Shloka 19

जटायुवृत्तान्तः

Jatāyu’s Testimony and Rāma’s Grief

Devanagari script

अयं तु सारथिस्तस्य मत्पक्षनिहतो युधि।परिश्रान्तस्य मे पक्षौ छित्त्वा खड्गेन रावणः।।।।सीतामादाय वैदेहीमुत्पपात विहायसम्।रक्षसा निहतं पूर्वं न मां हन्तुं त्वमर्हसि।।।।

Transliteration

ayaṃ tu sārathis tasya matpakṣanihato yudhi |

pariśrāntasya me pakṣau chittvā khaḍgena rāvaṇaḥ ||

Translation

此人乃他的御者，被我双翼的击打在战斗中所杀；但当我力竭之时，罗波那以剑斩断了我的两翼。

Word by Word

• ayam: this (man)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (तु-निपातः)

• sārathiḥ: charioteer
• sārathiḥ: Karta (कर्ता; subject of nominal clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sārathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• tasya: of him/his
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; possession)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī, Eka-vacana

• mat-pakṣa-nihataḥ: killed by my wings
• mat-pakṣa-nihataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + nihata (han धातु + क्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (मत्पक्षनिहत = ‘killed by my wings’), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; qualifies sārathiḥ

• yudhi: in battle
• yudhi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (yudh-), Saptamī, Eka-vacana

• pariśrāntasya: of (me) exhausted
• pariśrāntasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-śram (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle used adjectivally, Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Eka-vacana; qualifies me (genitive: ‘of me who was exhausted’)

• me: my/of me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (genitive), Eka-vacana (enclitic)

• pakṣau: (both) wings
• pakṣau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Dvi-vacana (dual)

• chittvā: having cut
• chittvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• khaḍgena: with a sword
• khaḍgena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana

• rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• sītām: Sita
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-dā (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Gerund (ल्यबन्त/ल्यप्), ‘having taken’

• vaidehīm: Vaidehi
• vaidehīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; apposition to sītām

• utpapāta: flew up/leapt up
• utpapāta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-pat (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Eka-vacana

• vihāyasam: into the sky
• vihāyasam: Karma (कर्म; gati-karman)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vihāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; direction/goal as accusative

• rakṣasā: by the demon
• rakṣasā: Kartṛ (कर्ता; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana

• nihatam: slain/struck down
• nihatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; qualifies mām

• pūrvam: earlier
• pūrvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kāla-avyaya (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (न-निपातः)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana

• hantum: to kill
• hantum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन; purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुनन्त), ‘to kill’

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• arhasi: ought (to)
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Eka-vacana; with negation na → ‘should not’

Context

Restraining his anger, the long-armed Rama leaned over his wonderful bow and spoke to Lakshmana:

Characters & Entities

• Jatayu
• Ravana
• sword (khaḍga)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as courageous resistance to adharma: Jatāyu risks—and loses—his body to oppose the abduction and to protect the innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

Mortally wounded, Jatāyu recounts to Rāma how he fought Rāvaṇa, killed the charioteer, and was then maimed when fatigue overcame him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Jatāyu’s vīrya (heroic strength) and dharma-niṣṭhā (steadfastness to righteousness) are emphasized.