Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 68: Jaṭāyu’s Liberation
Text 3.68.21
अनेकवार्षिको यस्तु चिरकालसमुत्थितः।
सोऽयमद्य हतः शेते कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः॥
aneka-vārṣiko yas tu cira-kāla-samutthitaḥ
so ’yam adya hataḥ śete kālo hi duratikramaḥ
aneka-vārṣikaḥ = lived for many years; yaḥ tu = who; cira-kāla-samutthitaḥ = and who prospered for a long period of time; saḥ ayam = this [bird]; adya = now; hataḥ = slain; śete = lies down; kālaḥ = time; hi = indeed; duratikramaḥ = is insurmountable.
This [bird] who lived for many years and who prospered for a long period of time now lies down, slain. Time is indeed insurmountable!1
1 The very fact that Śrī Vālmīki has chosen to report on such statements indicates that Śrī Rāmāyaṇa is a mokṣa-śāstra, a scripture that promotes the pursuit of liberation.