Shloka 6

जटायुरावणयुद्धम्

Jatayu’s Combat with Ravana

Devanagari script

स तानि शरजालानि गृध्रः पत्त्ररथेश्वरः।जटायुः प्रतिजग्राह रावणास्त्राणि संयुगे।।।।

Transliteration

sa tāni śarajālāni gṛdhraḥ pattraratheśvaraḥ |

jaṭāyuḥ pratijagrāha rāvaṇāstrāṇi saṃyuge ||

Translation

然而阇多由——那兀鹫、羽翼战车之主——在战阵中屹立不退，承受了罗波那所掷来的箭网与诸般兵器。

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• tāni: those
• tāni: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• śara-jālāni: masses of arrows
• śara-jālāni: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to tāni)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara + jāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘net/mass of arrows’; Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• gṛdhraḥ: the vulture
• gṛdhraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛdhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• pattra-ratheśvaraḥ: lord of birds
• pattra-ratheśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pattra-ratha + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘lord of the chariot of wings’ = lord of birds; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• jaṭāyuḥ: Jatāyu
• jaṭāyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; proper noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṭāyu (प्रातिपदिक; proper name)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• pratijagrāha: seized, warded off
• pratijagrāha: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; upasarga: prati-

• rāvaṇāstrāṇi: Ravana’s missiles
• rāvaṇāstrāṇi: Karma (कर्म/Object; in apposition to śara-jālāni)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘Rāvaṇa’s weapons’; Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana

• saṃyuge: in the battle
• saṃyuge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana

Context

Sita, princess of Videha, saw the wounded Jatayu fallen on the ground drenched in blood. Grieving, she ran towards him as if he was her relative.

Characters & Entities

• Jatāyu
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as steadfast resistance to wrongdoing—enduring hardship to protect another, even when the opponent is stronger.

What is the narrative situation?

Jatāyu absorbs and withstands the barrage of Rāvaṇa’s arrows in the ongoing combat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fortitude (dhṛti) and self-sacrificial guardianship in Jatāyu.