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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 63: Discovery of the wounded Jaṭāyu
Summary. Rāma mistakes him for Sītā’s killer, Jaṭāyu names Rāvaṇa and explains the wreckage, the brothers embrace him
Sequence
- Rāma accepts Lakṣmaṇa's advice, controls his anger, and asks what they should do next (3.63.1–3)
- Lakṣmaṇa recommends searching Janasthāna's woods, ravines, mountain strongholds, and caves → the brothers resume the search together (3.63.4–8)
- Rāma sees the great blood-covered bird lying on the ground and wrongly assumes it is a rākṣasa in vulture form that has eaten Sītā (3.63.9–11)
- he fits an arrow and rushes toward it (3.63.12)
- Jaṭāyu speaks through the blood in his mouth and tells him that Rāvaṇa took Sītā and dealt him his fatal wounds (3.63.13–15)
- he identifies the broken chariot and weapons as Rāvaṇa's and recounts how he brought the abductor down → Rāvaṇa then cut his wings and flew away with Sītā; Jaṭāyu begs Rāma not to strike him as well (3.63.16–18)
- recognizing the source of the wreckage and hearing news of Sītā, the brothers embrace Jaṭāyu and weep (3.63.19)
- Rāma laments that this aged friend of Daśaratha has suffered on his account → he tends and embraces the wounded bird before sinking to the ground in grief. (3.63.20–26)
Verses 3.63.1–26
3.63.1
pūrvajo 'py uktamātras tu lakṣmaṇena subhāṣitam
sāragrāhī mahāsāraṃ pratijagrāha rāghavaḥ
As soon as it was spoken by Lakṣmaṇa, the elder brother Rāghava, who grasps the essence, accepted the well-spoken counsel of great substance.
Words: pūrvajo — the elder-born, elder brother; 'py — also, even; uktamātras — merely spoken, no sooner uttered; tu — but; lakṣmaṇena — by Lakṣmaṇa; subhāṣitam — the well-spoken (counsel); sāragrāhī — grasper of the essence; mahāsāraṃ — of great substance; pratijagrāha — accepted, took up; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava
3.63.2
saṃnigṛhya mahābāhuḥ pravṛddhaṃ kopam ātmanaḥ
avaṣṭabhya dhanuś citraṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇam abravīt
Restraining the swollen anger within him, the mighty-armed Rāma, leaning on his gleaming bow, said to Lakṣmaṇa:
Words: saṃnigṛhya — having restrained, checked; mahābāhuḥ — the mighty-armed one; pravṛddhaṃ — swollen, grown great; kopam — anger; ātmanaḥ — of himself, his own; avaṣṭabhya — leaning on, propping; dhanuś — the bow; citraṃ — gleaming, variegated; rāmo — Rāma; lakṣmaṇam — to Lakṣmaṇa; abravīt — said
3.63.3
kiṃ kariṣyāvahe vatsa kva vā gacchāva lakṣmaṇa
kenopāyena paśyeyaṃ sītām iti vicintaya
“What shall we two do, dear one, and whither shall we go, Lakṣmaṇa? Consider by what means I might see Sītā.”
Words: kiṃ — what; kariṣyāvahe — shall we two do; vatsa — O dear one, child; kva — where, whither; vā — or; gacchāva — shall we two go; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; kenopāyena — by what means; paśyeyaṃ — I might see; sītām — Sītā; iti — thus; vicintaya — consider, ponder
3.63.4
taṃ tathā paritāpārtaṃ lakṣmaṇo rāmam abravīt
idam eva janasthānaṃ tvam anveṣitum arhasi
To Rāma, thus stricken with anguish, Lakṣmaṇa said: “This very Janasthāna you ought to search.”
Words: taṃ — him; tathā — thus; paritāpārtaṃ — stricken with anguish; lakṣmaṇo — Lakṣmaṇa; rāmam — to Rāma; abravīt — said; idam — this; eva — very; janasthānaṃ — Janasthāna; tvam — you; anveṣitum — to search; arhasi — you ought
3.63.5
rākṣasair bahubhiḥ kīrṇaṃ nānādrumalatāyutam
santīha giridurgāṇi nirdarāḥ kandarāṇi ca
“It is thronged with many rākṣasas and furnished with all manner of trees and creepers; here are mountain-fastnesses, ravines, and caverns,
Words: rākṣasair — with rākṣasas; bahubhiḥ — many; kīrṇaṃ — strewn, thronged; nānādrumalatāyutam — furnished with various trees and creepers; santīha — here are; giridurgāṇi — mountain-fastnesses; nirdarāḥ — ravines, mountain-clefts; kandarāṇi — caverns, glens; ca — and
3.63.6
guhāś ca vividhā ghorā nānāmṛgagaṇākulāḥ
āvāsāḥ kiṃnarāṇāṃ ca gandharvabhavanāni ca
“and manifold dreadful caves crowded with troops of various beasts, and dwellings of kiṃnaras and abodes of gandharvas.
Words: guhāś — caves; ca — and; vividhā — manifold, various; ghorā — dreadful; nānāmṛgagaṇākulāḥ — crowded with troops of various beasts; āvāsāḥ — dwellings; kiṃnarāṇāṃ — of the kiṃnaras; ca — and; gandharvabhavanāni — abodes of the gandharvas; ca — and
3.63.7
tāni yukto mayā sārdhaṃ tvam anveṣitum arhasi
tvadvidho buddhisaṃpannā māhātmāno nararṣabha
“Those places, joined with me, you ought to search; men of your kind are endowed with wisdom and great of soul, O bull among men.
Words: tāni — those; yukto — joined, together; mayā — with me; sārdhaṃ — together; tvam — you; anveṣitum — to search; arhasi — you ought; tvadvidho — of your kind; buddhisaṃpannā — endowed with wisdom; māhātmāno — great of soul; nararṣabha — O bull among men
3.63.8
āpatsu na prakampante vāyuvegair ivācalāḥ
ity uktas tad vanaṃ sarvaṃ vicacāra salakṣmaṇaḥ
“In calamities they do not tremble, like mountains before the gusts of wind.” Thus addressed, Rāma with Lakṣmaṇa roamed through all that forest.
Words: āpatsu — in calamities; na — not; prakampante — tremble, shake; vāyuvegair — by the gusts of wind; ivācalāḥ — like mountains; ity — thus; uktas — addressed; tad — that; vanaṃ — forest; sarvaṃ — all; vicacāra — roamed through; salakṣmaṇaḥ — together with Lakṣmaṇa
3.63.9
kruddho rāmaḥ śaraṃ ghoraṃ saṃdhāya dhanuṣi kṣuram
tataḥ parvatakūṭābhaṃ mahābhāgaṃ dvijottamam
Enraged, Rāma fitted to his bow a dreadful razor-tipped arrow; then, the illustrious best of birds, resembling a mountain-peak—
Words: kruddho — enraged; rāmaḥ — Rāma; śaraṃ — arrow; ghoraṃ — dreadful; saṃdhāya — having fitted, nocked; dhanuṣi — on the bow; kṣuram — razor-tipped (arrow); tataḥ — then; parvatakūṭābhaṃ — resembling a mountain-peak; mahābhāgaṃ — the illustrious, blessed one; dvijottamam — the best of birds
3.63.10
dadarśa patitaṃ bhūmau kṣatajārdraṃ jaṭāyuṣam
taṃ dṛṣṭvā giriśṛṅgābhaṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇam abravīt
anena sītā vaidehī bhakṣitā nātra saṃśayaḥ
—Jaṭāyu, wet with blood, fallen upon the ground, he beheld. Seeing him, like a mountain-crest, Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa: “By this creature has Sītā Vaidehī been devoured — there is no doubt of it.
Words: dadarśa — he beheld, saw; patitaṃ — fallen; bhūmau — on the ground; kṣatajārdraṃ — wet with blood; jaṭāyuṣam — Jaṭāyu; taṃ — him; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; giriśṛṅgābhaṃ — like a mountain-crest; rāmo — Rāma; lakṣmaṇam — to Lakṣmaṇa; abravīt — said; anena — by this (creature); sītā — Sītā; vaidehī — Vaidehī; bhakṣitā — devoured; nātra — not here, not in this; saṃśayaḥ — doubt
3.63.11
gṛdhrarūpam idaṃ vyaktaṃ rakṣo bhramati kānanam
bhakṣayitvā viśālākṣīm āste sītāṃ yathāsukham
enaṃ vadhiṣye dīptāgrair ghorair bāṇair ajihmagaiḥ
“Clearly this is a rākṣasa in the form of a vulture that roams the forest; having devoured wide-eyed Sītā, it now rests at its ease. I shall slay it with dreadful, flame-tipped, straight-flying arrows.”
Words: gṛdhrarūpam — in the form of a vulture; idaṃ — this; vyaktaṃ — clearly, evidently; rakṣo — rākṣasa; bhramati — roams, wanders; kānanam — the forest; bhakṣayitvā — having devoured; viśālākṣīm — wide-eyed (Sītā); āste — rests, sits; sītāṃ — Sītā; yathāsukham — at ease, comfortably; enaṃ — this one, it; vadhiṣye — I shall slay; dīptāgrair — flame-tipped; ghorair — dreadful; bāṇair — with arrows; ajihmagaiḥ — straight-flying
3.63.12
ity uktvābhyapatad gṛdhraṃ saṃdhāya dhanuṣi kṣuram
kruddho rāmaḥ samudrāntāṃ cālayann iva medinīm
Having spoken thus, fitting a razor-arrow to his bow, the enraged Rāma rushed upon the vulture, as if setting the sea-girt earth aquake.
Words: ity — thus; uktvābhyapatad — having spoken, he rushed upon; gṛdhraṃ — the vulture; saṃdhāya — having fitted; dhanuṣi — to the bow; kṣuram — razor-arrow; kruddho — enraged; rāmaḥ — Rāma; samudrāntāṃ — sea-bounded, sea-girt; cālayann — setting aquake, shaking; iva — as if; medinīm — the earth
3.63.13
taṃ dīnadīnayā vācā saphenaṃ rudhiraṃ vaman
abhyabhāṣata pakṣī tu rāmaṃ daśarathātmajam
But the bird, vomiting frothy blood, in a most piteous voice addressed him, Rāma, son of Daśaratha:
Words: taṃ — him; dīnadīnayā — in a most piteous; vācā — voice; saphenaṃ — frothy, with foam; rudhiraṃ — blood; vaman — vomiting; abhyabhāṣata — addressed, spoke to; pakṣī — the bird; tu — but; rāmaṃ — Rāma; daśarathātmajam — son of Daśaratha
3.63.14
yām oṣadhim ivāyuṣmann anveṣasi mahāvane
sā devī mama ca prāṇā rāvaṇenobhayaṃ hṛtam
“She whom, O long-lived one, you seek in the great forest as though a life-giving herb — that lady and my life-breaths, both, have been carried off by Rāvaṇa.
Words: yām — whom; oṣadhim — herb; ivāyuṣmann — as it were, O long-lived one; anveṣasi — you seek; mahāvane — in the great forest; sā — she, that; devī — lady, goddess; mama — my; ca — and; prāṇā — life-breaths; rāvaṇenobhayaṃ — by Rāvaṇa both; hṛtam — carried off, taken
3.63.15
tvayā virahitā devī lakṣmaṇena ca rāghava
hriyamāṇā mayā dṛṣṭā rāvaṇena balīyasā
“Bereft of you and of Lakṣmaṇa, O Rāghava, the lady was seen by me being carried off by the mighty Rāvaṇa.
Words: tvayā — by you, from you; virahitā — bereft, parted; devī — the lady; lakṣmaṇena — from Lakṣmaṇa; ca — and; rāghava — O Rāghava; hriyamāṇā — being carried off; mayā — by me; dṛṣṭā — was seen; rāvaṇena — by Rāvaṇa; balīyasā — the mighty, stronger one
3.63.16
sītām abhyavapan no 'haṃ rāvaṇaś ca raṇe mayā
vidhvaṃsitarathacchatraḥ pātito dharaṇītale
“I came to Sītā's rescue, and Rāvaṇa, his chariot and parasol shattered by me in battle, was cast down upon the earth.
Words: sītām — Sītā; abhyavapan — coming to the rescue, protecting; no — for us / indeed; 'haṃ — I; rāvaṇaś — Rāvaṇa; ca — and; raṇe — in battle; mayā — by me; vidhvaṃsitarathacchatraḥ — his chariot and parasol shattered; pātito — cast down, felled; dharaṇītale — upon the earth
3.63.17
etad asya dhanur bhagnam etad asya śarāvaram
ayam asya raṇe rāma bhagnaḥ sāṃgrāmiko rathaḥ
“This here is his broken bow, this his quiver; this, Rāma, is his war-chariot, broken in the battle.
Words: etad — this; asya — his; dhanur — bow; bhagnam — broken; etad — this; asya — his; śarāvaram — quiver, arrow-holder; ayam — this; asya — his; raṇe — in battle; rāma — O Rāma; bhagnaḥ — broken; sāṃgrāmiko — of war, martial; rathaḥ — chariot
3.63.18
pariśrāntasya me pakṣau chittvā khaḍgena rāvaṇaḥ
sītām ādāya vaidehīm utpapāta vihāyasaṃ
rakṣasā nihataṃ pūrvma na māṃ hantuṃ tvam arhasi
“When I was spent, Rāvaṇa, cutting off my wings with his sword, took Sītā Vaidehī and flew up into the sky; already struck down by the rākṣasa before, I do not deserve to be slain by you.”
Words: pariśrāntasya — of the exhausted, spent one; me — of me, my; pakṣau — the two wings; chittvā — having cut off; khaḍgena — with a sword; rāvaṇaḥ — Rāvaṇa; sītām — Sītā; ādāya — having taken; vaidehīm — Vaidehī; utpapāta — flew up, rose up; vihāyasaṃ — into the sky, air; rakṣasā — by the rākṣasa; nihataṃ — struck down, slain; pūrvma — before, already; na — not; māṃ — me; hantuṃ — to slay; tvam — you; arhasi — ought, deserve
3.63.19
rāmas tasya tu vijñāya sītāsaktāṃ priyāṃ kathām
gṛdhrarājaṃ pariṣvajya ruroda sahalakṣmaṇaḥ
But Rāma, learning from him the welcome tidings that touched upon Sītā, embraced the king of vultures and wept, together with Lakṣmaṇa.
Words: rāmas — Rāma; tasya — from him, his; tu — but; vijñāya — having learned, understood; sītāsaktāṃ — touching upon Sītā, concerning Sītā; priyāṃ — welcome, dear; kathām — tidings, account; gṛdhrarājaṃ — the king of vultures; pariṣvajya — having embraced; ruroda — wept; sahalakṣmaṇaḥ — together with Lakṣmaṇa
3.63.20
ekam ekāyane durge niḥśvasantaṃ kathaṃ cana
samīkṣya duḥkhito rāmaḥ saumitrim idam abravīt
Beholding him, alone in that inaccessible, out-of-the-way spot, barely breathing, the sorrowing Rāma said this to Saumitri:
Words: ekam — alone, single; ekāyane — in a lonely, out-of-the-way spot; durge — in the inaccessible place; niḥśvasantaṃ — breathing hard, gasping; kathaṃ cana — barely, somehow; samīkṣya — having beheld; duḥkhito — sorrowing; rāmaḥ — Rāma; saumitrim — to Saumitri; idam — this; abravīt — said
3.63.21
rājyād bhraṃśo vane vāsaḥ sītā naṣṭā hato dvijaḥ
īdṛśīyaṃ mamālakṣmīr nirdahed api pāvakam
“Fall from the kingdom, dwelling in the forest, Sītā lost, the bird slain — such is this ill fortune of mine, that could burn up even fire itself.
Words: rājyād — from the kingdom; bhraṃśo — fall, downfall; vane — in the forest; vāsaḥ — dwelling; sītā — Sītā; naṣṭā — lost; hato — slain; dvijaḥ — the bird; īdṛśīyaṃ — such is this; mamālakṣmīr — this ill fortune of mine; nirdahed — would burn up; api — even; pāvakam — fire
3.63.22
saṃpūrṇam api ced adya pratareyaṃ mahodadhim
so 'pi nūnaṃ mamālakṣmyā viśuṣyet saritāṃ patiḥ
“Were I today to cross even the brimming great ocean, that lord of rivers too would surely be dried up by my ill fortune.
Words: saṃpūrṇam — brimful, full; api — even; ced — if; adya — today; pratareyaṃ — I were to cross; mahodadhim — the great ocean; so — he, that; 'pi — also, too; nūnaṃ — surely; mamālakṣmyā — by my ill fortune; viśuṣyet — would dry up; saritāṃ — of rivers; patiḥ — the lord
3.63.23
nāsty abhāgyataro loke matto 'smin sacarācare
yeneyaṃ mahatī prāptā mayā vyasanavāgurā
“There is none more luckless than I in this world of moving and unmoving things, I by whom this great snare of calamity has been caught.
Words: nāsty — there is not; abhāgyataro — more luckless; loke — in the world; matto — than me; 'smin — in this; sacarācare — (world) with its moving and unmoving beings; yeneyaṃ — by whom this; mahatī — great; prāptā — obtained, met with; mayā — by me; vyasanavāgurā — the snare of calamity
3.63.24
ayaṃ pitṛvayasyo me gṛdhrarājo jarānvitaḥ
śete vinihato bhūmau mama bhāgyaviparyayāt
“This king of vultures, a friend of my father's age, worn with old age, lies struck down upon the ground through the reversal of my fortune.
Words: ayaṃ — this; pitṛvayasyo — a friend of my father, of my father's age; me — my; gṛdhrarājo — the king of vultures; jarānvitaḥ — afflicted with old age; śete — lies; vinihato — struck down; bhūmau — on the ground; mama — my; bhāgyaviparyayāt — through the reversal of fortune
3.63.25
ity evam uktvā bahuśo rāghavaḥ sahalakṣmaṇaḥ
jaṭāyuṣaṃ ca pasparśa pitṛsnehaṃ nidarśayan
Having spoken thus many times, Rāghava with Lakṣmaṇa caressed Jaṭāyu, showing him a father's affection.
Words: ity — thus; evam — thus, so; uktvā — having spoken; bahuśo — many times; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; sahalakṣmaṇaḥ — together with Lakṣmaṇa; jaṭāyuṣaṃ — Jaṭāyu; ca — and; pasparśa — touched, caressed; pitṛsnehaṃ — a father's affection; nidarśayan — showing, displaying
3.63.26
nikṛttapakṣaṃ rudhirāvasiktaṃ taṃ gṛdhrarājaṃ parirabhya rāmaḥ
kva maithili prāṇasamā mameti vimucya vācaṃ nipapāta bhūmau
Embracing that king of vultures, his wings shorn off and drenched in blood, and crying out “Where are you, Maithilī, dear to me as my own life?”, Rāma let fall his voice and sank to the ground.
Words: nikṛttapakṣaṃ — with wings shorn off; rudhirāvasiktaṃ — drenched in blood; taṃ — that; gṛdhrarājaṃ — king of vultures; parirabhya — having embraced; rāmaḥ — Rāma; kva — where; maithili — O Maithilī; prāṇasamā — dear as life; mameti — ‘to me’, thus; vimucya — having let go, released; vācaṃ — voice, speech; nipapāta — fell down, sank; bhūmau — to the ground
← 3.62 Lakṣmaṇa recalls Rāma’s own teaching · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.64 Rāma performs Jaṭāyu’s funeral →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
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