ततो नालीकनाराचैस्तीक्ष्णाग्रैश्च विकर्णिभिः। अभ्यवर्षन्महाघोरैर्गृध्रराजं महाबलम्
Then, with sharp-tipped arrows and barbed darts, Rāvaṇa showered the mighty king of vultures with a terrible rain.
स तानि शरजालानि गृध्रः पत्ररथेश्वरः। जटायुः प्रतिजग्राह रावणास्त्राणि संयुगे
That lord of the feathered race, Jaṭāyu, received those volleys of arrows from Rāvaṇa in the battle.
तस्य तीक्ष्णनखाभ्यां तु चरणाभ्यां महाबलः। चकार बहुधा गात्रे व्रणान् पतगसत्तमः
With his powerful, sharp-clawed feet, the noble bird inflicted many wounds on Rāvaṇa’s body.
अथ क्रोधाद् दशग्रीवो जग्राह दश मार्गणान्। मृत्युदण्डनिभान् घोरान् शत्रोर्निधनकांक्षया
Then, enraged, the ten-headed one seized ten dreadful arrows, resembling the rods of death, desiring the destruction of his enemy.
स तैर्बाणैर्महावीर्यः पूर्णमुक्तैरजिह्मगैः। बिभेद निशितैस्तीक्ष्णैर्गृध्रं घोरैः शिलीमुखैः
With those arrows, fully released and straight-flying, sharp and terrible as stone-tipped weapons, the mighty Rāvaṇa pierced the vulture.
स राक्षसरथे पश्यञ्जानकीं बाष्पलोचनाम्। अचिन्तयित्वा बाणांस्तान् राक्षसं समभिद्रवत्
Seeing Jānakī with tear-filled eyes on the Rākṣasa’s chariot, Jaṭāyu, disregarding those arrows, rushed at the demon.
ततोऽस्य सशरं चापं मुक्तामणिविभूषितम्। चरणाभ्यां महातेजा बभञ्ज पतगोत्तमः
Then the great bird of immense brilliance broke his bow, adorned with jewels and arrows, using his feet.
ततोऽन्यद् धनुरादाय रावणः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। ववर्ष शरवर्षाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Rāvaṇa, overwhelmed by anger, took up another bow and showered hundreds and thousands of arrows.
शरैरावारितस्तस्य संयुगे पतगेश्वरः। कुलायमभिसम्प्राप्तः पक्षिवच्च बभौ तदा
Covered by arrows in battle, the lord of birds appeared as if he had reached his nest, like a bird.
स तानि शरजालानि पक्षाभ्यां तु विधूय ह। चरणाभ्यां महातेजा बभञ्जास्य महद् धनुः
He shook off those clusters of arrows with his wings, and with his mighty feet broke Rāvaṇa’s great bow.
तच्चाग्निसदृशं दीप्तं रावणस्य शरावरम्। पक्षाभ्यां च महातेजा व्यधुनोत् पतगेश्वरः
The king of birds, of great brilliance, shook off Rāvaṇa’s blazing, fire-like shower of arrows with his wings.
काञ्चनोरश्छदान् दिव्यान् पिशाचवदनान् खरान्। तांश्चास्य जवसम्पन्नाञ्जघान समरे बली
He struck down Rāvaṇa’s swift, divine horses, covered in golden armor and bearing faces like demons, in battle.
अथ त्रिवेणुसम्पन्नं कामगं पावकार्चिषम्। मणिसोपानचित्राङ्गं बभञ्ज च महारथम्
Then he broke the magnificent chariot, adorned with three banners, moving at will, blazing like fire, and decorated with jeweled steps.
पूर्णचन्द्रप्रतीकाशं छत्रं च व्यजनैः सह। पातयामास वेगेन ग्राहिभी राक्षसैः सह
He swiftly knocked down the umbrella, shining like the full moon, along with the fans and the rakṣasas who held them.
सारथेश्चास्य वेगेन तुण्डेन च महच्छिरः। पुनर्व्यपहनच्छ्रीमान् पक्षिराजो महाबलः
With his beak, the mighty king of birds struck and again tore off the large, splendid head of Rāvaṇa’s charioteer.
स भग्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः। अङ्केनादाय वैदेहीं पपात भुवि रावणः
His bow broken, chariot lost, horses and charioteer slain, Rāvaṇa fell to the ground, holding Vaidehī in his arms.
दृष्ट्वा निपतितं भूमौ रावणं भग्नवाहनम्। साधु साध्विति भूतानि गृध्रराजमपूजयन्
Seeing Rāvaṇa fallen on the earth, his vehicle destroyed, the beings praised the king of vultures, saying, 'Well done, well done!'
परिश्रान्तं तु तं दृष्ट्वा जरया पक्षियूथपम्। उत्पपात पुनर्हृष्टो मैथिलीं गृह्य रावणः
Seeing the bird chief exhausted and aged, Rāvaṇa, delighted, seized Maithilī and sprang up again.
तं प्रहृष्टं निधायाङ्के रावणं जनकात्मजाम्। गच्छन्तं खड्गशेषं च प्रणष्टहतसाधनम्
Placing Janaka’s daughter on his lap, Rāvaṇa, with only his sword left and all his means lost and destroyed, began to depart.
गृध्रराजः समुत्पत्य रावणं समभिद्रवत्। समावार्य महातेजा जटायुरिदमब्रवीत्
The king of vultures, Jatāyu, rose up and rushed at Rāvaṇa, blocking him, and spoke these words with great brilliance.
वज्रसंस्पर्शबाणस्य भार्यां रामस्य रावण। अल्पबुद्धे हरस्येनां वधाय खलु रक्षसाम्
Rāvaṇa, of little understanding, you are taking Rāma’s wife, whose arrows are like the touch of thunderbolts, for the destruction of the rākṣasas.
समित्रबन्धुः सामात्यः सबलः सपरिच्छदः। विषपानं पिबस्येतत् पिपासित इवोदकम्
With friends, relatives, ministers, army, and attendants, you drink poison as if it were water, because you thirst for it.
अनुबन्धमजानन्तः कर्मणामविचक्षणाः। शीघ्रमेव विनश्यन्ति यथा त्वं विनशिष्यसि
Those who do not know the consequences of their actions, lacking discernment, quickly perish, just as you will perish.
बद्धस्त्वं कालपाशेन क्व गतस्तस्य मोक्ष्यसे। वधाय बडिशं गृह्य सामिषं जलजो यथा
You are bound by the noose of time; where will you go to escape it? Like a fish caught with bait, you are seized for destruction.
नहि जातु दुराधर्षौ काकुत्स्थौ तव रावण। धर्षणं चाश्रमस्यास्य क्षमिष्येते तु राघवौ
O Rāvaṇa, the two sons of Raghu, who are descended from Kakutstha, will never tolerate either your assault or the violation of this hermitage.
यथा त्वया कृतं कर्म भीरुणा लोकगर्हितम्। तस्कराचरितो मार्गो नैष वीरनिषेवितः
The act you have committed, cowardly and condemned by the world, is the way of thieves, not the path followed by heroes.
युद्ध्यस्व यदि शूरोऽसि मुहूर्तं तिष्ठ रावण। शयिष्यसे हतो भूमौ यथा भ्राता खरस्तथा
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.
परेतकाले पुरुषो यत् कर्म प्रतिपद्यते। विनाशायात्मनोऽधर्म्यं प्रतिपन्नोऽसि कर्म तत्
At the time of death, whatever action a man undertakes, if it is unrighteous, it leads only to his own destruction—and such a deed you have now chosen.
पापानुबन्धो वै यस्य कर्मणः को नु तत् पुमान्। कुर्वीत लोकाधिपतिः स्वयंभूर्भगवानपि
Who indeed 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.
एवमुक्त्वा शुभं वाक्यं जटायुस्तस्य रक्षसः। निपपात भृशं पृष्ठे दशग्रीवस्य वीर्यवान्
Having spoken these auspicious words, the mighty Jatāyu fell forcefully upon the back of the ten-headed Rāvaṇa.