# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 59 — Discovery of Daśaratha’s death

*Attendants arrive with the morning’s songs and offerings, find the King unresponsive and awaken the Queens to mourning*

Portion: Daśaratha’s confession and death · Verses: 14 · Ref format: 2.59.<verse>

## Sequence

- At dawn the palace staff arrive as usual with songs, bathwater, food, and ceremonial articles (59.1–4)
- attendants approach to wake Daśaratha and realize that he is dead → their cries spread through the rooms (59.5–8)
- Kausalyā and Sumitrā wake, see and touch him, and collapse in grief (59.9–11)
- his wives gather around the body, and the palace fills with mourning (59.12–14).

## Verses

**2.59.1**  
atha rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ prātar evāpare 'hani  
bandinaḥ paryupātiṣṭhaṃs tat pārthivaniveśanam  
Now, when the night had passed, at dawn on the following day, the bards attended upon that royal dwelling.

**2.59.2**  
tataḥ śucisamācārāḥ paryupasthāna kovidaḥ  
strīvarṣavarabhūyiṣṭhā upatasthur yathāpuram  
Then those of pure conduct, skilled in attendance, consisting mostly of women and chamberlains, drew near as on other days.

**2.59.3**  
haricandanasaṃpṛktam udakaṃ kāñcanair ghaṭaiḥ  
āninyuḥ snānaśikṣājñā yathākālaṃ yathāvidhi  
Water blended with yellow sandal they brought in golden pitchers, those versed in the art of the bath, in due time and due form.

**2.59.4**  
maṅgalālambhanīyāni prāśanīyān upaskarān  
upaninyus tathāpy anyāḥ kumārī bahulāḥ striyaḥ  
And still other women, mostly maidens, brought auspicious things to be touched, foods, and utensils.

**2.59.5**  
atha yāḥ kosalendrasya śayanaṃ pratyanantarāḥ  
tāḥ striyas tu samāgamya bhartāraṃ pratyabodhayan  
Now those women who were closest to the bed of the Kosala king, gathering together, sought to waken their lord.

**2.59.6**  
tā vepathuparītāś ca rājñaḥ prāṇeṣu śaṅkitāḥ  
pratisrotas tṛṇāgrāṇāṃ sadṛśaṃ saṃcakampire  
Seized with trembling and fearful for the king's life, they shook like the tips of grasses in the current of a stream.

**2.59.7**  
atha saṃvepamanānāṃ strīṇāṃ dṛṣṭvā ca pārthivam  
yat tad āśaṅkitaṃ pāpaṃ tasya jajñe viniścayaḥ  
Then, seeing the king, there arose among the trembling women the certain knowledge of that dreaded calamity.

**2.59.8**  
tataḥ pracukruśur dīnāḥ sasvaraṃ tā varāṅganāḥ  
kareṇava ivāraṇye sthānapracyutayūthapāḥ  
Then those lovely women wailed aloud, piteously, like she-elephants in the forest whose herd-leader has been struck from his place.

**2.59.9**  
tāsām ākranda śabdena sahasodgatacetane  
kausalyā ca sumitrāca tyaktanidre babhūvatuḥ  
At the sound of their wailing, their senses starting up all at once, Kausalyā and Sumitrā were roused from sleep.

**2.59.10**  
kausalyā ca sumitrā ca dṛṣṭvā spṛṣṭvā ca pārthivam  
hā nātheti parikruśya petatur dharaṇītale  
Kausalyā and Sumitrā, seeing and touching the king, cried out 'Alas, my lord!' and fell to the ground.

**2.59.11**  
sā kosalendraduhitā veṣṭamānā mahītale  
na babhrāja rajodhvastā tāreva gaganacyutā  
That daughter of the Kosala king (Kausalyā), writhing on the ground, dust-covered, shone no more, like a star fallen from the sky.

**2.59.12**  
tat samuttrastasaṃbhrāntaṃ paryutsukajanākulam  
sarvatas tumulākrandaṃ paritāpārtabāndhavam  
That (palace) — terrified and bewildered, thronged with anxious folk, filled everywhere with tumultuous wailing, its kinsfolk stricken with grief,

**2.59.13**  
sadyo nipatitānandaṃ dīnaviklavadarśanam  
babhūva naradevasya sadma diṣṭāntam īyuṣaḥ  
suddenly became joyless and of piteous, distraught aspect — the dwelling of that king, who had met his destined end.

**2.59.14**  
atītam ājñāya tu pārthivarṣabhaṃ yaśasvinaṃ saṃparivārya patnayaḥ  
bhṛśaṃ rudantyaḥ karuṇaṃ suduḥkhitāḥ pragṛhya bāhū vyalapann anāthavat  
Realizing that the bull among kings, the illustrious one, had passed away, his wives surrounded him and, weeping bitterly and piteously, deeply grieved, flung up their arms and lamented like helpless creatures.