Jatayu

Jatayu (Sanskrit: जटायुः, IAST: Jaṭāyuḥ) is a demigod in the

Jatayu
Hindu epic Ramayana, who has the form of either an eagle or a
vulture.[1] He is the younger son of Aruṇa and his wife Shyeni,
the brother of Sampati, as well as the nephew of Garuda. He is
also an old friend of King Dasharatha, Rama's father.

Legend

Flight towards the

Sun

During their youth, Jatayu

and his elder brother,
Sampati, under a wager,
flew towards Surya, the
solar deity. Jatayu, careless
Rama and Lakshmana meet a dying due to his youthfulness, Ravana cuts off Jatayu's wing while
Jatayu. outflew his brother, and
abducting Sita
entered the Sūryamaṇḍala,
the orbit of the Sun, during Texts Ramayana and its other
noon. Due to the blazing heat of Surya, his wings started to get versions
scorched. In a desperate bid to rescue his brother, Sampati flew Personal information
ahead of him, spreading his wings wide open to shield him. As a
consequence, it was Sampati who had his wings burnt, descending Parents Aruna (father)
towards the Vindhya mountains. Incapacitated, he spent the rest of Shyeni (mother)
his life under the protection of a sage named Nishakara, who
Siblings Sampati
performed a penance in the mountains. Jatayu never met his
brother again.[2]

Battle against Ravana

The Araṇya-Kāṇḍa of the Ramayana mentions that Jatayu is the "King of Vultures"(gṛdhrarāja).[3]
According to the epic, the rakshasa Ravana was abducting the avatar of Lakshmi, Sita, when Jatayu tried to
rescue her. Jatayu fought valiantly with Ravana, but as Jatayu was very old, Ravana soon defeated him,
clipping his wings, and Jatayu descended upon the earth. Rama and Lakshmana, while searching for Sita,
chanced upon the stricken and dying Jatayu, who informed them of
the battle with Ravana, and told them that Ravana had headed
south. Jatayu then died of his wounds and Rama performed his
final funeral rites.[4][5]

Veneration
According to local lore of Kerala, it is believed that
Jatayu fell on the rocks in Chadayamangalam in the
Kollam district of Kerala after his wings were clipped off
by Ravana. The name "Chadayamangalam" is said to
be derived from "Jatayu-mangalam". Jatayu Earth's
Center Nature Park in Chadayamangalam features a 61
metres (200 ft) wide statue of Jatayu, which is credited
as the world's largest bird sculpture.[6]
Lepakshi in Andhra Pradesh is also attributed as the
place where Jatayu fell after being wounded by Ravana.
Rama is said to have commanded the bird to rise, saying
Le Pakshi (literally: "Get up, Bird" in Telugu), hence the
Ravana kills Jatayu.
name for the village.[7][8]
Vijayaraghava Perumal temple in Thiruputkuli, Tamil
Nadu is associated with Jatayu because the presiding
deity, Vijayaraghava Perumal (a form of Rama), is
believed to have performed the last rites of Jataya at this
place. The water body where Jatayu fell is called Jatayu
Tirtham.[4][5]
Thirupullabhoothangudi Temple in Pullabhoothangudi,
Tamil Nadu is also claimed as the location of Jatayu's
last rites.[9]

Jaṭayu sculpture at Jaṭāyū Nature

See also Park

Garuda
Sampati
Jatayu Nature Park

References
1. www.wisdomlib.org (15 June 2012). "Jatayu, Jaṭāyu, Jatāyū: 19 definitions" (https://www.wis
domlib.org/definition/jatayu). www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
2. www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Jaṭāyu" (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduis
m/compilation/puranic-encyclopaedia/d/doc241647.html). www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved
1 November 2022.
3. daśagrīvasthito dharme purāṇe satyasaṃśrayaḥ jaṭāyur nāma nāmnāhaṃ gṛdhrarājo
mahābalaḥ — Ramayana 3.048.003
4. K.V., Raman; T., Padmaja (1995). Indian Epic Values: Rāmāyaṇa and Its Impact:
Proceedings of the 8th International Rāmāyaạ Conference (https://books.google.com/book
s?id=EVnK3q48dL0C&dq=veeraraghava+perumal+temple&pg=PA86). Peeters Publishers.
p. 86. ISBN 9789068317015.
 5. C., Chandramouli (2003). Temples of Tamil Nadu Kancheepuram District. Directorate of
Census Operations, Tamil Nadu.
6. "Kerala tourism to unveil world's largest bird sculpture" (https://www.thequint.com/hotwire-te
xt/kerala-tourism-to-unveil-world-s-largest-bird-sculpture). The Quint. 23 May 2018.
Retrieved 25 May 2018.
7. "Lepakshi: Where Jatayu fell" (https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/igatpuri-a-serene-geta
way/articleshow/22038400.cms). Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
8. "Lepakshi Temple - Lepakshi:: The Treasure House of Art and Sculpture" (https://web.archiv
e.org/web/20120328103155/http://www.lepakshitemple.com/index.php?option=com_content
&view=article&id=52&Itemid=27). Archived from the original (http://www.lepakshitemple.co
m/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=27) on 28 March 2012.
Retrieved 3 July 2012.
9. R., Dr. Vijayalakshmy (2001). An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and
Tivviyappirapantam (https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZY2lZpy.TVA_B
OK_0006115) (1st ed.). Chennai: International Institute of Tamil Studies. pp. 530–1.

Bibliography
Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola
Ramayana (ISBN 0-89744-930-4) by C. Rajagopalachari

External links
The Hindu. Rama’s paratva (http://www.thehindu.com/society/faith/ramas-paratva/article198
72446.ece).

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