Sarga 51

Ravana's twenty eyes glowed like fire in anger after Jatayu thus rightly said.

As the bright gold earrings of the intolerant king of demons glittered, his eyes turned red in rage and he pounced upon Jatayu, the lord of birds.

The clash between them was tumultuous and it appeared like the clash of two pieces of clouds in the sky raised by stormy winds.

The duel between Ravana and Jatayu looked as though it was a fight between two huge winged mountains of Malyavan range.

Then the mighty Ravana rained sharp, dreadful shafts, spears and Vikarnis at Jatayu, king of vultures.

Jatayu, lord of the birds, faced the arrows and other weapons showered by Ravana.

The mighty, virtuous vulture with his sharp claws wounded many parts of the body of Ravana.

Ravana in a rage took ten dreadful darts (looking) like the staff of death with a desire to crush the enemy.

The mighty Ravana fully released his dreadful, sharp arrows that went straight and pierced the vulture.

Seeing Sita, daughter of Janaka, on the demon's chariot with eyes full of tears, Jatayu without minding the arrows renewed his attack.

The glorious lord of birds crushed with his feet the bow and arrow of Ravana with pearls and gems encrusted.

Overcome with anger, Ravana took another bow and rained (on him) hundreds and thousands of arrows.

Jatayu, shot with arrows on all sides in the combat, shone like the bird that returned to its nest.

Powerful Jatayu scattered the shower of arrows with his wings and broke down the great bow with his claws.

Mighty Jatayu, lord of the birds, shattered with his wings the armour of Ravana that was glowing like fire.

Powerful Jatayu killed in the combat, the splendid, swiftmoving, devilfaced asses with golden shields yoked to the chariot.

Then he(Jatayu) broke down the great chariot(of Ravana) glowing like fire, glittering with gold and gems, made of three bamboo reeds, and capable of flying wherever the rider willed.

Jatayu violently pulled down the parasol shining like the full moon and the fans of the chariot along with the demons holding them.

Again the glorious, powerful king of birds swiftly shattered the huge head of the charioteer with his beak.

With the bow broken, the chariot destroyed, asses (drawing the chariot) and the charioteer dead, Ravana fell down on the ground holding Vaidehi on his lap.

Seeing Ravana fallen on the ground with his broken chariot, all beings honoured the king of the birds, saying, Well done Well done

Seeing the lord of the flocks of birds exhausted due to age still fighting, Ravana felt glad. He flew back into the sky taking Sita, princess of Mithila, with him.

Seeing Sita, Janaka's daughter, happily carried away into the sky by Ravana on his lap. Jatayu, the mighty king of vultures chased him, and obstructing his path said :

Foolish Ravana, you are kidnapping this lady, wife of Rama, whose arrows can hit like a thunderbolt. This will lead to the destruction of all demons.

You are drinking poison along with all your friends, relatives, ministers, the army and your allies. like a thirsty man drinks water.

Fools who do not know the consequences of their action perish soon. Similarly you are going to die soon.

You are bound by the noose of death like a fish holding on to the bait of the fishing hook. Where can you go now?

O Ravana know that Rama and Lakshmana, the Kakutsthas, are invincible. They will not forgive the asssault you have made on their hermitage.

Your cowardly action will be condemned by the whole world. The path you have chosen is the path of a thief and not of a hero.

O Ravana if you are courageous, tarry awhile and fight with me. Like your brother Khara, you will lie on the ground dead.

You have resorted to unrighteous action like a dying man. This will spell your destruction.

If the consequences of an action be sin, who will do it ? Even the selfborn lord of the world may not.

Brave Jatayu having thus said these cautious words to the demon dashed against his back again and again.

Thereafter, seizing Ravana, Jatayu ascended on his back and pierced his body all over with his sharp claws just as a rider goads an unruly elephant.

Jatayu who had his claws, wings and beak as the only weapons pierced and pricked Ravana all over with his nails by pressing his beak on his back and pulled out his hair.

Thus tormented again and again by the king of vultures, Ravana shook with anger, his lips quivering.

Losing his senses, with rage, Ravana held Vaidehi (Sita) with his left arm and hit Jatayu with his palm.

Then Jatayu, lord of the birds, subduer of enemies, overpowered Ravana and dismembered his ten left arms with his beak.

As the left arms were cut off, there came out from them all the ten arms instantaneously like serpents emitting poisonous flames from anthills

Then the tenheaded Ravana left Sita and attacked Jatayu with his fists and feet out of anger.

Between the warriors of unequal valour, Ravana and Jatayu, the chief of the demons and the foremost of the birds, the fight took place for a moment.

Ravana lifted his sword and cut off both the wings and feet of Jatayu who was fighting relentlessly (for Rama's sake).

(Seriously) wounded and almost dead,the vulture fell down on the ground all at once, when his wings were chipped by the demon of terrible deeds.

Sita, princess of Videha, saw the wounded Jatayu fallen on the ground drenched in blood. Grieving, she ran towards him as if he was her relative.

Lord of Lanka saw that very bold Jatayu of dark blue colour of the cloud, fair chest, fallen on the ground, looking like the forest fire that had been put out.

Sita, daughter of Janaka, whose face was radiant like the Moon once again embraced Jatayu, the winged warrior, fallen on the ground, crushed by Ravana's onslaught and wept. इतयार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे एकपञ्चाशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the fiftyfirst sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.