Haribol. I offer humble respects to the TWO who care about me enough to bestow matchless gifts, if I would only accept them. Some who have viewed this site, those who have no knowledge of Vedic scripture or tradition, have asked why I have depicted Sri Jatayu as the hero, the role model to try to follow in his footsteps. This article will try to show the author's motives.
For story of Sri Jatayu, click here
As described all too briefly, Sri Jatayu's story is one of causeless devotion, without much concern with the success or failure or other attachments to the result of his works. He simply performed service to the servant, Srimati Sitadevi, of the Supreme Lord Ramachandra. He noticed that such a Pure Lover of the Supreme Lord was placed in a difficult position by one, Ravanasura, who was thinking of himself as divine. Ravana could never conceive that something or someone was beyond his control, therefore, he laid waste the entire universe before him. Sri Jatayu, knower of the TRUE, that is, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the summum bonum Absolute Truth and One without competitor, acted immediately upon sensing false dogma before his blind eyes. Srimati Sitadevi's cries of "Rama, Rama, Rama" were all the instructions he needed.
Although he was retired, resting after thousands of years keeping lies away from his Kingdom of Sound Vibration, he, nevertheless, was commissioned to again go to war. As described in the story, he gave Ravana the fourth most formidible enemy, following Sita, Rama, and Sri Hanuman, in that order.The Demon King Ravana had no respect for the ancient Vulture King, and, even though until that time he had never even felt pain due to battle, still, though insane from shock and severely injured, paid Sri Jatayu no tribute. As he flew on, still thinking that Sita would someday give up Rama and become his, the vanquished Sri Jatayu became the beloved of Ravana"s captive prisoner, Srimati Sitadevi, the embodiment of the Internal Potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Sri Jatayu did not die a horrible warrior's death, Sri Ramachandra held him in His arms. Some may think that his mission was misadventure and that he should have known that he couldn't take on such a powerful foe, should have known that his imperfections, his age, his blindness, etc., would lead to his defeat. For all intents and purposes, from a materialistic point of view, Sri Jatayu was a failure.Those who possess only materialistic viewpoints, however, are also like Ravana (minus any power), that is, they think that their own wills will be done. They have no conception of the VICTORY ultimately awaiting humble servants of the loving associates of the Supreme Lord. The Ravanas of the world seek perfection by amassing their own power, their own fame, their own wealth, their own knowledge, their own beauty, and their own liberation. Yet, because Sri Yamaraja of green hue, riding on buffalo and dangling diamond noose to naturally drag us all to the realm of death, cares nothing of the opulences we amass, the Ravanas are left without even a memory of past accomplishments, some even thrown into the light of non-existance, the ultimate spiritual death.
Sri Yamaraja came to Sri Jatayu, too, but because he was being cared for by Yama's worshipable Lord Sri Ramachandra, he placed his noose back in it's pouch and congratulated the Vulture King, singing "Rama, Rama, Rama". The TRUE, known by Sri Jatayu, is not only that the absolute truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but that the path to His Realm is the journey to beneath the straw in the street, to humbly act always, despite disqualification, in His loving service.
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