Seeing the vulture lying on the ground thrown down by the fierce demon, Rama said to friendly Lakshmana:

Struck down by the demon in the combat on my account this bird is going to give up his life which is indeed difficult.

O Lakshmana, it appears he is frightened and is experiencing excruciating pain in the body. His voice sounds faint, too.

O Jatayu If you are still able to speak, tell me about Sita and about how you have been struck down.

Why did Ravana abduct Sita? What fault did he find with me so that he kidnapped my beloved ?

O best of birds how did her delightful, Moonlike face look when she was hijacked. What did she say at that time?

O father how powerful is that demon ? How does he look?What work does he do? Where does he dwell? Do answer my questions?

Thereafter Jatayu, a piteous soul, looked up at Rama who was crying incessantly and said this in a feeble voice:

Ravana, the lord of the demons created violent winds through terrific magic and whisked her away in the sky.

O my child when I was exhausted, that demon cut off my wings and carried Sita off in the southern direction.

O scion of the Raghu race, I am gasping for breath. My eyes are reeling. I see root hair growing on the tops of golden trees.

The time Ravana kidnapped Sita is known as 'Vinda'. The effect (of that time), is that her husband will regain his lost wealth. O scion of the Kakutstha race he (Ravana )did not know it.

Ravana, king of the demons, will perish soon for running away with your beloved Janaki just like a fish carrying away a fishhook (which causes its destruction).

You need not worry about Janaka's daughter. You will soon enjoy the company of your beloved, Vaidehi after killing that demon.

As he(Jatayu) was speaking to Rama with an alert mind even while dying, blood mixed with flesh started oozing from Jatayu's mouth.

Ravana was Visrava's son and Vaisravana's (Kubera's) brother, said Jatayu and gave up his rare life.

As Rama was saying to the vulture with folded palms 'Tell me, tell me'( about Ravana) the life breath of the vulture soared into the sky leaving the body.

Then Jatayu dropped his head down, his feet thrown about, his body outstretched on earth.

Stricken with deep grief, his eyes red (with tears) Rama saw the vulture looking like a mountain. Seeing him dead, he said to Lakshmana:

Dwelling for many years happily in Dandaka forest, the abode of demons, the bird lost his life (on our account).

This Jatayu, who lived for long years, is lying dead now. (The dictate of) destiny is inescapable.

O Lakshmana, see this Jatayu, my benefactor, killed by the powerful Ravana while he was reaching out to help Sita.

This lord of the birds left his ancestral kingdom of viltures and gave up life for my sake.

O Lakshmana valiant souls and protectors, being righteous and honest are found even among animals and birds.

O scorcher of enemies, O handsome Lakshmana the grief I experience due to Jatayu's death on my account is more intense than Sita's abduction.

This lord of the birds for me is as worthy of reverence and honour as the famous and prosperous king Dasaratha.

O Saumitri fetch firewood. I shall generate fire by rubbing them and cremate the king of the birds who has laid down his life for my sake.

O scion of the Raghus I will place the body of the lord of the world of birds, killed by the fierce demon, on the funeral pyre and crimate him with honour.

O mighty lord of the birds by my grace attain the state of those who perform sacrifices, who kindle and maintain sacrificial fires, who beat no retreat from the battlefield and who offer land in charity. Purified by my offering of fire, you may depart for the best of the worlds.

O mighty lord of the birds by my grace attain the state of those who perform sacrifices, who kindle and maintain sacrificial fires, who beat no retreat from the battlefield and who offer land in charity. Purified by my offering of fire, you may depart for the best of the worlds.

Thus said, righteous Rama laid him on the pyre and sadly cremated the lord of the birds as one would do to his own relative.

Then the mighty Rama, accompanied by Saumitri, got into the forest and killed a huge deer, brought it and spread it as an offering (to the dead Jatayu).

Tearing the flesh of the deer to pieces and making them into balls, the celebrated Rama laid it on a lovely, green grassy land as offering to the bird.

Rama muttered the mantras recommended by brahmins for dead mortals as one would do for his father, to help him ascend to heaven.

Then both the princes went down to river Godavari and offered libations for the king of vultures.

Thereafter both the scions of the Raghu dynasty bathed in water, offered libations for the king of vultures as ordained in the scriptures.

The king of vultures had performed a very difficult and glorious feat by laying down his life fighting. Sanctified by Rama's offering as laid down in scriptures by the seers, he attained a holy, auspicious and divine state of the self.

Rama and Lakshmana, like two lords of gods, Indra and Visnu, offered libations for the great bird with their settled minds and concentrated and then entered deeper into the forest turning their attention to the search for Sita. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे अष्टषष्टितमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the sixtyeighth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.