Bird JATĀYU Aruna

JATAYU,-- A friend and former companion of King Dasaratha who has been turned into a vulture and lives in the woods. He witnesses Ravana abducting Sita and causes his chariot to crash in his attempt to rescue her. Ravana mortally wounds him, but before he dies he manages to inform Rama and Lakshmana of what has happened.

When the three of them, Rama, Lakshman and Sita were going towards Panchavati, on the way they saw a vulture as large as a mountain. At first Shri Rama mistook him for a Rakshasa (demon) when Jatayu introduced himself, “Oh Shri Rama, I am Jatayu, a friend of your father Dashratha. My father is Vinatanandan Drumi, who is a charioteer of the Sun God, Surya. This is my ancestry. Sage Kashyap was given the thirteen daughters of the ten prajapatis in marriage, for the propagation of the Maithuni Srishti (world). One of the thirteen was Tamra; who’s younger daughter Shuki gave birth to Lata who in turn gave birth to Vinata. Vinata had two sons. The first Garuda, who became the celestial vehicle of Lord Vishnu, and the other Aruni who became the Sarathi (charioteer) of Surya (sun god). Aruni had two sons, Sampati and Jatayu, which is I.” In the battle between the Devas and Evil, Indra fought against Shambharasura. Then Indra called for help from Dashratha, the King of Ayodhya. During that battle, I had shielded Dashratha’s forehead by spreading my wings. From then on, Dashratha and I became friends. As you are his son, you are like a son to me too. You have come to live in this dense forest to honor the vow given by your father. Therefore I will help you. For in this forest, there dwell many demons that can miraculously take on various guises, and whenever they get a chance, they eat up humans. Shri Rama venerated Jatayu as he did his own father.