# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 64 — Rāma performs Jaṭāyu’s funeral *Jaṭāyu reports the southward flight and dies, Rāma cremates him as kin, offers deer meat and gives water in the Godāvarī* Portion: Jaṭāyu’s report and funeral · Verses: 36 · Ref format: 3.64. ## Sequence - Seeing that Jaṭāyu is still breathing, Rāma asks him to speak once more if he can (64.1–4) - he asks why Rāvaṇa attacked, what Sītā said, and what is known of the abductor's appearance, strength, and home (64.5–7) - Jaṭāyu says that Rāvaṇa used powerful magic, cut his wings when he was exhausted, and carried Sītā away toward the south (64.8–10) - with his sight failing, Jaṭāyu says that the abduction occurred in the muhūrta called Vinda, when lost property returns to its owner → he assures Rāma that he will kill the abductor and recover Sītā (64.11–14) - he identifies Rāvaṇa as Viśravas's son and Kubera's brother, then dies while Rāma is still asking him to speak (64.15–18). - Rāma honors Jaṭāyu's long life and sacrifice, saying that goodness and courage exist even among animals → he says the bird deserves the same reverence as Daśaratha and that this death pains him even more than the abduction (64.19–26) - he asks Lakṣmaṇa to gather wood while he makes fire, and prepares a funeral pyre (64.27–28) - he blesses Jaṭāyu with the destinations earned by sacrifice, generosity, and courage, then cremates him as a kinsman (64.29–31) - the brothers hunt deer, and Rāma prepares portions of meat as funeral offerings (64.32–33) - he recites the rites prescribed for a deceased person → both brothers go to the Godāvarī and make the water-offering, completing the honors for Jaṭāyu (64.34–36). ## Verses **3.64.1** rāmaḥ prekṣya tu taṃ gṛdhraṃ bhuvi raudreṇa pātitam saumitriṃ mitrasaṃpannam idaṃ vacanam abravīt Beholding that vulture felled to the ground by the cruel one, Rāma spoke these words to Saumitri, who was rich in friendship. **3.64.2** mamāyaṃ nūnam artheṣu yatamāno vihaṃgamaḥ rākṣasena hataḥ saṃkhye prāṇāṃs tyajati dustyajān Surely this bird, striving in my cause, struck down in battle by the rākṣasa, is giving up his life-breaths so hard to give up. **3.64.3** ayam asya śarīre 'smin prāṇo lakṣmaṇa vidyate tathā svaravihīno 'yaṃ viklavaṃ samudīkṣate In this his body, Lakṣmaṇa, the breath of life still remains; yet, deprived of voice, he gazes about bewildered. **3.64.4** jaṭāyo yadi śaknoṣi vākyaṃ vyāharituṃ punaḥ sītām ākhyāhi bhadraṃ te vadham ākhyāhi cātmanaḥ Jaṭāyu, if you are able to utter a word once more, tell me of Sītā — blessings on you — and tell of your own slaying. **3.64.5** kiṃnimitto 'harat sītāṃ rāvaṇas tasya kiṃ mayā aparāddhaṃ tu yaṃ dṛṣṭvā rāvaṇena hṛtā priyā For what reason did Rāvaṇa carry off Sītā? What wrong was done by me to him, seeing which my beloved was seized by Rāvaṇa? **3.64.6** kathaṃ tac candrasaṃkāśaṃ mukham āsīn manoharam sītayā kāni coktāni tasmin kāle dvijottama How was that moon-like, enchanting face of hers, and what did Sītā say at that time, O best of the twice-born? **3.64.7** kathaṃvīryaḥ kathaṃrūpaḥ kiṃkarmā sa ca rākṣasaḥ kva cāsya bhavanaṃ tāta brūhi me paripṛcchataḥ Of what prowess, what form, what deeds was that rākṣasa, and where is his dwelling, dear friend? Tell me, who am asking you. **3.64.8** tam udvīkṣyātha dīnātmā vilapantam anantaram vācātisannayā rāmaṃ jaṭāyur idam abravīt Then, gazing up at Rāma who was lamenting close by, the sorrowing Jaṭāyu, in a very failing voice, spoke this to him. **3.64.9** sā hṛtā rākṣasendreṇa rāvaṇena vihāyasā māyām āsthāya vipulāṃ vātadurdinasaṃkulām She was carried off through the sky by the lord of rākṣasas, Rāvaṇa, who resorted to a vast magic, thick with wind and storm. **3.64.10** pariśrāntasya me tāta pakṣau chittvā niśācaraḥ sītām ādāya vaidehīṃ prayāto dakṣiṇā mukhaḥ When I was exhausted, dear one, the night-roamer cut off my two wings and, taking Vaidehī Sītā, went off facing southward. **3.64.11** uparudhyanti me prāṇā dṛṣṭir bhramati rāghava paśyāmi vṛkṣān sauvarṇān uśīrakṛtamūrdhajān My life-breaths are failing, my sight reels, O Rāghava; I see golden trees with their tops made of uśīra grass. **3.64.12** yena yāti muhūrtena sītām ādāya rāvaṇaḥ vipranaṣṭaṃ dhanaṃ kṣipraṃ tat svāmipratipadyate In whatever muhūrta Rāvaṇa goes off taking Sītā — the property that has been lost quickly returns to its owner. **3.64.13** vindo nāma muhūrto 'sau sa ca kākutstha nābudhat jhaṣavad baḍiśaṃ gṛhya kṣipram eva vinaśyati That muhūrta is named Vinda, and he, O Kākutstha, did not perceive it; like a fish that has swallowed the hook, he shall quickly perish. **3.64.14** na ca tvayā vyathā kāryā janakasya sutāṃ prati vaidehyā raṃsyase kṣipraṃ hatvā taṃ rākṣasaṃ raṇe You should feel no distress over Janaka's daughter; you will soon delight with Vaidehī, having slain that rākṣasa in battle. **3.64.15** asaṃmūḍhasya gṛdhrasya rāmaṃ pratyanubhāṣataḥ āsyāt susrāva rudhiraṃ mriyamāṇasya sāmiṣam From the mouth of the vulture, unbewildered, answering Rāma even as he lay dying, blood flowed forth mingled with bits of flesh. **3.64.16** putro viśravasaḥ sākṣād bhrātā vaiśravaṇasya ca ity uktvā durlabhān prāṇān mumoca patageśvaraḥ “He is the very son of Viśravas and brother of Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)” — having said this, the lord of birds released his life-breaths so hard to keep. **3.64.17** brūhi brūhīti rāmasya bruvāṇasya kṛtāñjaleḥ tyaktvā śarīraṃ gṛdhrasya jagmuḥ prāṇā vihāyasaṃ As Rāma, his palms joined, kept saying “Speak, speak!”, the life-breaths of the vulture, forsaking his body, went off into the sky. **3.64.18** sa nikṣipya śiro bhūmau prasārya caraṇau tadā vikṣipya ca śarīraṃ svaṃ papāta dharaṇītale Laying his head upon the ground and stretching out his feet, then flinging out his own body, he fell upon the earth's surface. **3.64.19** taṃ gṛdhraṃ prekṣya tāmrākṣaṃ gatāsum acalopamam rāmaḥ subahubhir duḥkhair dīnaḥ saumitrim abravīt Beholding that copper-eyed vulture, lifeless and like a mountain, Rāma, wretched with very many sorrows, spoke to Saumitri. **3.64.20** bahūni rakṣasāṃ vāse varṣāṇi vasatā sukham anena daṇḍakāraṇye vicīrṇam iha pakṣiṇā For many years, dwelling happily in the abode of the rākṣasas, this bird has roamed here in the Daṇḍaka forest. **3.64.21** anekavārṣiko yas tu cirakālaṃ samutthitaḥ so 'yam adya hataḥ śete kālo hi duratikramaḥ He who lived many years and had endured for a long time — that very one lies slain today; for death is hard to overcome. **3.64.22** paśya lakṣmaṇa gṛdhro 'yam upakārī hataś ca me sītām abhyavapan no vai rāvaṇena balīyasā See, Lakṣmaṇa, this vulture, my benefactor, has been slain — while protecting Sītā for us, indeed, by the mightier Rāvaṇa. **3.64.23** gṛdhrarājyaṃ parityajya pitṛpaitāmahaṃ mahat mama hetor ayaṃ prāṇān mumoca patageśvaraḥ Forsaking his great vulture-kingdom, inherited from father and forefathers, this lord of birds gave up his life-breaths for my sake. **3.64.24** sarvatra khalu dṛśyante sādhavo dharmacāriṇaḥ śūrāḥ śaraṇyāḥ saumitre tiryagyonigateṣv api Truly everywhere are seen the good, the practisers of dharma — brave and affording refuge, Saumitri — even among those born in the animal kingdom. **3.64.25** sītāharaṇajaṃ duḥkhaṃ na me saumya tathāgatam yathā vināśo gṛdhrasya matkṛte ca paraṃtapa The grief born of Sītā's abduction does not so afflict me, gentle one, as the destruction of the vulture on my account, O scorcher of foes. **3.64.26** rājā daśarathaḥ śrīmān yathā mama mayā yaśāḥ pūjanīyaś ca mānyaś ca tathāyaṃ patageśvaraḥ As the glorious, illustrious king Daśaratha was to me, to be honoured and revered by me, so too is this lord of birds. **3.64.27** saumitre hara kāṣṭhāni nirmathiṣyāmi pāvakam gṛdhrarājaṃ didhakṣāmi matkṛte nidhanaṃ gatam Saumitri, fetch pieces of wood; I shall kindle fire by friction. I wish to cremate the vulture-king, who met his death on my account. **3.64.28** nāthaṃ patagalokasya citām āropayāmy aham imaṃ dhakṣyāmi saumitre hataṃ raudreṇa rakṣasā This lord of the bird-world I place upon the pyre; I shall burn him, Saumitri, slain by the cruel rākṣasa. **3.64.29** yā gatir yajñaśīlānām āhitāgneś ca yā gatiḥ aparāvartināṃ yā ca yā ca bhūmipradāyinām The goal that belongs to those devoted to sacrifice, and the goal of one who maintains the sacred fires, and that of those who never turn back (in battle), and that of the givers of land — **3.64.30** mayā tvaṃ samanujñāto gaccha lokān anuttamān gṛdhrarāja mahāsattva saṃskṛtaś ca mayā vraja Granted leave by me, go to the most excellent worlds; O vulture-king of great being, consecrated by me, depart. **3.64.31** evam uktvā citāṃ dīptām āropya patageśvaram dadāha rāmo dharmātmā svabandhum iva duḥkhitaḥ Having spoken thus and placed the lord of birds upon the blazing pyre, the righteous Rāma, grief-stricken, burned him as though he were his own kinsman. **3.64.32** rāmo 'tha sahasaumitrir vanaṃ yātvā sa vīryavān sthūlān hatvā mahārohīn anu tastāra taṃ dvijam Then valiant Rāma, together with Saumitri, went into the forest, and having killed large mahārohi deer, spread out (offerings) over that bird. **3.64.33** rohimāṃsāni coddhṛtya peśīkṛtvā mahāyaśāḥ śakunāya dadau rāmo ramye haritaśādvale And having taken out the flesh of the rohi deer and made it into portions, the greatly glorious Rāma gave it to the bird on a lovely green lawn. **3.64.34** yat tat pretasya martyasya kathayanti dvijātayaḥ tat svargagamanaṃ tasya kṣipraṃ rāmo jajāpa ha That which the twice-born declare for a deceased mortal, that (rite) for his going to heaven, Rāma quickly muttered for him. **3.64.35** tato godāvarīṃ gatvā nadīṃ naravarātmajau udakaṃ cakratus tasmai gṛdhrarājāya tāv ubhau Then, having gone to the river Godāvarī, the two sons of the best of men, the two of them, made the water-offering for that vulture-king. **3.64.36** sa gṛdhrarājaḥ kṛtavān yaśaskaraṃ suduṣkaraṃ karma raṇe nipātitaḥ maharṣikalpena ca saṃskṛtas tadā jagāma puṇyāṃ gatim ātmanaḥ śubhām That vulture-king, felled in battle, had done a glory-bringing, exceedingly difficult deed; and consecrated then like a great sage, he went to his own holy, auspicious goal.