What was the reward given by Sri Rama to Jatayu for fighting Ravana?

Question

Jatayu has a very significant place in the Ramayana epic.

When Jatayu saw the mighty Ravana abducting Sita {Goddess Lakshmi} he put up a courageous fight to free Sita {Goddess Lakshmi}, from the all powerful Ravana.

Jatayu had become very old, by that time, had lost his strength,and knew very well that he was incapable of defeating Ravana.

But, despite being aware of all the dangers to his own life, Jatayu took a selfless stand, to fight the unrighteousness of Ravana, with all his might.

Jatayu fought Ravana, to the best of his abilities, knowing very well, that he would lose his life in the end.

In the end, Jatayu failed in rescuing Sita {Goddess Lakshmi} and died fighting Ravana.

What was the reward given by Sri Rama {God Vishnu} to Jatayu for fighting Ravana?

Answer 1

Sri Rama had performed the final rites of Jatayu and wished him to go to the worlds that can be attained only by righteous people, highly souled people. This incident is described in Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kanda, Sarga 68.

या गतिः यज्ञ शीलानाम् आहित अग्नेः च या गतिः |

अ पर आवर्तिनाम् या च या च भूमि प्रदायिनाम् || ३-६८-२९

मया त्वम् समनुज्ञातो गच्छ लोकान् अनुत्तमान् |

गृध्र राज महा सत्त्व संस्कृतः च मया व्रज || ३-६८-३०

"Oh, greatly mighty king of eagles, by me cremated ritually and by me aptly consented to, you depart to the unexcelled heavenly worlds... you depart to those worlds that are destined for the virtuosos of Vedic-rituals, and to those worlds that are destined for the practisers of ascesis amid Five-Ritual-fires, and to those that are destined for un-retreating combatants, and to those worlds that destined for the donors of lands..." So said Rama to the departed Jataayu. [3-68-29, 30]

One may infer from above Shloka that Jatayu got Moksha.

स गृध्र राजः कृतवान् यशस्करम् सु दुष्करम् कर्म रणे निपातितः |

महर्षि कल्पेन च संस्कृतः तदा जगाम पुण्याम् गतिम् आत्मनः शुभाम् || ३-६८-३७

That king of eagle Jataayu, who has performed a creditworthy deed of stalling and combating Ravana, but who is felled by that Ravana, went away to the merited and auspicious heavenly realms of his own, as and when consecrated by sublime sage like Rama. [3-68-37]