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• rāghavau: the two Rāghavas
• rāghavau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (स्ना धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा; ल्यबन्त), 'having bathed'

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• gṛdhra-rājāya: to the vulture-king
• gṛdhra-rājāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛdhra (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; 'king of vultures'

• udakam: water (libation)
• udakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• cakratuḥ: they two offered/performed
• cakratuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Luṅ-lakāra (लुङ्; Aorist), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Dual

• tadā: then/thereupon
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

Context

Thereafter both the scions of the Raghu dynasty bathed in water, offered libations for the king of vultures as ordained in the scriptures.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• śāstra (scriptural ordinance)
• Godāvarī (implied setting)
• Jatāyu (gṛdhrarāja)

FAQs

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

Dharma is maryādā—acting according to śāstra and established truth-bearing norms, especially in rites that honor sacrifice and uphold social-ritual order.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa complete the water-rite after bathing, explicitly emphasizing that it is done according to scriptural injunction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence for śāstra and disciplined purity—ritual correctness is treated as part of righteous living.