Rāvaṇa, the ten-headed lord of the rākṣasas, unleashed a terrible storm of sharp-tipped arrows and barbed darts upon Jaṭāyu, the mighty king of vultures. Jaṭāyu, noble and resolute, received the volleys from Rāvaṇa in the midst of battle. Yet, undaunted, he struck back fiercely: with his powerful, sharp-clawed feet, Jaṭāyu inflicted many wounds upon Rāvaṇa’s body. Enraged by Jaṭāyu’s resistance, Rāvaṇa seized ten dreadful arrows, each resembling the very rods of death, determined to destroy his valiant enemy. He released these arrows, straight-flying and sharp as stone-tipped weapons, piercing the great vulture with their terrible force. Even as he was wounded, Jaṭāyu saw Jānakī—Sītā—with tear-filled eyes, captive on the rākṣasa’s chariot. Disregarding the pain of the arrows, Jaṭāyu rushed at Rāvaṇa, intent on saving her. With immense brilliance, Jaṭāyu broke Rāvaṇa’s jeweled bow and his arrows, using his powerful feet. Overwhelmed by anger, Rāvaṇa grabbed another bow and showered hundreds and thousands of arrows upon Jaṭāyu. Covered in arrows, the lord of birds appeared as though he had retreated to his nest. But Jaṭāyu shook off the clusters of arrows with his wings and, with his mighty feet, broke Rāvaṇa’s great bow once more. The king of birds, radiant in battle, shook off Rāvaṇa’s blazing, fire-like shower of arrows with his wings. Jaṭāyu then struck down Rāvaṇa’s swift, divine horses—covered in golden armor and bearing faces like demons. Next, he broke the magnificent chariot, adorned with three banners and jeweled steps, blazing like fire and moving at will. He swiftly knocked down the umbrella, shining like the full moon, along with the fans and the rakṣasas who held them. With his beak, Jaṭāyu struck and tore off the splendid head of Rāvaṇa’s charioteer. Now, Rāvaṇa’s bow was broken, his chariot destroyed, his horses and charioteer slain. Rāvaṇa fell to the ground, clutching Vaidehī—Sītā—in his arms. Witnessing Rāvaṇa fallen, his vehicle destroyed, the beings of the world praised Jaṭāyu, exclaiming, “Well done, well done!” But Rāvaṇa, seeing the bird chief exhausted and aged, was delighted. Seizing Maithilī—Sītā—he sprang up again, placing Janaka’s daughter on his lap. With only his sword remaining and all his means lost, Rāvaṇa began to depart. Yet Jaṭāyu, the king of vultures, rose up and blocked him, speaking these words with great brilliance: “O Rāvaṇa of little understanding, you are taking Rāma’s wife, whose arrows are like thunderbolts, for the destruction of the rākṣasas. With your friends, relatives, ministers, army, and attendants, you drink poison as if it were water, because you thirst for it. Those who do not know the consequences of their actions, lacking discernment, quickly perish, as you will. You are bound by the noose of time; where can you escape? Like a fish caught with bait, you are seized for destruction. O Rāvaṇa, the two sons of Raghu, descended from Kakutstha, will never tolerate your assault or the violation of this hermitage. The act you have committed is cowardly and condemned by the world; it is the way of thieves, not the path of heroes. If you are truly a warrior, then fight! Stand for a moment, Rāvaṇa. You will lie slain on the ground, just as your brother Khara did. At the time of death, whatever action a man undertakes, if unrighteous, leads only to his own destruction—and such a deed you have chosen. Who would perform an act whose consequence is sin? Not even the lord of the world, the self-born, the divine one himself, would do so.” Having spoken these auspicious words, the mighty Jaṭāyu fell forcefully upon the back of the ten-headed Rāvaṇa. Seizing him, Jaṭāyu tore at Rāvaṇa from all sides with his sharp claws, like a skilled elephant-rider attacking a vicious elephant. With his beak pressing down on Rāvaṇa’s back, Jaṭāyu ripped at him with his claws and wings, tearing out his hair. Tormented again and again by the king of vultures, Rāvaṇa’s lips quivered with rage and he began to tremble. Holding Vaidehī on his left thigh, Rāvaṇa struck the suffering Jaṭāyu with his palm, his mind overcome by anger. But Jaṭāyu evaded him and, with his beak, tore off ten of Rāvaṇa’s left arms. Miraculously, the arms instantly grew back, blazing with streams of poison like serpents from an anthill. Filled with rage, Rāvaṇa cast Sītā aside and struck Jaṭāyu with his fists and feet. A fierce battle erupted for a moment between the chief of the rākṣasas and the foremost of birds, both possessing great strength. As he struggled for Rāma’s sake, Rāvaṇa drew his sword and, with a terrible deed, cut off Jaṭāyu’s wings, feet, and sides. With his wings severed by the rākṣasa’s fierce blow, the great vulture, his life nearly spent, fell suddenly to the earth.