Brave Jatayu

Jatayu was sitting on a tree he used to sit usually

Pecking at a fish that he had caught, casually

Suddenly, he heard Mother Sita’s wail very loud

He turned to see Mother Sita on a golden cloud

Jatayu was surprised on seeing the golden object, that could fly

On seeing his daughter-like Sita being abducted, his anger was high

Forcefully holding Her was a man dark, tall, and with ten heads

Jatayu was incensed beyond a limit by Mother Sita’s tear sheds

The man was grasping Mother Sita by Her hair

On seeing that Jatayu's anger was a furious flare

The man showed no mercy to Mother Sita's pleads

Jatayu wanted to wreck the man's heads like weeds

Jatayu saw no shame or mercy in the man's faces that were cruel

To Jatayu's anger, the arrogance exhibited by the man, was a fuel

Wanting to stop the man from getting away, Jatayu took flight

To give courage to wailing Mother Sita, Jatayu picked up a fight

“Stop! You coward! Philanderer and thief!

Wait for Her Husband, for a moment brief

If truly, you have any pride in your valour

Do not behave with a fox’s demeanour

You are that Ravana, king of Lanka! Are you not?

How could you act so stupid, without fore thought?

What you are doing is nothing but suicide

Rama will wreck the island in which you reside

I’ve heard stories about how wicked and stupid you are

Now you demonstrate that by abducting Her, in Your car

First play with Rama and Lakshman the valour game

Win! And then take Her, if You have any shame”

Ravana was keen on escaping and therefore gave no reply

Jatayu was incensed, and some violence, he did apply

He jumped on to Ravana’s chest plunging his claws

And pecked Ravana on all his heads, for his flaws

Ravana was irritated heavily by this unexpected obstacle

He could not proceed further caught by Jatayu’s tentacle

Blood sprouted from Ravana’s heads and eyes

He decided to kill the bird, in his path, that vies

Jatayu by then knocked Ravana’s all ten crowns down

Ravana’s eyes rolled in anger like the crowns that rolled down

Ravana snatched his knife and stabbed Jatayu vehemently

Though hurt very bad, Jatayu put up a fight more ardently

Jatayu clung on to Ravana’s chest and never left

Ravana’s hope of getting away was almost bereft

It was getting late, and Ravana was caught by fear

That Lord Rama and Lakshman would be coming near

He had heard in detail about Lord Rama’s strength

Maricha had explained about it to him, in length

Out of fear and anger, He took a powerful sword

And cut off the left wing off the dutiful bird

Jatayu lost his balance and helplessly fell

Assurance, to crying Sita, he could not tell

He saw, as he fell, Mother Sita with tears stretching Her hand

Heart broken for not being able to help, he hit the land

Jatayu prayed desperately that he must not die

Hoping Lord Rama would come soon, he did lie

Mother Sita’s wailing lay heavily on his heart

Though he knew, he did his best on his part

Lord Rama with Lakshman was walking south

Silence was decorating His ever truthful mouth

Mother Sita was decorating His beautiful mind

Whom He knew not, how He was going to find

As They went, drops of blood on the way, they saw

Dropping down from a tree, it was fresh and raw

They saw a little further, a flag, on which a Veena was drawn

They knew it was a clue to where the abductor was gone

As They walked a little more, They saw a crown

On seeing its white pearls, Lord Rama did frown

“This crown belongs to that wicked and cowardly abductor

Who, to his own people and land, is going to be the destructor”

Leaving the crown behind, they walked further south watching

The sun above was high, and it was to a great extent scorching

On the way, at some distance, They saw a body of a beast lying

When They went close, They saw Their beloved Jatayu was dying

Jatayu had wounds all over his body, shedding profuse blood

He had shed so much blood that the land around him was red

Without one of his wings, his body was looking like an oval jar

He was so weak that his moaning could not be heard from far

When Lord Rama called out to him, he replied weakly

Feeling relieved on seeing The Brothers, he talked meekly

“Rama! Lakshman! Where have You both been?

In protecting Gentle Sita, should You not be keen?”

On seeing the bird struggle, Lord Rama shed tears

He lifted the bird, and on his laps, he placed its rears

“Jatayu! My dear uncle! Who has done this to you?

My father is dead, Sita is lost, and now it is going to be you!”

“Rama! Don’t cry! Be brave and act very fast

I do not have much time left to breathe my last

Ravana, king of Lanka, has abducted Her by force

Having a flying object at hand, the sky way, he chose

But, do not think, She is lost to You for ever

Vindham, the time She was stolen, has some power

In that time if anything is lost, it cannot be lost for long

Realising this, search for Her, and always remain strong

Use Your weapons and wisdom; never become weakened

Make Ravana regret, for this incident to have happened

Promise me that You will win Her back without fail

In my ears echo Your names, She called to no avail”

“I promise, I will!” A crying Lord Rama strongly said

As He was wiping, from Jatayu’s wounds, flowing blood

Lord Rama realised, to protect Mother Sita, Jatayu had fought

Trying to defend Mother Sita, death on himself, Jatayu had brought

After hearing Lord Rama’s promise, Jatayu breathed his last

And attained the highest world, coveted by sages, very fast

The gates of the highest world opened and gave him gap

For, he was a lucky soul who had died on The Lord’s Lap

Lord Rama’s love for Jatayu was already deep

On seeing Jatayu’s loyalty, further love did seep

Lord Rama shed tears of love and regret ceaselessly

Feeling miserable about watching Jatayu die helplessly

After much crying, Lord Rama decided to do the ritual cremation

And offer, to the departed soul, water and sesame as oblation

Lord Rama’s regret, that He could not cremate His father, went

Being able to act like a son for Jatayu; great satisfaction it lent

Lord Rama lifted Jatayu and held him in His Hand

And waited till Lakshman readied the pyre stand

Jatayu’s body on the woods, He gently laid

Showering flowers on it, His homage He paid

He then set fire to it and stood by crying, profuse

And watched the smoke rise into the sky and suffuse

Once the body was burned to ashes, He collected them

Went to a nearby river, and chanting mantras, dissolved them

In offering to Jatayu’s soul, sesame seeds and water He gave

Praying that, the soul from hunger and thirst, it must save

He then chanted mantras for the welfare of the soul

And that made the cremation ritual complete and whole

Thus Jatayu fought bravely and gave up his life for Ram

Like a father, he died, on Lord Rama’s lap that was warm

Jatayu from heaven watched his body, cremated by Ram

Melting and in gratitude saying, “Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!”