# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 70 — Daśaratha’s cremation *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* Portion: Daśaratha’s funeral and Mantharā’s punishment · Verses: 23 · Ref format: 2.70. ## Sequence - Vasiṣṭha tells Bharata that the pretakārya (rites for the deceased) can no longer be delayed (70.1–3) - the body is lifted from the oil and placed on an ornamented couch (70.4–5) - Bharata grieves over the decisions made during his absence and asks who will now protect the Kingdom (70.6–9) - Vasiṣṭha brings him back to the necessary rites, and the sacred fires are carried ahead of the procession (70.10–13) - attendants bear the body out as wealth and garments are distributed along the road → a pyre is built from fragrant woods (70.14–16) - the ṛtvijs place Daśaratha upon it with offerings and Sāman chants, while the Queens follow in palanquins (70.17–19) - 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 (70.20–23). ## Verses **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. **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. **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. **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— **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: **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? **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? **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? **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. **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: **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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.