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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 70: Daśaratha’s cremation

Summary. The body is lifted from oil and carried to a fragrant-wood pyre, the family offers water in the Sarayū and begins ten days of mourning

Sequence

  1. Vasiṣṭha tells Bharata that the pretakārya (rites for the deceased) can no longer be delayed (2.70.1–3)
  2. the body is lifted from the oil and placed on an ornamented couch (2.70.4–5)
  3. Bharata grieves over the decisions made during his absence and asks who will now protect the Kingdom (2.70.6–9)
  4. Vasiṣṭha brings him back to the necessary rites, and the sacred fires are carried ahead of the procession (2.70.10–13)
  5. attendants bear the body out as wealth and garments are distributed along the road → a pyre is built from fragrant woods (2.70.14–16)
  6. the ṛtvijs place Daśaratha upon it with offerings and Sāman chants, while the Queens follow in palanquins (2.70.17–19)
  7. the ṛtvijs and Queens circle the burning pyre, keeping Daśaratha to their left and then go to the Sarayū to offer water → the family observes ten days of mourning on the ground. (2.70.20–23)

Verses 2.70.1–23

2.70.1

tam evaṃ śokasaṃtaptaṃ bharataṃ kekayīsutam
uvāca vadatāṃ śreṣṭho vasiṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭhavāg ṛṣiḥ

To that Bharata, son of Kekayī, thus consumed with grief, Vasiṣṭha—best of speakers, the sage of most excellent speech—spoke.

Words: tam — him; evaṃ — thus; śokasaṃtaptaṃ — consumed with grief; bharataṃ — Bharata; kekayīsutam — son of Kekayī; uvāca — spoke; vadatāṃ — of speakers; śreṣṭho — best; vasiṣṭhaḥ — Vasiṣṭha; śreṣṭhavāg — of most excellent speech; ṛṣiḥ — the sage

2.70.2

alaṃ śokena bhadraṃ te rājaputra mahāyaśaḥ
prāptakālaṃ narapateḥ kuru saṃyānam uttaram

“Enough of grief—blessings on you, O illustrious prince; perform now the timely final rites of the lord of men.

Words: alaṃ — enough; śokena — of grief; bhadraṃ te — blessings on you; rājaputra — O prince; mahāyaśaḥ — O greatly renowned; prāptakālaṃ — timely, whose time has come; narapateḥ — of the lord of men, the king; kuru — perform; saṃyānam — the final procession, funeral rite; uttaram — subsequent, final

2.70.3

vasiṣṭhasya vacaḥ śrutvā bharato dhāraṇāṃ gataḥ
pretakāryāṇi sarvāṇi kārayām āsa dharmavit

Hearing Vasiṣṭha's words, Bharata regained his composure and, knower of dharma, had all the funeral rites performed.

Words: vasiṣṭhasya — of Vasiṣṭha; vacaḥ — the words; śrutvā — having heard; bharato — Bharata; dhāraṇāṃ — composure, self-command; gataḥ — attained, came to; pretakāryāṇi — the funeral rites; sarvāṇi — all; kārayām āsa — had performed; dharmavit — the knower of dharma

2.70.4

uddhṛtaṃ tailasaṃkledāt sa tu bhūmau niveśitam
āpītavarṇavadanaṃ prasuptam iva bhūmipam

The king—raised from the oil in which he had been steeped and laid upon the ground, his face pale of hue, as though fast asleep—

Words: uddhṛtaṃ — raised, lifted; tailasaṃkledāt — from the soaking in oil; sa — he (the king); tu — and; bhūmau — on the ground; niveśitam — laid, set down; āpītavarṇavadanaṃ — his face of pale, yellowish hue; prasuptam — fast asleep; iva — as if; bhūmipam — the king

2.70.5

niveśya śayane cāgrye nānāratnapariṣkṛte
tato daśarathaṃ putro vilalāpa suduḥkhitaḥ

having laid Daśaratha on a splendid couch adorned with all manner of jewels, the son, sorely stricken, then lamented over him:

Words: niveśya — having laid down; śayane — on a couch; cāgrye — and splendid, foremost; nānāratnapariṣkṛte — adorned with various jewels; tato — then; daśarathaṃ — Daśaratha; putro — the son; vilalāpa — lamented; suduḥkhitaḥ — sorely grieved

2.70.6

kiṃ te vyavasitaṃ rājan proṣite mayy anāgate
vivāsya rāmaṃ dharmajñaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābalam

“What did you resolve, O king, while I was abroad and had not yet come back—banishing righteous Rāma and mighty Lakṣmaṇa?

Words: kiṃ — what; te — by you; vyavasitaṃ — was resolved, determined; rājan — O king; proṣite — while (I was) away abroad; mayy — when I; anāgate — had not returned; vivāsya — having banished; rāmaṃ — Rāma; dharmajñaṃ — the knower of dharma; lakṣmaṇaṃ — Lakṣmaṇa; ca — and; mahābalam — mighty

2.70.7

kva yāsyasi mahārāja hitvemaṃ duḥkhitaṃ janam
hīnaṃ puruṣasiṃhena rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā

Where will you go, O great king, forsaking these grieving folk, bereft of Rāma, the lion among men, of untiring deeds?

Words: kva — where; yāsyasi — will you go; mahārāja — O great king; hitvemaṃ — forsaking these; duḥkhitaṃ — grieving; janam — people, folk; hīnaṃ — bereft, deprived; puruṣasiṃhena — of the lion among men; rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā — of Rāma of untiring deeds

2.70.8

yogakṣemaṃ tu te rājan ko 'smin kalpayitā pure
tvayi prayāte svas tāta rāme ca vanam āśrite

Who now, O king, will provide for welfare and safety in this city, once you have departed to heaven, father, and Rāma has taken to the forest?

Words: yogakṣemaṃ — welfare and security (gain and its keeping); tu — but, now; te — your; rājan — O king; ko — who; 'smin — in this; kalpayitā — will provide, arrange; pure — city; tvayi — you; prayāte — having departed; svas — to heaven; tāta — father, dear one; rāme — Rāma; ca — and; vanam — the forest; āśrite — having resorted to

2.70.9

vidhavā pṛthivī rājaṃs tvayā hīnā na rājate
hīnacandreva rajanī nagarī pratibhāti mām

Widowed and bereft of you, O king, the earth shines no more; the city appears to me like a night without its moon.

Words: vidhavā — widowed; pṛthivī — the earth; rājaṃs — O king; tvayā — of you, by you; hīnā — bereft; na — not; rājate — shines; hīnacandreva — like (a night) whose moon is gone; rajanī — night; nagarī — the city; pratibhāti — appears; mām — to me

2.70.10

evaṃ vilapamānaṃ taṃ bharataṃ dīnamānasaṃ
abravīd vacanaṃ bhūyo vasiṣṭhas tu mahān ṛṣiḥ

To that Bharata thus lamenting, downcast in mind, the great sage Vasiṣṭha spoke once again these words:

Words: evaṃ — thus; vilapamānaṃ — lamenting; taṃ — him; bharataṃ — Bharata; dīnamānasaṃ — downcast in mind; abravīd — spoke; vacanaṃ — words; bhūyo — again; vasiṣṭhas — Vasiṣṭha; tu — and; mahān — the great; ṛṣiḥ — sage

2.70.11

pretakāryāṇi yāny asya kartavyāni viśāmpateḥ
tāny avyagraṃ mahābāho kriyatām avicāritam

“The funeral rites that must be done for this lord of the people—let them be carried out, O mighty-armed one, calmly and without hesitation.

Words: pretakāryāṇi — the funeral rites; yāny — which; asya — of this one, his; kartavyāni — to be done; viśāmpateḥ — of the lord of the people; tāny — them; avyagraṃ — calmly, without agitation; mahābāho — O mighty-armed; kriyatām — let it be done; avicāritam — without deliberation, unhesitatingly

2.70.12

tatheti bharato vākyaṃ vasiṣṭhasyābhipūjya tat
ṛtvikpurohitācāryāṃs tvarayām āsa sarvaśaḥ

Saying “So be it,” Bharata honored that word of Vasiṣṭha and urged on the ritual priests, house-priests and preceptors on every side.

Words: tatheti — 'so be it'; bharato — Bharata; vākyaṃ — the word; vasiṣṭhasyābhipūjya — having honored... of Vasiṣṭha; tat — that; ṛtvikpurohitācāryāṃs — the ritual priests, house-priests and preceptors; tvarayām āsa — urged on, hastened; sarvaśaḥ — on every side, wholly

2.70.13

ye tv agrato narendrasya agny agārād bahiṣkṛtāḥ
ṛtvigbhir yājakaiś caiva te hriyante yathāvidhi

And the sacred fires, brought out from the fire-house in front of the king, were carried by the ritual priests and the officiants according to rule.

Words: ye — which (fires); tv — and; agrato — in front; narendrasya — of the king; agny agārād — from the fire-house; bahiṣkṛtāḥ — brought outside; ṛtvigbhir — by the ritual priests; yājakaiś — by the officiants; caiva — and; te — they, those; hriyante — are carried; yathāvidhi — according to rule

2.70.14

śibilāyām athāropya rājānaṃ gatacetanam
bāṣpakaṇṭhā vimanasas tam ūhuḥ paricārakāḥ

Then, having lifted the lifeless king onto a bier, the attendants, their throats choked with tears and downcast, bore him.

Words: śibilāyām — onto the bier; athāropya — then having lifted up; rājānaṃ — the king; gatacetanam — lifeless, his consciousness gone; bāṣpakaṇṭhā — their throats choked with tears; vimanasas — downcast, dejected; tam — him; ūhuḥ — bore, carried; paricārakāḥ — the attendants

2.70.15

hiraṇyaṃ ca suvarṇaṃ ca vāsāṃsi vividhāni ca
prakiranto janā mārgaṃ nṛpater agrato yayuḥ

Scattering silver and gold and garments of many kinds along the road, the people went ahead of the king.

Words: hiraṇyaṃ — silver, unwrought gold; ca — and; suvarṇaṃ — gold; ca — and; vāsāṃsi — garments; vividhāni — of many kinds; ca — and; prakiranto — scattering; janā — the people; mārgaṃ — along the road; nṛpater — of the king; agrato — in front, ahead; yayuḥ — went

2.70.16

candanāguruniryāsān saralaṃ padmakaṃ tathā
devadārūṇi cāhṛtya citāṃ cakrus tathāpare

And others, fetching resins of sandal and aloe, pine, padmaka-wood, and deodar logs, built the pyre.

Words: candanāguruniryāsān — resins of sandal and aloe; saralaṃ — pine (sarala wood); padmakaṃ — padmaka wood; tathā — and, likewise; devadārūṇi — deodar logs; cāhṛtya — and having fetched; citāṃ — the pyre; cakrus — made, built; tathāpare — and others likewise

2.70.17

gandhān uccāvacāṃś cānyāṃs tatra dattvātha bhūmipam
tataḥ saṃveśayām āsuś citāmadhye tam ṛtvijaḥ

Having placed there fragrant substances of high and low sorts and other things, the ritual priests then laid the king in the midst of the pyre.

Words: gandhān — fragrant substances, perfumes; uccāvacāṃś — of high and low kinds, of every sort; cānyāṃs — and others; tatra — there; dattvātha — having placed, then; bhūmipam — the king; tataḥ — then; saṃveśayām āsuś — laid down, placed; citāmadhye — in the midst of the pyre; tam — him; ṛtvijaḥ — the ritual priests

2.70.18

tathā hutāśanaṃ hutvā jepus tasya tadartvijaḥ
jaguś ca te yathāśāstraṃ tatra sāmāni sāmagāḥ

Then, having offered oblation into the fire, his ritual priests murmured their prayers for him, and the Sāman-singers chanted the Sāman-verses there according to scripture.

Words: tathā — then, so; hutāśanaṃ — the fire (oblation-eater); hutvā — having offered oblation; jepus — murmured (prayers); tasya — his, for him; tadartvijaḥ — then the ritual priests; jaguś — chanted; ca — and; te — they; yathāśāstraṃ — according to scripture; tatra — there; sāmāni — the Sāman-verses; sāmagāḥ — the Sāman-singers

2.70.19

śibikābhiś ca yānaiś ca yathārhaṃ tasya yoṣitaḥ
nagarān niryayus tatra vṛddhaiḥ parivṛtās tadā

And his women, in palanquins and carriages according to their rank, then went forth from the city, surrounded by elders.

Words: śibikābhiś — in palanquins; ca — and; yānaiś — in carriages; ca — and; yathārhaṃ — according to rank, as befitting; tasya — his; yoṣitaḥ — the women; nagarān — from the city; niryayus — went forth; tatra — there; vṛddhaiḥ — by elders; parivṛtās — surrounded; tadā — then

2.70.20

prasavyaṃ cāpi taṃ cakrur ṛtvijo 'gnicitaṃ nṛpam
striyaś ca śokasaṃtaptāḥ kausalyā pramukhās tadā

And the ritual priests circled the king, now laid upon the fire, keeping him to their left, as did the women consumed with grief, led by Kausalyā.

Words: prasavyaṃ — leftwards (keeping to the left); cāpi — and also; taṃ — him; cakrur — made (the circling); ṛtvijo — the ritual priests; 'gnicitaṃ — laid upon the fire; nṛpam — the king; striyaś — the women; ca — and; śokasaṃtaptāḥ — consumed with grief; kausalyā — Kausalyā; pramukhās — led by, foremost; tadā — then

2.70.21

krauñcīnām iva nārīṇāṃ ninādas tatra śuśruve
ārtānāṃ karuṇaṃ kāle krośantīnāṃ sahasraśaḥ

There was heard the outcry of the women, like that of female krauñca birds—afflicted, wailing piteously by the thousands at that hour.

Words: krauñcīnām — of female krauñca birds; iva — like; nārīṇāṃ — of the women; ninādas — the outcry, wailing; tatra — there; śuśruve — was heard; ārtānāṃ — of the afflicted; karuṇaṃ — piteously; kāle — at that hour; krośantīnāṃ — of them crying out; sahasraśaḥ — by the thousands

2.70.22

tato rudantyo vivaśā vilapya ca punaḥ punaḥ
yānebhyaḥ sarayūtīram avaterur varāṅganāḥ

Then those lovely women, weeping helplessly and lamenting again and again, descended from their carriages to the bank of the Sarayū.

Words: tato — then; rudantyo — weeping; vivaśā — helpless; vilapya — having lamented; ca — and; punaḥ punaḥ — again and again; yānebhyaḥ — from the carriages; sarayūtīram — to the bank of the Sarayū; avaterur — descended; varāṅganāḥ — the lovely women

2.70.23

kṛtodakaṃ te bharatena sārdhaṃ nṛpāṅganā mantripurohitāś ca
puraṃ praviśyāśruparītanetrā bhūmau daśāhaṃ vyanayanta duḥkham

Having made the water-offering together with Bharata, the king's women and the ministers and house-priests entered the city, their eyes brimming with tears, and passed ten days of grief upon the bare ground.

Words: kṛtodakaṃ — the water-offering performed; te — they; bharatena — with Bharata; sārdhaṃ — together; nṛpāṅganā — the king's women; mantripurohitāś — the ministers and house-priests; ca — and; puraṃ — the city; praviśyāśruparītanetrā — having entered, their eyes brimming with tears; bhūmau — on the (bare) ground; daśāhaṃ — for ten days; vyanayanta — they passed, spent; duḥkham — in grief

← 2.69 Kausalyā accepts Bharata’s innocence · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.71 Daśaratha’s remaining rites →

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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