Jatayu

=== Flight towards the Sun ===

=== Flight towards the Sun ===

During their youth, Jatayu and his elder brother, Sampati, under a wager, flew towards [[Surya]], the solar deity. Jatayu, careless due to his youthfulness, outflew his brother, and entered the Sūryamaṇḍala, the orbit of the Sun, during noon. Due to the blazing heat of Surya, his wings started to get scorched. In a desperate bid to rescue his brother, Sampati flew ahead of him, spreading his wings wide open to shield him. As a consequence, it was Sampati who had his wings burnt, descending towards the Vindhya mountains. Incapacitated, he spent the rest of his life under the protection of a sage named Nishakara, who performed a penance in the mountains. Jatayu never met his brother again.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mani |first=Vettam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mvXsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA351 |title=Puranic Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Work with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature |date=2015-01-01 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0597-2 |pages=351 |language=en}}</ref>

During their youth, Jatayu and his elder brother, Sampati, under a wager, flew towards [[Surya]], the solar deity. Jatayu, careless due to his youthfulness, outflew his brother, and entered the Sūryamaṇḍala, the orbit of the Sun, during noon. Due to the blazing heat of Surya, his wings started to get scorched. In a desperate bid to rescue his brother, Sampati flew ahead of him, spreading his wings wide open to shield him. As a consequence, it was Sampati who had his wings burnt, descending towards the Vindhya mountains. Incapacitated, he spent the rest of his life under the protection of a sage named Nishakara, who performed a penance in the mountains. Jatayu never met his brother again.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mani |first=Vettam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mvXsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA351 |title=Puranic Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Work with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature |date=2015-01-01 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0597-2 |pages=351 |language=en}}</ref>

===Friendship with Dasharatha===

According to legends, [[Dasharatha]], the mighty king of [[Ayodhya]] and [[Rama]]’s father once marched towards [[Shani]] to battle him in order to get rid of his Vakra-Drishti he set upon the fields of Ayodhya. But his divine chariot was shattered mid-space and he began falling down towards the Earth. But, suddenly, Jatayu showed up and saved Dasharatha from falling to death and hence, a great bond of friendship developed between them.

Jatayu and Dasharatha fought alongside each other in the battle of Gods against the demon army of Shambharasura in which Dasharatha, then Nemi, killed Shambharasura. Impressed with his valour, Jatayu and the Gods named him Dasharatha.

=== Battle against Ravana ===

=== Battle against Ravana ===