“She whom like some sweet herb of grace Thou seekest in this lonely place, Fair lady, is fierce Rávaṇ’s prey, Who took, beside, my life away. Lakshmaṇ and thou had parted hence And left the dame without defence.

In plain words: Jatayu tells Rama that the lady he is searching for has been taken by the fierce demon king Ravana, who has also given Jatayu his fatal wound. It happened when Rama and Lakshmana had both left Sita unprotected.