Jatayu Falls Like a Thunderbolt upon Ravana's Flying Chariot
Aranya Kanda, Chaupai 27
Doha 30क · Movement 1 of 2
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Sita cries to Raghuraya, the one hero of the world, asking why compassion has forgotten her. She calls to the remover of distress, the sun of Raghu's lotus line, and then to Lakshmana, confessing that he bears no fault and that her own anger has borne this fruit. Ravana is like a donkey seeking to eat a sacrificial offering. Her lament moves through the sky until creatures moving and still share her pain. Jatayu hears the voice, recognizes Rama's wife carried away like a tawny sacred cow seized by a mleccha, and promises his daughter Sita that he will destroy the night-wanderer.
The aged king of birds launches like a thunderbolt released toward a mountain. He commands Ravana to stand. The ten headed king sees Death approaching and wonders whether the form is Mainaka or Garuda before recognizing old Jatayu. He boasts that the bird will leave his body and make Ravana's hand a place of pilgrimage. Jatayu counsels him to release Janaki and return safely home, warning that Rama's anger will burn Ravana's lineage as fire consumes moths. Ravana gives no answer. Jatayu makes him chariotless, seizes his hair, casts him to earth, guards Sita, and tears the demon's body with his beak until Ravana lies senseless for one danda.
Ravana rises in fury, draws a terrible sword, and severs Jatayu's wings. Remembering Rama, the bird falls to the ground after his wondrous defense. Ravana lifts Sita into the chariot again and flees with fear close behind. She passes through the sky like a frightened doe trapped by a hunter. Seeing vanaras seated upon a mountain, she invokes Hari and drops her cloth toward them. Ravana bears her onward and confines her at last in the Ashoka grove.
The severed wings fall toward Rama while Sita's cloth descends toward the waiting mountain.
Read the passage from the Manas
हा जग एक बीर रघुराया। केहिं अपराध बिसारेहु दाया।। आरति हरन सरन सुखदायक। हा रघुकुल सरोज दिननायक।। हा लछिमन तुम्हार नहिं दोसा। सो फलु पायउँ कीन्हेउँ रोसा।। बिबिध बिलाप करति बैदेही। भूरि कृपा प्रभु दूरि सनेही।। बिपति मोरि को प्रभुहि सुनावा। पुरोडास चह रासभ खावा।। सीता कै बिलाप सुनि भारी। भए चराचर जीव दुखारी।। गीधराज सुनि आरत बानी। रघुकुलतिलक नारि पहिचानी।। अधम निसाचर लीन्हे जाई। जिमि मलेछ बस कपिला गाई।। सीते पुत्रि करसि जनि त्रासा। करिहउँ जातुधान कर नासा।। धावा क्रोधवंत खग कैसें। छूटइ पबि परबत कहुँ जैसे।। रे रे दुष्ट ठाढ़ किन होही। निर्भय चलेसि न जानेहि मोही।। आवत देखि कृतांत समाना। फिरि दसकंधर कर अनुमाना।। की मैनाक कि खगपति होई। मम बल जान सहित पति सोई।। जाना जरठ जटायू एहा। मम कर तीरथ छाँड़िहि देहा।। सुनत गीध क्रोधातुर धावा। कह सुनु रावन मोर सिखावा।। तजि जानकिहि कुसल गृह जाहू। नाहिं त अस होइहि बहुबाहू।। राम रोष पावक अति घोरा। होइहि सकल सलभ कुल तोरा।। उतरु न देत दसानन जोधा। तबहिं गीध धावा करि क्रोधा।। धरि कच बिरथ कीन्ह महि गिरा। सीतहि राखि गीध पुनि फिरा।। चौचन्ह मारि बिदारेसि देही। दंड एक भइ मुरुछा तेही।। तब सक्रोध निसिचर खिसिआना। काढ़ेसि परम कराल कृपाना।। काटेसि पंख परा खग धरनी। सुमिरि राम करि अदभुत करनी।। सीतहि जानि चढ़ाइ बहोरी। चला उताइल त्रास न थोरी।। करति बिलाप जाति नभ सीता। ब्याध बिबस जनु मृगी सभीता।। गिरि पर बैठे कपिन्ह निहारी। कहि हरि नाम दीन्ह पट डारी।। एहि बिधि सीतहि सो लै गयऊ। बन असोक महँ राखत भयऊ।।
Alas, O matchless Vira Raghurayaa! For what aparadha have You turned Your daya away from me? O remover of aarti, giver of sukha to those who seek sharana! O sun to the saroja of Raghu's kula! O Lakshmana, there is no dosha in you. I reap the phala of my own anger. Vaidehi lamented in many ways, though the Prabhu of boundless kripa was far from his beloved. Who will tell Prabhu of my vipatti? A donkey wishes to feast upon the sacred puroda. Hearing Sita's deep lamentation, every charachara jiva in creation was pierced with sorrow. The Geedharaja, hearing her anguished voice, recognized the consort of Raghukulatilaka. A vile nishachara has carried her away, as a mlechha seizes a kapila cow. 'Fear not, O Sita, my daughter! I shall bring this jatudhana to ruin.' The enraged bird charged forward as a thunderbolt loosened from a mountain. 'Stop, stop, you wicked one! Stand and face me! You walk without fear because you do not know me.' Seeing him approach like Kritanta himself, the Dasakandhara turned and pondered. 'Is this Mount Mainaka, or the Khagapati? He knows my bala, and his master knows it too.' 'I know this aged Jatayu. He shall release his deha as a tirtha offering to my hand.' Hearing this, the vulture rushed forward in fury, saying, 'Listen, Ravana, to my counsel. Release Janaki and go safely home. Otherwise, O Bahubahu, this shall be your fate. Rama's rosha is a fierce pavaka. Your entire kula shall be consumed like moths.' The Dasanana warrior gave no reply. Then the vulture charged in krodha. Seizing his hair, Jatayu hurled him to the earth, then turned back to guard Sita. Striking with his talons, he tore the demon's body. For one danda Ravana lay in deep murchha. Then the enraged nishachara, seething with fury, drew his supremely terrible kripana. He severed the bird's wings and the khaga fell to the earth, remembering Rama and performing one last wondrous deed. Lifting Sita again, Ravana departed in headlong flight, his fear no small thing. Sita wailed as she was carried through the sky, like a frightened mrigee in the grip of a hunter. Seeing the vanaras sitting upon the mountain, she called out Hari's name and dropped her cloth. In this way he took Sita away and placed her in the Ashoka grove.