# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 49 — Jaṭāyu’s battle and fall *He wrecks Rāvaṇa’s chariot and renews the attack, Rāvaṇa cuts his wings, feet and flanks, Sītā embraces him* Portion: Jaṭāyu’s resistance and Rāvaṇa’s escape · Verses: 40 · Ref format: 3.49. ## Sequence - Rāvaṇa attacks in fury, and a fierce aerial battle begins (49.1–4) - he showers Jaṭāyu with arrows, but the bird endures them and tears his body with his talons (49.5–7) - Rāvaṇa strikes him with ten more arrows → seeing Sītā in tears, Jaṭāyu presses the attack despite his wounds (49.8–10) - he breaks Rāvaṇa's bow with his talons and tears away the armor with his wings (49.11–12) - he kills the donkey-team and wrecks the chariot, parasol, and fans → with his driver also killed, Rāvaṇa falls to the ground still holding Sītā (49.13–15) - the witnesses praise Jaṭāyu (49.16). - Seeing the aged bird exhausted, Rāvaṇa lifts Sītā and rises again (49.17–18) - Jaṭāyu follows, condemns the abduction as a thief's act, warns that it will destroy Rāvaṇa and his people, and again demands a fight (49.19–27) - he lands on Rāvaṇa's back, claws him, drives in his beak, and tears out his hair (49.28–31) - Rāvaṇa holds Sītā against his left side and strikes Jaṭāyu with his hand (49.32) - Jaṭāyu tears off his ten left arms with his beak (49.33) - Rāvaṇa sets Sītā down and attacks with fists and feet → after further fighting, he draws his sword and cuts Jaṭāyu's wings, feet, and flanks (49.34–36) - Jaṭāyu falls, barely alive (49.37) - Sītā runs to him, embraces him like a relative, and weeps over his wounds while Rāvaṇa looks on (49.38–40). ## Verses **3.49.1** ity uktasya yathānyāyaṃ rāvaṇasya jaṭāyuṣā kruddhasyāgninibhāḥ sarvā rejur viṃśatidṛṣṭayaḥ When Rāvaṇa had been thus fittingly rebuked by Jaṭāyus, all twenty eyes of the enraged demon blazed like fire. **3.49.2** saṃraktanayanaḥ kopāt taptakāñcanakuṇḍalaḥ rākṣasendro 'bhidudrāva patagendram amarṣaṇaḥ Red-eyed with rage, his earrings of burnished gold, the furious lord of the rākṣasas rushed upon the lord of birds. **3.49.3** sa saṃprahāras tumulas tayos tasmin mahāvane babhūva vātoddhatayor meghayor gagane yathā A tumultuous clash broke out between the two in that great forest, like the collision of two storm-driven clouds in the sky. **3.49.4** tad babhūvādbhutaṃ yuddhaṃ gṛdhrarākṣasayos tadā sapakṣayor mālyavator mahāparvatayor iva Then a marvelous battle took place between the vulture and the rākṣasa, like a clash of two great winged mountains wreathed in garlands of cloud. **3.49.5** tato nālīkanārācais tīkṣṇāgraiś ca vikarṇibhiḥ abhyavarṣan mahāghorair gṛdhrarājaṃ mahābalaḥ Then the mighty Rāvaṇa rained upon the king of vultures a shower of nālīka and nārāca shafts — sharp-pointed, barbed, and most terrible. **3.49.6** sa tāni śarajālāni gṛdhraḥ patraratheśvaraḥ jaṭāyuḥ pratijagrāha rāvaṇāstrāṇi saṃyuge But the vulture Jaṭāyus, lord of birds, withstood those volleys of arrows, Rāvaṇa's missiles, in the fight. **3.49.7** tasya tīkṣṇanakhābhyāṃ tu caraṇābhyāṃ mahābalaḥ cakāra bahudhā gātre vraṇān patagasattamaḥ With his two feet and their sharp talons, the mighty Jaṭāyus, best of birds, tore many wounds in Rāvaṇa's body. **3.49.8** atha krodhād daśagrīvo jagrāha daśamārgaṇān mṛtyudaṇḍanibhān ghorāñ śatrumardanakāṅkṣayā Then, in his fury, the ten-necked one, eager to crush his foe, seized ten dreadful arrows resembling the rod of Death. **3.49.9** sa tair bāṇair mahāvīryaḥ pūrṇamuktair ajihmagaiḥ bibheda niśitais tīkṣṇair gṛdhraṃ ghoraiḥ śilīmukhaiḥ With those arrows — loosed at full draw and flying straight, keen, sharp, and terrible shafts — the mighty Rāvaṇa pierced the vulture. **3.49.10** sa rākṣasarathe paśyañ jānakīṃ bāṣpalocanām acintayitvā bāṇāṃs tān rākṣasaṃ samabhidravat Seeing Jānakī, her eyes brimming with tears, upon the rākṣasa's chariot, Jaṭāyus paid no heed to those arrows and charged at the rākṣasa. **3.49.11** tato 'sya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ muktāmaṇivibhūṣitam caraṇābhyāṃ mahātejā babhañja patageśvaraḥ Then the resplendent lord of birds, with his talons, shattered Rāvaṇa's bow — arrow and all — adorned though it was with pearls and gems. **3.49.12** tac cāgnisadṛśaṃ dīptaṃ rāvaṇasya śarāvaram pakṣābhyāṃ ca mahātejā vyadhunot patageśvaraḥ And with his wings, the resplendent lord of birds tore away Rāvaṇa's blazing, fire-like armor. **3.49.13** kāñcanoraśchadān divyān piśācavadanān kharān tāṃś cāsya javasaṃpannāñ jaghāna samare balī And the mighty Jaṭāyus slew in battle those swift, divine, goblin-faced donkeys of his, decked with golden chest-trappings. **3.49.14** varaṃ triveṇusaṃpannaṃ kāmagaṃ pāvakārciṣam maṇihemavicitrāṅgaṃ babhañja ca mahāratham pūrṇacandrapratīkāśaṃ chatraṃ ca vyajanaiḥ saha And he shattered that splendid great chariot — fitted with three poles, moving at will, bright as fire, its frame all agleam with gems and gold — together with the parasol, round as the full moon, and the fans. **3.49.15** sa bhagnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ aṅkenādāya vaidehīṃ papāta bhuvi rāvaṇaḥ His bow broken, his chariot wrecked, his mounts and driver slain, Rāvaṇa fell to the ground, still clutching Vaidehī in his arms. **3.49.16** dṛṣṭvā nipatitaṃ bhūmau rāvaṇaṃ bhagnavāhanam sādhu sādhv iti bhūtāni gṛdhrarājam apūjayan Seeing Rāvaṇa fallen to the earth, his vehicle wrecked, all creatures cried 'Well done! Well done!' and honored the king of vultures. **3.49.17** pariśrāntaṃ tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā jarayā pakṣiyūthapam utpapāta punar hṛṣṭo maithilīṃ gṛhya rāvaṇaḥ But seeing that leader of birds worn out with age, Rāvaṇa, elated, seized Maithilī and sprang up into the air once more. **3.49.18** taṃ prahṛṣṭaṃ nidhāyāṅke gacchantaṃ janakātmajām gṛdhrarājaḥ samutpatya jaṭāyur idam abravīt As the exultant Rāvaṇa went off with Janaka's daughter set upon his lap, Jaṭāyus, the vulture king, flew up and spoke these words: **3.49.19** vajrasaṃsparśabāṇasya bhāryāṃ rāmasya rāvaṇa alpabuddhe harasy enāṃ vadhāya khalu rakṣasām O feeble-minded Rāvaṇa, you carry off the wife of Rāma, whose arrows strike like the thunderbolt — and it will surely mean the destruction of the rākṣasas! **3.49.20** samitrabandhuḥ sāmātyaḥ sabalaḥ saparicchadaḥ viṣapānaṃ pibasy etat pipāsita ivodakam Along with your friends, kinsmen, ministers, army, and retinue, you are drinking this draught of poison as a thirsty man drinks water. **3.49.21** anubandham ajānantaḥ karmaṇām avicakṣaṇāḥ śīghram eva vinaśyanti yathā tvaṃ vinaśiṣyasi The imprudent, who do not perceive the consequences of their deeds, swiftly perish — as you shall perish. **3.49.22** baddhas tvaṃ kālapāśena kva gatas tasya mokṣyase vadhāya baḍiśaṃ gṛhya sāmiṣaṃ jalajo yathā Bound in the noose of Death, wherever you go, how will you escape it — like a fish that has swallowed the baited hook to its own doom? **3.49.23** na hi jātu durādharṣau kākutsthau tava rāvaṇa dharṣaṇaṃ cāśramasyāsya kṣamiṣyete tu rāghavau For never, Rāvaṇa, will those two unassailable Kākutsthas, the Rāghavas, forgive you this outrage against their hermitage. **3.49.24** yathā tvayā kṛtaṃ karma bhīruṇā lokagarhitam taskarācarito mārgo naiṣa vīraniṣevitaḥ The deed you have done, coward, is condemned by all the world; this is the path trodden by thieves, not one followed by heroes. **3.49.25** yudhyasva yadi śūro 'si muhūrtaṃ tiṣṭha rāvaṇa śayiṣyase hato bhūmau yathā bhrātā kharas tathā Fight, if you are a hero! Halt a moment, Rāvaṇa. You will lie slain upon the earth, just as your brother Khara did. **3.49.26** paretakāle puruṣo yat karma pratipadyate vināśāyātmano 'dharmyaṃ pratipanno 'si karma tat The unrighteous deed that a man takes up at his death-hour, to his own destruction — that very deed you have now undertaken. **3.49.27** pāpānubandho vai yasya karmaṇaḥ ko nu tat pumān kurvīta lokādhipatiḥ svayambhūr bhagavān api A deed whose sequel is only evil — what man would ever do it, even were he lord of the world, even the self-existent, blessed Brahmā himself? **3.49.28** evam uktvā śubhaṃ vākyaṃ jaṭāyus tasya rakṣasaḥ nipapāta bhṛśaṃ pṛṣṭhe daśagrīvasya vīryavān Having spoken these noble words, valiant Jaṭāyus swooped down hard upon the back of that rākṣasa, the ten-necked Rāvaṇa. **3.49.29** taṃ gṛhītvā nakhais tīkṣṇair virarāda samantataḥ adhirūḍho gajārohi yathā syād duṣṭavāraṇam Seizing him, he clawed him all over with his sharp talons, as a mounted mahout might scratch a rogue elephant he rides. **3.49.30** virarāda nakhair asya tuṇḍaṃ pṛṣṭhe samarpayan keśāṃś cotpāṭayām āsa nakhapakṣamukhāyudhaḥ He clawed him and, driving his beak into his back, tore out his hair — that bird whose weapons were his talons, wings, and beak. **3.49.31** sa tathā gṛdhrarājena kliśyamāno muhur muhuḥ amarṣasphuritauṣṭhaḥ san prākampata sa rākṣasaḥ Tormented thus again and again by the king of vultures, that rākṣasa, his lips quivering with rage, began to shake with fury. **3.49.32** saṃpariṣvajya vaidehīṃ vāmenāṅkena rāvaṇaḥ talenābhijaghānārto jaṭāyuṃ krodhamūrchitaḥ Clasping Vaidehī to his left side, the distraught Rāvaṇa, beside himself with rage, struck Jaṭāyus with the flat of his hand. **3.49.33** jaṭāyus tam atikramya tuṇḍenāsya kharādhipaḥ vāmabāhūn daśa tadā vyapāharad ariṃdamaḥ Jaṭāyus, that subduer of foes, closing in on him, then tore off with his beak the ten left arms of that lord of the ass-drawn car. **3.49.34** tataḥ kruddho daśakrīvaḥ sītām utsṛjya vīryavān muṣṭibhyāṃ caraṇābhyāṃ ca gṛdhrarājam apothayat Then the enraged, mighty ten-necked one set Sītā down and battered the king of vultures with his fists and his feet. **3.49.35** tato muhūrtaṃ saṃgrāmo babhūvātulavīryayoḥ rākṣasānāṃ ca mukhyasya pakṣiṇāṃ pravarasya ca Then for a while a battle raged between those two of matchless valor — the chief of the rākṣasas and the foremost of birds. **3.49.36** tasya vyāyacchamānasya rāmasyārthe 'tha rāvaṇaḥ pakṣau pādau ca pārśvau ca khaḍgam uddhṛtya so 'cchinat As Jaṭāyus fought on for Rāma's sake, Rāvaṇa drew his sword and cut off the bird's wings, feet, and flanks. **3.49.37** sa chinnapakṣaḥ sahasā rakṣasā raudrakarmaṇā nipapāta hato gṛdhro dharaṇyām alpajīvitaḥ His wings severed, the vulture, struck down by the rākṣasa of savage deeds, suddenly fell to the earth, barely alive. **3.49.38** taṃ dṛṣṭvā patitaṃ bhūmau kṣatajārdraṃ jaṭāyuṣam abhyadhāvata vaidehī svabandhum iva duḥkhitā Seeing Jaṭāyus fallen to the ground, drenched in blood, Vaidehī ran to him in her grief, as though to her own kinsman. **3.49.39** taṃ nīlajīmūtanikāśakalpaṃ supāṇḍuroraskam udāravīryam dadarśa laṅkādhipatiḥ pṛthivyāṃ jaṭāyuṣaṃ śāntam ivāgnidāvam The lord of Laṅkā gazed upon Jaṭāyus lying on the earth — dark as a rain-cloud, his breast gleaming pale, of noble valor — like a forest fire burned out. **3.49.40** tatas tu taṃ patrarathaṃ mahītale nipātitaṃ rāvaṇavegamarditam punaḥ pariṣvajya śaśiprabhānanā ruroda sītā janakātmajā tadā Then Sītā, Janaka's daughter, her face bright as the moon, embracing once more that bird struck down upon the earth, crushed by Rāvaṇa's onslaught, broke into weeping.