← 2.59 Discovery of Daśaratha’s death · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.61 Ayodhyā without a King →

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 60: Daśaratha’s body preserved in oil

Summary. Kausalyā blames Kaikeyī, the ministers place the body in an oil trough and await a son before cremation

Sequence

  1. Kausalyā holds Daśaratha's head and bitterly tells Kaikeyī that she now has the unopposed Kingdom she wanted (2.60.1–3)
  2. deprived of both husband and son, she feels abandoned and blames Kaikeyī's ambition for the family's destruction (2.60.4–6)
  3. she worries about Rāma and Sītā and imagines Janaka's grief when he hears what has happened (2.60.7–10)
  4. attendants lead her away (2.60.11–13)
  5. the ministers preserve Daśaratha's body in a trough of oil and guard it, postponing cremation until his son is present (2.60.11–13)
  6. the palace and city continue mourning, and the people openly condemn Kaikeyī. (2.60.14–19)

Verses 2.60.1–19

2.60.1

tam agnim iva saṃśāntam ambuhīnam ivārṇavam
hataprabham ivādityaṃ svargathaṃ prekṣya bhūmipam

Beholding the lord of the earth gone to heaven — like a fire burnt out, like an ocean drained of water, like the sun robbed of its splendor —

Words: tam — him; agnim iva — like a fire; saṃśāntam — extinguished, gone out; ambuhīnam — without water; ivārṇavam — like an ocean; hataprabham — with its radiance destroyed; ivādityaṃ — like the sun; svargathaṃ — gone to heaven; prekṣya — having beheld; bhūmipam — the lord of the earth

2.60.2

kausalyā bāṣpapūrṇākṣī vividhaṃ śokakarśitā
upagṛhya śiro rājñaḥ kaikeyīṃ pratyabhāṣata

Kausalyā, her eyes brimming with tears, wasted by manifold grief, clasping the king's head, addressed Kaikeyī:

Words: kausalyā — Kausalyā; bāṣpapūrṇākṣī — her eyes filled with tears; vividhaṃ — in many ways; śokakarśitā — emaciated with grief; upagṛhya — having clasped, embraced; śiro — the head; rājñaḥ — of the king; kaikeyīṃ — Kaikeyī; pratyabhāṣata — addressed, spoke to

2.60.3

sakāmā bhava kaikeyi bhuṅkṣva rājyam akaṇṭakam
tyaktvā rājānam ekāgrā nṛśaṃse duṣṭacāriṇi

“Have your wish fulfilled, Kaikeyī; enjoy the kingdom free of rivals, having cast off the king and left him alone — you cruel woman of wicked conduct!

Words: sakāmā — with your desire fulfilled; bhava — be; kaikeyi — O Kaikeyī; bhuṅkṣva — enjoy; rājyam — the kingdom; akaṇṭakam — free of thorns, without a rival; tyaktvā — having abandoned; rājānam — the king; ekāgrā — alone, single-minded; nṛśaṃse — O cruel one; duṣṭacāriṇi — O evil-doer, of wicked conduct

2.60.4

vihāya māṃ gato rāmo bhartā ca svargato mama
vipathe sārthahīneva nāhaṃ jīvitum utsahe

Rāma has gone, forsaking me, and my husband has gone to heaven; like a woman left without her caravan on a trackless road, I have no will to live.

Words: vihāya — having abandoned; māṃ — me; gato — has gone; rāmo — Rāma; bhartā — husband; ca — and; svargato — gone to heaven; mama — my; vipathe — on a wrong road, off the path; sārthahīneva — like one bereft of the caravan; nāhaṃ — not I; jīvitum — to live; utsahe — am able, have the will

2.60.5

bhartāraṃ taṃ parityajya kā strī daivatam ātmanaḥ
icchej jīvitum anyatra kaikeyyās tyaktadharmaṇaḥ

What woman, having forsaken that husband who is her very deity, would wish to live — save Kaikeyī, who has cast off all dharma?

Words: bhartāraṃ — husband; taṃ — that; parityajya — having abandoned; kā — what; strī — woman; daivatam — deity; ātmanaḥ — her own; icchej — would wish; jīvitum — to live; anyatra — otherwise than, except; kaikeyyās — than Kaikeyī; tyaktadharmaṇaḥ — who has abandoned dharma

2.60.6

na lubdho budhyate doṣān kiṃ pākam iva bhakṣayan
kubjānimittaṃ kaikeyyā rāghavāṇān kulaṃ hatam

A greedy person does not perceive the evils, like one eating the kiṃpāka fruit; because of the hunchback, by Kaikeyī the lineage of the Rāghavas has been destroyed.

Words: na — not; lubdho — a greedy one; budhyate — perceives; doṣān — the evils, faults; kiṃ pākam — the kiṃpāka fruit (fair but poisonous); iva — like; bhakṣayan — eating; kubjānimittaṃ — on account of the hunchback; kaikeyyā — by Kaikeyī; rāghavāṇān — of the Rāghavas; kulaṃ — the lineage; hatam — destroyed

2.60.7

aniyoge niyuktena rājñā rāmaṃ vivāsitam
sabhāryaṃ janakaḥ śrutvā patitapsyaty ahaṃ yathā

When Janaka hears that Rāma has been banished with his wife by the king who was bound to an improper task, he too will burn with grief, just as I do.

Words: aniyoge — in a matter not to be commanded; niyuktena — appointed, bound; rājñā — by the king; rāmaṃ — Rāma; vivāsitam — banished, sent to exile; sabhāryaṃ — together with his wife; janakaḥ — Janaka; śrutvā — having heard; patitapsyaty — will burn with grief; ahaṃ — I; yathā — as, just as

2.60.8

rāmaḥ kamalapatrākṣo jīvanāśam ito gataḥ
videharājasya sutā tahā sītā tapasvinī
duḥkhasyānucitā duḥkhaṃ vane paryudvijiṣyati

Lotus-eyed Rāma has gone from here to the ruin of his living; and likewise the daughter of Videha's king, poor Sītā, unused to sorrow, will be sorely distressed by misery in the forest.

Words: rāmaḥ — Rāma; kamalapatrākṣo — lotus-petal-eyed; jīvanāśam — to the loss of livelihood; ito — from here; gataḥ — gone; videharājasya — of the king of Videha; sutā — daughter; tahā — likewise; sītā — Sītā; tapasvinī — poor, suffering; duḥkhasyānucitā — unaccustomed to sorrow; duḥkhaṃ — misery, sorrow; vane — in the forest; paryudvijiṣyati — will be sorely distressed, terrified

2.60.9

nadatāṃ bhīmaghoṣāṇāṃ niśāsu mṛgapakṣiṇām
niśamya nūnaṃ saṃstrastā rāghavaṃ saṃśrayiṣyati

Hearing at night the beasts and birds that cry with dreadful voices, surely, terrified, she will cling to Rāghava.

Words: nadatāṃ — of (them) crying, roaring; bhīmaghoṣāṇāṃ — of dreadful cry; niśāsu — in the nights; mṛgapakṣiṇām — of beasts and birds; niśamya — having heard; nūnaṃ — surely; saṃstrastā — terrified; rāghavaṃ — to Rāghava; saṃśrayiṣyati — will cling, take refuge

2.60.10

vṛddhaś caivālpaputraś ca vaidehīm anicintayan
so 'pi śokasamāviṣṭo nanu tyakṣyati jīvitam

And Janaka, aged and with few sons, brooding over Vaidehī, overcome by grief, will surely give up his life too.

Words: vṛddhaś — old; caivālpaputraś — and having few sons; ca — and; vaidehīm — Vaidehī; anicintayan — constantly brooding over; so 'pi — he too; śokasamāviṣṭo — overcome by grief; nanu — surely; tyakṣyati — will give up; jīvitam — life

2.60.11

tāṃ tataḥ saṃpariṣvajya vilapantīṃ tapasvinīm
vyapaninyuḥ suduḥkhārtāṃ kausalyāṃ vyāvahārikāḥ

Then the household attendants, embracing the wretched, lamenting Kausalyā, sorely stricken with grief, led her away.

Words: tāṃ — her; tataḥ — then; saṃpariṣvajya — having embraced; vilapantīṃ — lamenting; tapasvinīm — wretched, poor; vyapaninyuḥ — led away; suduḥkhārtāṃ — sorely afflicted with grief; kausalyāṃ — Kausalyā; vyāvahārikāḥ — the attendants (managing affairs)

2.60.12

tailadroṇyām athāmātyāḥ saṃveśya jagatīpatim
rājñaḥ sarvāṇy athādiṣṭāś cakruḥ karmāṇy anantaram

Then the ministers, laying the lord of the earth in a trough of oil, and duly directed, thereafter performed all the king's rites in order.

Words: tailadroṇyām — in a trough of oil; athāmātyāḥ — then the ministers; saṃveśya — having laid, placed; jagatīpatim — the lord of the earth; rājñaḥ — of the king; sarvāṇy — all; athādiṣṭāś — then, being directed; cakruḥ — performed; karmāṇy — the rites; anantaram — thereafter, one after another

2.60.13

na tu saṃkalanaṃ rājño vinā putreṇa mantriṇaḥ
sarvajñāḥ kartum īṣus te tato rakṣanti bhūmipam

But the wise ministers did not wish to carry out the king's cremation without his son; and so they kept guarding the king's body.

Words: na tu — but not; saṃkalanaṃ — the funeral, cremation; rājño — of the king; vinā — without; putreṇa — the son; mantriṇaḥ — the ministers; sarvajñāḥ — all-knowing, wise; kartum — to do; īṣus — wished, ventured; te — they; tato — therefore, then; rakṣanti — guard, preserve; bhūmipam — the (dead) king

2.60.14

tailadroṇyāṃ tu sacivaiḥ śāyitaṃ taṃ narādhipam
hā mṛto 'yam iti jñātvā striyas tāḥ paryadevayan

And realizing 'Alas, he is dead!' — the lord of men laid by the ministers in the oil-trough — those women wailed aloud.

Words: tailadroṇyāṃ — in the oil-trough; tu — and; sacivaiḥ — by the ministers; śāyitaṃ — laid to rest; taṃ — that; narādhipam — the lord of men; hā — alas; mṛto 'yam — he is dead; iti — thus; jñātvā — having realized; striyas — the women; tāḥ — those; paryadevayan — lamented, wailed

2.60.15

bāhūn udyamya kṛpaṇā netraprasravaṇair mukhaiḥ
rudantyaḥ śokasaṃtaptāḥ kṛpaṇaṃ paryadevayan

Raising their arms, the wretched women, weeping with faces streaming tears from their eyes, tormented by grief, lamented piteously.

Words: bāhūn — their arms; udyamya — having raised; kṛpaṇā — wretched, piteous; netraprasravaṇair — with (faces) that are fountains of the eyes; mukhaiḥ — with faces; rudantyaḥ — weeping; śokasaṃtaptāḥ — burning with grief; kṛpaṇaṃ — piteously; paryadevayan — lamented

2.60.16

niśānakṣatrahīneva strīva bhartṛvivarjitā
purī nārājatāyodhyā hīnā rājñā mahātmanā

Like a night bereft of stars, like a woman deprived of her husband, the city of Ayodhyā, robbed of its great-souled king, gave no radiance.

Words: niśānakṣatrahīneva — like a night bereft of stars; strīva — like a woman; bhartṛvivarjitā — deprived of her husband; purī — the city; nārājatāyodhyā — Ayodhyā did not shine; hīnā — bereft; rājñā — of the king; mahātmanā — the great-souled

2.60.17

bāṣpaparyākulajanā hāhābhūtakulāṅganā
śūnyacatvaraveśmāntā na babhrāja yathāpuram

Its people bewildered with tears, its noble women crying 'Alas!', its squares and houses left desolate, the city no longer shone as before.

Words: bāṣpaparyākulajanā — its people confounded with tears; hāhābhūtakulāṅganā — its noble women crying 'alas!'; śūnyacatvaraveśmāntā — with empty squares and house-interiors; na babhrāja — did not shine; yathāpuram — as before

2.60.18

gataprabhā dyaur iva bhāskaraṃ vinā vyapetanakṣatragaṇeva śarvarī
purī babhāse rahitā mahātmanā na cāsrakaṇṭhākulamārgacatvarā

Like the sky whose brightness is gone without the sun, like a night from which the host of stars has departed, the city appeared, forsaken by its great-souled king, its roads and squares no longer thronged, its throats choked with tears.

Words: gataprabhā — with its splendor gone; dyaur iva — like the sky; bhāskaraṃ — the sun; vinā — without; vyapetanakṣatragaṇeva — like (a night) whose host of stars has departed; śarvarī — night; purī — the city; babhāse — appeared, showed; rahitā — bereft, forsaken; mahātmanā — by the great-souled (king); na cāsrakaṇṭhākulamārgacatvarā — and its streets and squares no longer thronged, throats choked with tears

2.60.19

narāś ca nāryaś ca sametya saṃghaśo vigarhamāṇā bharatasya mātaram
tadā nagaryāṃ naradevasaṃkṣaye babhūvur ārtā na ca śarma lebhire

And the men and women, gathering in throngs and reviling Bharata's mother, were then, at the death of the king, stricken with grief throughout the city, and found no comfort.

Words: narāś ca — and men; nāryaś ca — and women; sametya — having assembled; saṃghaśo — in throngs, in groups; vigarhamāṇā — reviling, censuring; bharatasya — of Bharata; mātaram — the mother; tadā — then; nagaryāṃ — in the city; naradevasaṃkṣaye — at the death of the king (man-god); babhūvur — became; ārtā — afflicted; na ca — and not; śarma — peace, comfort; lebhire — obtained

← 2.59 Discovery of Daśaratha’s death · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.61 Ayodhyā without a King →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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