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The Ramayana has several tales of bravery, devotion, loyalty, and sacrifice. Among the many such characters of the epic Ramayana, there is one character who shines brightly because of his bravery and readiness to fight against evil. He was neither a man nor a king; however, he fought against evil during the kidnapping of Goddess Sita.
The message in the tale of Jatayu in the Ramayana is that real bravery does not entail physical strength and age but the willingness to protect righteousness at all costs. When Jatayu attempted to stop Ravana, who had abducted Sita, he knew he was confronting an opponent that was much stronger than him. His efforts eventually won Lord Rama's admiration, and he treated him like an honoured member of the family.
It is also helpful to consider the tale of Lord Rama and the events in the Ramayana that have been lost from memory.
Who Was Jatayu in the Ramayana?
Jatayu was a divine bird and the king of vultures. He was famous as a wise and noble creature and brave of nature. Jatayu happened to be the son of Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun God and Sampati was his elder brother. Moreover, Jatayu was a very close friend of Dasharatha, the father of Lord Rama.
Being the friend of Dasharatha, Jatayu had a special bond with Lord Rama and his family members and thus, he understood the concept of righteousness.
During their period of exile, Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman lived in the forest and faced many difficulties in this forest. At this point in time, Jatayu met them and promised that he would protect Sita in case they left her.
Jatayu was old in age, but he fulfilled his promise. He did not consider himself to be so old and feeble that he couldn’t help anyone. This became very significant when Ravana came to kidnap Sita. Through Jatayu’s character, we can understand the significance of bravery, wisdom and determination even in terms of physical appearance and strength.
Why Did Jatayu Fight Ravana?
This story is based on one of the most significant incidents that occur in the Ramayana, which is the abduction of Goddess Sita. When Lord Rama and Lakshmana were lured into the forest by Ravana's plot to use Maricha to impersonate a golden deer, Ravana then came to the forest disguised as a sage and met Sita, revealing his true self. Although she did not accept him, he abducted her and flew off with her using his flying chariot, Pushpaka Vimana.
While flying through the sky with Sita, she was crying out for help, and this caught the attention of Jatayu. Observing her being forcibly taken away, Jatayu realized right away that she was in danger. He knew Ravana and was aware that stopping the mighty king of Lanka would not be easy. But he could not stay quiet when a lady was kidnapped. So, he went to Ravana and urged him to let Sita go. He told Ravana that abducting someone else's wife was against the principles of dharma and would bring bad results.
But Ravana did not care about his warnings. Understanding that he would not listen to him, he attacked him. Even at such an old age, he fought like a warrior to save Sita from Ravana. Using his sharp beak, claws, and powerful wings, he tried to injure Ravana and attack his chariot. For a while, he succeeded in his mission and caused some hindrance in Ravana's travel. It made Sita hopeful that someone had come to rescue her. But Ravana was a very capable warrior. In the end, he fought with Jatayu and cut off his wings using his sword.
The story of the past and power grab by Ravana has also been highlighted in the book titled Ravana: From Brahma to Lanka – The Untold Story. Even though Jatayu could not save Sita from Ravana, the act of standing against him was one of the finest examples of courage presented in the Ramayana.
What Happened to Jatayu After His Fight With Ravana?
Jatayu fell to the ground after he lost his wings and lay seriously injured in the forest. He was not very strong now, but he was trying to hold on to life. On the other hand, Lord Rama and Lakshmana went back to their place to find that Sita was missing. They got very worried about it and started searching for her in the nearby forest.
They saw that Jatayu lay injured in the forest. They were not sure about the reason behind this at the start. However, Jatayu used his last bit of strength to talk to Lord Rama. He told him that Sita had been kidnapped by Ravana and he tried his best to stop him from kidnapping her. He also told Rama the direction in which Ravana took her.
The knowledge gained through this piece of information made Lord Rama aware of who had abducted Sita and provided him with another vital piece of information regarding the search for her. Jatayu had done what he could till his very last breath. Even in his dying moments, he was thinking of the welfare of Sita and how to assist Lord Rama in finding her.
With this final piece of information, Jatayu passed away in the company of Lord Rama. His dying moments did not consist of any thoughts of pain, but only of the duty that he had willingly taken on himself. His sacrifice takes on great significance in the context of the Ramayana tale.
Why Did Lord Rama Perform Jatayu's Last Rites?
One of the most touching moments of the tale of Jatayu in the Ramayana is the ritual performance by Lord Rama of his own. Rama was highly upset after listening to the fate of the bird. Rama understood that the bird had made his best effort to save Sita even though he was less strong compared to Ravana.
Not only the bird witnessed the kidnapping process, but he was also the loyal servant of the king, the father of Rama. He treated the family of Rama respectfully and that is why Lord Rama took into account the sacrifice of the bird and honored him properly. The Lord cremated the body of the bird and treated him as if he were one of his respected elders or relatives.
This episode illustrates the ideas of compassion and respect. Lord Rama did not belittle Jatayu according to the type of his physical appearance or species. Instead, the Lord appreciated Jatayu according to his actions and intentions. The death of Jatayu shows us that the goodness or devotion of people or creatures is independent of their forms.
5 Important Life Lessons We Learn From Jatayu
Jatayu’s sacrifice is not only one significant episode of the Ramayana but is also the source of many lessons that hold true to this day.
1. Courage to Resist Injustice: Jatayu realized that Ravana was a mighty king, but still he decided to challenge him. Jatayu was not indifferent towards the pain of Sita nor a passive spectator. This example tells us that courage is about opposing something wrong, even if it is challenging. We must not be silent witnesses to injustice, when we can assist someone.
2. Age Is No Measure of Strength: Being old, Jatayu was no more physically strong as before. However, the point worth noting here is that his age did not come in the way when it came to doing the right thing. The story of Jatayu teaches us the lesson that strength may sometimes mean experience, determination, self-confidence, and a sense of responsibility.
3. Significance of Loyalty: The friendship of Jatayu and King Dasharatha continued even after the latter's demise. His commitment to save Sita reveals the meaning of loyalty in action rather than mere talks. This aspect of the story finds resonance in another important personality of the Ramayana - Lord Hanuman. You can explore this further in Hanuman: The God of Strength, Devotion, and Protection.
4. Selfless Service and Sacrifice: Jatayu never expected any award or accolade for helping Sita. The bird came forth to do its duty since he felt that it was his responsibility to help someone in danger. The selflessness of Jatayu tells us that service springs from kindness and compassion towards another. Service which is done out of compassion and without seeking any compensation is the highest form of good.
5. Good Deed Over Physical Power: Though Jatayu could not defeat Ravana physically, his deed was not futile at all. He helped in rescuing Sita, slowed down the evil intentions of Ravana and gave Lord Rama useful information about the kidnapping of Sita. From the story of Jatayu, we understand that victory may not necessarily mean physical victory, sometimes even an honest attempt counts a lot.
You can explore 7 Brass Idols Every Spiritual Home Must Have to learn more about the significance of different deities and their representations.
Conclusion
The story of Jatayu from Ramayana is an example which keeps reminding us that true bravery means feeling responsible and taking stand against one’s own convictions irrespective of the circumstances. It is true that Jatayu could not fight against Ravana or rescue Sita, but his bravery, dedication, and sacrifice were recognized by everyone in the epic.
From the story of Jatayu, we come to know that age, physical strength, and other constraints of life cannot be taken as an excuse for deviating from the right path. The performance of the last rites of Jatayu by Lord Rama stresses the importance of recognizing the people who dedicate themselves generously.
The story has kept motivating people to respect the qualities of bravery, dedication, and devotion.
