Jatayu — The Old Warrior of the Sky

Aakaash mein ek budha giddh lad raha tha — akele, Ravan se. Uske pankh kat chuke the, khoon beh raha tha — phir bhi woh Sita ko bachaane ki aakhri koshish mein laga tha.

Jatayu giddhon ka raja tha — Aruna ka beta, Sampati ka bhai. Bachpan mein dono bhaiyon ne hodd lagayi thi — kaun suraj ke zyada paas ud sakta hai. Udate-udate suraj ki garmi badhne lagi — chhote bhai Jatayu jalne lage. Bade bhai Sampati ne apne pankh phaila diye — chhote ko chhaaya di. Sampati ke pankh jal gaye — ve neeche gir pade. Jatayu bach gaya — lekin us din se uske dil mein ek karz tha — bade bhai ka. Budha ho chuka tha Jatayu — lekin uski dosti jawan thi — Ayodhya ke Raja Dasharatha se. Dono ne vachan diya tha — sukh-dukh mein saath nibhaayenge.

Sampati aaj bhi Vindhya parvat par rehte the — jalte pankhon ke saath, apne bhai ka intezaar karte. Dono bhaiyon mein vachan tha — jo pehle mukti paaye, doosre ko sandesh bheje. Jatayu ne yeh vachan nibhaaya — apne praanon ki keemat par.

Dasharatha ke swargwaas ke baad Jatayu Panchavati ke aakaash mein rehta tha — Ram-Sita-Lakshman par door se nazar rakhta tha. 'Dasharatha ka karz hai mujh par,' woh kehta tha, 'uske beton ki raksha mera dharm hai.'

Us din Ravan Sita ka haran karke Pushpaka vimaan mein uda ja raha tha. Sita chilla rahi thin — 'Ram! Lakshman! Bachao!' Jatayu ne suna. Budhi aankhon mein bijli kaundi. Usne vimaan ka peecha kiya — apne budhe pankhon ko aakhri baar poori taakat se phadphadaya — aur Ravan ko lalkara: 'Ravan! Ruk! Dasharatha ke mitra ki sharan mein aayi naari ko chhod de — warna aaj tera ant hai!' Sita ne upar se apne gehne neeche phenke — taaki Ram ko nishaan mile. Jatayu ne dekha — aur samajh gaya, use yeh yuddh jeetna hi hoga.

Phir jo yuddh hua, woh devtaon ne bhi saansen rok kar dekha. Jatayu ne chonch se Ravan ka dhanush tod diya — tukde-tukde. Panjon se Pushpaka vimaan ko noch daala. Ravan ke shareer par ghaav kar diye — khoon behne laga. Budha giddh — akele — teenon lokon ke sabse bhayankar yoddha se bhid gaya tha. Ravan hairan tha — yeh budha itna bal kahan se laata hai? Sita ki aankhon mein aasha ki kiran jaagi — shayad bach jaaun.

Lekin umar umar hoti hai, aur Ravan Ravan tha. Usne apni Chandrahas talwaar nikaali — Shiv se paayi hui divya talwaar — aur ek vaar mein Jatayu ke dono pankh kaat diye. Khoon ka phawwara chhoota. Jatayu aakaash se dharti par gira — tadap raha tha, lekin jeevit tha. Ravan Sita ko lekar ud gaya. Jatayu ne aakaash ki taraf dekha — 'Main haar gaya — lekin sandesh pahunchaana abhi baaki hai.' Usne mrityu ko rok diya — apne praanon ko jakad kar rakha.

Ravan ne jaate-jaate kaha tha — 'Budhe, apni hadd mein rehna seekh.' Jatayu ne khoon thook kar jawaab diya — 'Meri hadd aakaash hai, Ravan — teri Lanka se unchi.' Ravan hans diya — use kya pata tha, yeh budha uski maut ka pehla sandesh banega.

Ram-Lakshman Sita ko dhoondte wahan pahunche — khoon se sana dharti, toote pankh. Jatayu ne toote pankhon se Ram ko dekha — 'Ram... main Dasharatha ka mitra... Jatayu... Ravan... Sita ko dakshin ki taraf le gaya hai... Lanka...' Itna keh kar uski saans ukhadne lagi. Ram ne use god mein liya — aankhon mein aansu — 'Chacha! Tumne pita ka karz chuka diya. Aaj maine phir apne pita ko khoya hai.'

Ram ne swayam Jatayu ka daah-sanskaar kiya — jaise beta pita ka karta hai. Lakdi chuni, ved-mantra padhe, jal diya. Aur vardaan diya — 'Tumhe woh lok milega jo bade-bade tapasviyon ko saalon ki sadhana ke baad milta hai.' Kehte hain, Jatayu ne Ram ke haathon moksha paaya — dharm ke liye ladne waale ko Bhagwan swayam vida karte hain.

Jatayu jaanta tha — woh Ravan se nahi jeet sakta. Phir bhi lada. Kyunki kuch ladaiyan jeetne ke liye nahi ladi jaatin — farz ke liye ladi jaatin hain. Aur dosti nibhaane ke liye umar nahi dekhi jaati — bas dil dekha jaata hai.

Jatayu ke sanskaar ke baad Ram ne pratigya li — 'Jisne meri Sita ke liye praan diye, uske rin se main Ravan ka vadh karke utroon.' Jatayu ki chita ki aag — Lanka-dahan ki pehli chingaari thi.