Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— मार्गे तरुलताश्रेणीर्गुल्मान् नानाविधानपि। अन्विष्यमाणो विरही प्रियार्थमतिकातरः॥१॥
Brahmā said: On the road, the grief-stricken Rāma searched among rows of trees and vines and thickets of many kinds, exceedingly distraught in his longing for his beloved.
Passage 2
भ्रात्रा सौमित्रिणा युक्तो गुणारूढधनुर्धरः। विलपञ्शोकसंवीतः प्रययौ दक्षिणां दिशम्॥२॥
Accompanied by his brother, Sumitrā's son, and carrying a strung bow, he went toward the south, lamenting and enveloped in sorrow.
Passage 3
किंचिद्दूरं ततो गत्वा ददर्श पतितं पथि। खगं कण्ठगतप्राणं जटायुं नाम राघवः॥३॥
After going some distance, Rāghava saw a bird named Jatāyu fallen on the road, with life remaining only in his throat.
Passage 4
स वै सखास्य तातस्य राज्ञो दशरथस्य हि। वर्षीयान् दशवक्त्रेण युद्धवाँल्लूनपक्षतिः॥४॥
He was indeed a friend of Rāma's father, King Daśaratha—advanced in years, his wings cut off after battling the ten-headed one.
Passage 5
तमब्रवीद्रघुवरः केन ते पक्षसंहतिः। जटायो नितरां लूना पातितश्चासि भूतले। राघवेन्द्रस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा गृध्रवरोऽब्रवीत्॥५॥
The best of the Raghus asked him, “Jatāyu, by whom were both your wings completely severed, and by whom were you cast upon the ground?” Hearing the lord of the Raghus, the noble vulture replied. Jatāyu Testifies and Dies
Passage 6
इह सीतां हरन्तूनं दशवक्त्रो मयेक्षितः। ततोऽहं तेन कृतवान् महद्युद्धं बलीयसा॥६॥
“Here I saw the ten-headed one carrying Sītā away. I therefore fought a great battle with that powerful foe.
Passage 7
यावद्वीर्यबलं राम युद्धवांस्तेन रक्षसा। लूनाः पक्षतयः सर्वास्तेन चाहं निपातितः॥७॥
“Rāma, I fought that rākṣasa with all the courage and strength I possessed. He cut away all my wings and struck me down.
Passage 8
पातयित्वा महीपृष्ठे मृतप्रायं स मां बली। मुहुर्मया शप्यमानो हृत्वा देवीमितो गतः॥८॥
“That mighty one cast me almost lifeless upon the earth. Though I repeatedly cursed him, he carried the goddess away from here.
Passage 9
यावत्त्वदागमं राम रक्षिता असवो मया। इदानीं त्वामहं दृष्ट्वा कृतार्थो नरपुङ्गव॥९॥
“Until your arrival, Rāma, I preserved my life. Now that I have seen you, foremost of men, my purpose is fulfilled.
Passage 10
त्यजाम्यसून् कृतानृण्यश्चिरं मैत्र्याभवत्पितुः। भवन्मुखालोकमात्रात् कृतार्थश्च रघूद्वह॥१०॥
“I now relinquish life, having discharged the debt of my long friendship with your father. Merely by beholding your face, scion of Raghu, I have attained fulfillment.”
Passage 11
इत्युक्त्वा रघुशार्दूलं पश्यन्नेव दृशा खगः। उच्चैरुच्चैर्रामान्तरात्मज्योतिषि सङ्गतः॥११॥
Having spoken thus, the bird kept his eyes upon the tiger of the Raghus and, rising ever higher, merged into the light of Rāma's inner Self.
Passage 12
व्रणवन्ति तदङ्गानि दृष्ट्वा रामो दयानिधिः। अज्ञासीत्तस्य तत्कर्म युयुधे रक्षसा यथा॥१२॥
Seeing Jatāyu's wounded limbs, compassionate Rāma understood what he had done and how he had fought the rākṣasa. Rāma Mourns His Father's Friend
Passage 13
सौमित्रेरग्रतो रामः श्लाघमानो विहङ्गमम्। अरोदीद्भृशसंतप्तः पितृव्यापत्तिदुःखतः॥१३॥
Before Sumitrā's son, Rāma praised the bird and wept, deeply tormented by grief at the calamity that had befallen one like a paternal uncle.
Passage 14
हा तात हा पितृसख हा पितृव्य महाबल। अस्मदर्थाज्झितप्राणो धन्य एव भवान् किल॥१४॥
“Alas, father! Alas, friend of my father! Alas, mighty paternal uncle! You gave up your life for our sake; blessed indeed are you.
Passage 15
ऋणवानस्मि ते नित्यं गृध्रराज नमोऽस्तु ते। सत्यं सखा त्वं तातस्य कृतं लोकोत्तरं त्वया॥१५॥
“King of vultures, I remain forever indebted to you; reverence be to you. You were truly my father's friend, and what you have done surpasses the ordinary world.
Passage 16
हा गृध्रराज सुकृतिन् कः स राक्षस उत्कटः। पक्षमात्रसहायश्च क त्वं जात्या विहङ्गमः॥१६॥
“Alas, virtuous king of vultures! What a formidable rākṣasa was he, while you had only your wings for aid and were a bird by birth!
Passage 17
सत्त्वं नु भवतः श्लाघ्यं येन त्वं युद्धवांस्तथा। अथो मम पितुर्मैत्र्या आनृण्यं गतवानसि॥१७॥
“Your courage is indeed praiseworthy, for by it you fought in that way; and through friendship with my father, you have fully discharged your obligation.
Passage 18
हा व्रणानि तवाङ्गेषु तेन युद्धवतो द्विषा। क्षरद्रुधिरयुक्तानि विलोक्यन्ते सहस्रशः॥१८॥
“Alas, thousands of wounds, streaming with blood, are visible across your limbs from fighting that enemy.
Passage 19
अहो बलमहो धैर्यमहो तव पराक्रमः। अहो उपकृतिस्तात तव स्वजनबन्धुषु॥१९॥
“What strength, what fortitude, what valor were yours! And, dear father, what service you rendered to your own people and kin!
Passage 20
अहो निस्तारिता कृत्स्ना गृध्रजातिरपि त्वया। येषां कुले भवान् जातो धन्यास्ते पितरस्तव॥२०॥
“Through you, the entire race of vultures has been delivered. Blessed are the ancestors in whose family you were born.
Passage 21
तैः स्वस्य पूर्वजैः साकं धन्यैर्धन्यतरो भवान्। मुच्यतां ननु पक्षीन्द्र दुस्तराद्भवबन्धनात्॥२१॥
“Together with those blessed forebears of yours, you are more blessed still. O king of birds, may you indeed be released from the difficult bondage of becoming.
Passage 22
ईदृग्भवान् स्वबन्धूनामुपकारदयानिधिः। क नु दृश्योऽसि पक्षीन्द्र साक्षात्तातसमो मया॥२२॥
“Such are you—a compassionate treasury of service to your own kin. How could you be regarded merely as a bird, king of birds? To me you are exactly like my father.
Passage 23
त्वयि जीवति पक्षीन्द्र नाद्यापि निधनं गतः। स मे पिता दशरथो ह्यद्यैव निधनं गतः॥२३॥
“While you lived, king of birds, my father had not yet wholly died; my father Daśaratha has died for me only today.” Funeral Rites for Jatāyu
Passage 24
इति स विलपमानः पक्षिणं ताततुल्यं विहितसमरमुञ्चे रक्षसा तादृशेन। अपहृतबलवीर्यं स्वात्मनोऽर्थं क्षतासुं पितरमिव निजं तं वह्निना निददाह॥२४॥
Thus lamenting, he cremated that bird in the fire as though he were his own father—a bird equal to his father, who had fought such a rākṣasa, whose strength and valor had been taken away, and whose life had been wounded for Rāma's sake.
Passage 25
कृत्वाग्निसंस्कारमुखां समस्तां क्रियां स तस्यावगतोपकारः। शुशोच रामो भृशमात्मताते मृते यथा भूरिकृताश्रुमोक्षः॥२५॥
Knowing the service Jatāyu had rendered, Rāma performed all the rites beginning with cremation. He grieved intensely and shed abundant tears, as though his own father had died.
Passage 26
उवाच सौमित्रिमथोपकारं स्मरन् स गृध्रस्य मृतस्य तस्य। विधाय दाहं विधिवद्विधिज्ञः प्रेतोदनिर्वापविधौ विलप्य॥२६॥
After the knower of proper rites had duly completed the cremation and lamented while offering water to the departed, he spoke to Sumitrā's son, remembering the service of that dead vulture. Rāma Remembers Jatāyu's Lifelong Service
Passage 27
अमुं जानासि सौमित्रे गृध्रराजं महाबलम्। यो देवासुरयुद्धानां वर्षीयान् साक्षितां गतः॥२७॥
“Saumitrī, you know this mighty king of vultures, ancient enough to have witnessed the wars between gods and asuras.
Passage 28
अयं किलास्मत्तातस्य सखा प्राणसमोऽभवत्। कतिधा नेक्षितस्तत्र वार्तयानः शुभाः कथाः॥२८॥
“He was indeed a friend as dear as life to our father. How many times did we see him there, relating auspicious stories?
Passage 29
मृगयारसिकोऽस्माकं तातो दशरथो नृपः। वनेऽवनेन गृध्रेण कति वारं न सत्कृतः॥२९॥
“Our father, King Daśaratha, delighted in the hunt. How many times was he not honored in the forest by this vulture?
Passage 30
विच्छिन्नाः सेवका यत्र सेनाश्चापि पृथक् स्थिताः। एकान्ते निर्जनेऽरण्ये तत्रासौ बन्धुतां गतः॥३०॥
“Where attendants were scattered and the armies were stationed far away, there in the solitude of the uninhabited forest, Jatāyu became his kinsman.
Passage 31
आदाय पाकरुच्यानि फलानि विविधान्यसौ। शाकानि कन्दमूलानि हत्वानेकांश्च पक्षिणः॥३१॥
“He would bring fruits of many kinds pleasing when prepared, vegetables, tubers, and roots, and would also take many birds.
Passage 32
नखैश्चञ्चुपुटेनापि पक्षैश्चादाय बुद्धिमान्। उपस्थितोऽग्रे तातस्य भोज्यदानार्थमुद्यतः॥३२॥
“That intelligent bird gathered these with his claws, beak, and wings and appeared before our father, intent on presenting him food.
Passage 33
तदा सुखितवानेष तातं नो धरणीपतिम्। यो हि कृच्छ्रगतं रक्षेत्स सखा स च बान्धवः॥३३॥
“In this way he brought comfort to our father, the lord of the earth. He who protects another in distress is both friend and kinsman.
Passage 34
देवासुरैः पुरा युद्धे ताते याते सहायताम्। देवानामेष पक्षीन्द्रस्तदाप्युपकृतिं दधौ॥३४॥
“Long ago, when our father went to aid the gods in their war with the asuras, this king of birds served him then as well.
Passage 35
चञ्च्वा नखैः पक्षतिभिरेष दैत्यान्श्च दानवान्। नासिकानेत्रकर्णेषु लुलाव बलसंयुतः॥३५॥
“Strong in power, he tore at the noses, eyes, and ears of the daityas and dānavas with his beak, claws, and wings.
Passage 36
नैतस्य विक्रमं वक्तुमहं पर्याप्त आत्मना। इदानीमपि वृद्धोऽसौ चकारोपकृतिं मम॥३६॥
“I am not capable of fully describing his valor. Even now, advanced in age, he rendered service to me.
Passage 37
प्रियापहारकेणैष रक्षसा घोररूपिणा। चकार सुमहद्युद्धं यावद्वीर्यबलं खगः॥३७॥
“This bird fought an immense battle, with all his courage and strength, against the terrifying rākṣasa who carried away my beloved.
Passage 38
प्राणान् रक्षितवांश्चासौ यावदागमनं मम। संनिवेदितवान् वृत्तं प्रियायास्तस्करस्य मे॥३८॥
“He preserved his life until my arrival and fully reported what had happened regarding the thief who stole my beloved.
Passage 39
क्व मेऽमुना विना ज्ञातः प्रियायास्तस्करो भवेत्। आयासश्चापि विफलो भवेदन्वेषणे मम॥३९॥
“Without him, how could the thief of my beloved have become known to me? My labor in searching would have been fruitless.
Passage 40
इत्येवं संलपन् रामस्तेन भ्रात्रा कनीयसा। संरुदन् विलपंश्चापि गृध्रायादाज्जलाञ्जलीन्॥४०॥
Speaking thus with his younger brother, Rāma wept and lamented, and offered handfuls of water to the vulture.
Passage 41
एवं कृत्वा प्रेतकर्मास्य रामो गृध्रस्योच्चैः पञ्चतामागतस्य। तस्यादेशादाततायित्वमाप्तो भ्रात्रा युक्तोऽयं ततोऽग्रे जगाम॥४१॥
Having thus performed the funeral rites for the vulture who had reached the highest death, Rāma accepted the duty of pursuing the assailant on Jatāyu's indication and, accompanied by his brother, went onward from there.