Sloka & Translation

[Bharata performs funeral rites of king Dasaratha on the bank of Sarayu.]

तमेवं शोकसन्तप्तं भरतं कैकयी सुतम्।

उवाच वदतां श्रेष्ठो वसिष्ठ श्श्रेष्ठवागृषिः।।2.76.1।।


एवम् in this way, शोकसन्तप्तम् tormented with grief, कैकयीसुतम् son of Kaikeyi, तं भरतम् to that Bharata, वदताम् among the eloquent, श्रेष्ठः best, श्रेष्ठवाक् a man of excellent speech, वसिष्ठः ऋषिः sage Vasistha, उवाच said.

Vasistha, the most eloquent and the best of ascetics said to Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi who was tormented with grief:
अलं शोकेन भद्रं ते राजपुत्र महायशः।

प्राप्तकालं नरपतेः कुरु संयानमुत्तमम्।।2.76.2।।


महायशः of great renown, राजपुत्रः king's son, ते भद्रं bless you, शोकेन by grief, अलम् enough, नरपतेः king's, प्राप्तकालम् time has come, उत्तमम् best, संयानम् funeral rites, कुरु perform.

O prince of great renown, may God bless you It is not proper on your part to grieve. It is time to perform the funeral rites of the king in the best way possible.
वसिष्ठस्य वच श्शृत्वा भरतो धारणां गतः।

प्रेतकार्याणि सर्वाणि कारयामास धर्मवित्।।2.76.3।।


धर्मवित् knower of his duty, भरतः Bharata, वसिष्ठस्य Vasistha's, वचः words, श्रूत्वा on hearing, धारणाम् steadiness, गतः regained, सर्वाणि all, प्रेतकार्यणि funeral rites, कारयामास began the performance.

On hearing the words of Vasistha, dutiful Bharata regained his steadiness and engaged in the performance of the funeral rites.
उद्धृतं तैलसंरोधात्सतु भूमौ निवेशितम्।

आपीतवर्णवदनं प्रसुप्तमिव भूमिपम्।।2.76.4।।

संवेश्य शयने चाग्य्रे नानारत्नपरिष्कृते।

ततो दशरथं पुत्रो विललाप सुदुःखितः।।2.76.5।।


सः पुत्रः that son Bharata, तैलसंरोधात् from the oil container, उद्धृतम् raised, भूमौ on the
floor, निवेशितम् placed, आपीतवर्णवदनम् with a pale yellowcoloured face, प्रसुप्तमिव as if sleeping, भूमिपम् protector of the earth, दशरथम् Dasaratha, नानारत्न परिष्कृते adorned with every kind of gem, अग्य्रे on a magnificient, शयने on the couch, संवेश्य ततः having placed then, सुदुःखितः in extreme distress, विललाप lamented.

The mortal remains of king Dasaratha, protector of the earth, was taken out of the oil container and placed on the floor. His pale, yellow face appeared as if he was asleep. Thereafter it was laid upon a magnificent couch adorned with every kind of gem. On seeing Dasaratha in that state Bharata lamented in extreme distress.
किं ते व्यवसितं राजन् प्रोषिते मय्यनागते।

विवास्य रामं धर्मज्ञं लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्।।2.76.6।।


राजन् O king, प्रोषिते when I was away from home, मयि अनागते before I could return, धर्मज्ञम् righteous one, रामम् Rama, महाबलम् valiant, लक्ष्मणं च Lakshmana, विवास्य banished, ते you, किम् what, व्यवसितम् was resolved?

What have you done, O king, between my absence and my arrival? You have banished the righteous Rama and the valiant Lakshmana.
क्व यास्यसि महाराज हित्वेमं दुःखितं जनम्।

हीनं पुरुषसिंहेन रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा।।2.76.7।।


महाराज O great king, अक्लिष्टकर्मणा by a man of pious acts, पुरुषसिंहेन by a lion among men, रामेण by Rama, हीनम् left, दुःखितम् bewailing, इमं जनम् this person, हित्वा leaving, क्व where, यास्यसि will you go?

O great king Where will you go leaving me who is bewailing for having been left by Rama, the lion among men and a man of pious deeds?
योगक्षेमं तु ते राजन् कोऽस्मिन्कल्पयिता पुरे

त्वयि प्रयाते स्वस्तात रामे च वनमाश्रिते।।2.76.8।।


राजन् O king, तात O father, त्वयि when you, स्वः to heaven, प्रयाते having gone, रामे च Rama, वनम् forest, आश्रिते having taken refuge, अस्मिन् this, पुरे in your city, योगक्षेमम् welfare and security, कल्पयिता who will arrange.

O king O father you have gone to heaven and Rama has taken shelter in the forest now. Who will take care of the welfare and security of your city?
विधवा पृथिवी राजन् स्त्वया हीना न राजते।

हीनचन्द्रेव रजनी नगरी प्रतिभाति मा।।2.76.9।।


राजन् O king, त्वया by you, हीना bereft of, पृथिवी the earth, विधवा is a widow, न राजते does not shine, नगरी city, हीनचन्द्रा without Moon, रजनीव like the night, मा to me, प्रतिभाति appears.

O king bereft of you, the earth (kingdom) is widowed and has lost its radiance. The city appears to me like a moonless night.
एवं विलपमानं तं भरतं दीनमानसम्।

अब्रवीद्वचनं भूयो वसिष्ठस्तु महामुनिः।।2.76.10।।


एवम् in this way, विलपमानम् lamenting, दीनमानसम् dejected mind, तं भरतम् to that Bharata, महामुनिः great ascetic, वसिष्ठः Vasistha, भूयः again, वचनम् words, अब्रवीत् said.

To Bharata who was thus lamenting with a dejected mind, the great ascetic Vasistha once again said:
प्रेतकार्याणि यान्यस्य कर्तव्यानि विशां पतेः।

तान्यव्यग्रं महाबाहो क्रियान्तामविचारितम्।।2.76.11।।


महाबाहो O mightyarmed one, अस्य विशांपतेः for this king, यानि those, प्रेतकार्याणि funeral rites, कर्तव्यानि are required to be done, तानि them, अविचारितम् without hesitation, अव्यग्रम्
attentively, क्रियान्ताम् may be performed.

O mightyarmed prince, the funeral rites that are required to be performed for the departed king ought to be done carefully without any shortcomings.
तथेति भरतो वाक्यं वसिष्ठस्याभिपूज्य तत्।

ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्यान् स्त्वरयामास सर्वशः।।2.76.12।।


भरतः Bharata, तथेति 'Be it so', वरिष्ठस्य Vasistha's, तत् वाक्यम् those words, अभिपूज्य honouring, सर्वशः every way, ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्यान् learned Vedic scholars, family priests and spiritual preceptors, त्वरयामास hastened them up.

Bharata said, 'Be it so' in obedience to Vasistha, who hastened up the learned Vedic scholars, family priests and preceptors to perform various rites.
ये त्वग्नयो नरेन्द्रेस्य चाग्न्यगाराद्बहिष्कृताः।

ऋत्विग्भिर्याजकैश्चैव ते आह्रियन्त यथाविधि।।2.76.13।।


नरेन्द्रस्य king's, ये अग्नयः the fire, अग्न्यगारात् from firesanctuary, बहिष्कृताः have been put outside, ते they, यथाविधि in accordance with the ritual precepts, ऋत्विग्भि: by Vedic priests, याजकैश्चैव by sacrificial attendants, आह्रियन्त were withdrawn.

The sacrificial fire of the king has been put outside the firesanctuary in accordance with the ritual precepts and were withdrawn by the attendants and priests wellversed in Vedic lore.
शिबिकायामथा़ऽरोप्य राजानं गतचेतसम्।

बाष्पकण्ठा विमनसस्तमूहुः परिचारकाः।।2.76.14।।


अथ thereafter, परिचारकाः the attendants, गतचेतसम् deceased, राजानम् king, शिबिकायाम् on a litter, आरोप्य placing, बाष्पकण्ठाः with their throats choked with tears, विमनसः with dejected mind, तम् him, ऊहुः carried him away.

Thereafter the attendants raised the mortal remains of the deceased king onto a litter, with dejected minds, throats choked with tears and carried him away.
हिरण्यं च सुवर्णं च वासांसि विविधानि च।

प्रकिरन्तो जना मार्गं नृपतेरग्रतो ययुः।।2.76.15।।


जनाः people, नृपतेः king's, अग्रतः ahead, हिरण्यम् gold, सुवर्णं च with bright colour, विविधानि differents kinds, वासांसि च garments, प्रकिरन्तः strewing, मार्गम् on the way, ययुः went.

The people went ahead of the king's body strewing on the way gold of brilliant colour and different kinds of garments.
चन्दनागरुनिर्यासान् सरलं पद्मकं तथा।

देवदारूणि चाहृत्य क्षेपयन्ति तथापरे।।2.76.16।।

गन्धानुच्चावचांश्चान्यां स्तत्र गत्वाथ भूमिपम्।

तत्र संवेशयामासुश्चितामध्ये तमृत्विजः।।2.76.17।।


तथा like that, अपरे others, चन्दनागरूनिर्यासान् sandal, agaru and fragrant gum gugul, the
resin of Balsa tree, सरलम् sarala tree, पद्मकम् padmaka tree, देवदारूणि च devadaru tree, अन्यान् other, उच्चावचान् of many kinds, गन्धान् fragrant substances, आहृत्य having brought, तत्र there, गत्वा having gone, क्षेपयन्ति were strewn, अथ there, ऋत्विजः priests, भूमिपम् the body of the king, तत्र there, चितामध्ये in the centre of fire, संवेशयामासुः laid it down.

In this way others brought sandal, agaru and fragrant gum gugul, the resin of balsa tree and woods of sarala, padmaka and devadaru and built a pyre and strew many kinds of fragrant substances on it. Thereafter the priests laid the mortal remains of the king in the centre of the pyre.
तदा हुताशनं हुत्वा जेपुस्तस्य तदृत्विजः।

जगुश्च ते यथाशास्त्र तत्र सामानि सामगाः।।2.76.18।।


तदा then, तदृत्विजः his priests, तस्य that king's, हुताशनम् fire, हुत्वा offering oblations, जेपुः intoned prayers, तत्र there, ते those, सामगाः those who chant Sama Veda, यथाशास्त्रम् in accordance with sacred scriptures, सामानि hymns, जगुश्च sang.

Then the priests offering oblations to the king's fire, intoned prayers. The reciters of Sama Veda sang the hymns in accordance with the sacred scriptures.
शिबिकाभिश्च यानैश्च यथार्हं तस्य योषितः।

नगरा न्निर्ययुस्तत्र वृद्धैः परिवृता स्तदा।।2.76.19।।


तदा then, तस्य his (the king's), योषितः wives, वृद्धैः with aged guards, परिवृताः surrounded by, यथार्हम् according to their rank, शिबिकाभिश्च in palanquins, यानैश्च in other carriages, नगरात् from the city, तत्र to that place, निर्ययुः departed.

Then in accordance with their rank and surrounded by aged guards, the wives of king Dasaratha departed for that place from the city in palanquins and other carriages.
प्रसव्यं चापि तं चकुः ऋत्विजोऽग्निचितं नृपम्।

स्त्रियश्च शोकसन्तप्ताः कौसल्याप्रमुखास्तदा।।2.76.20।।


तदा then, ऋत्विजः priests, शाकेसन्तप्ताः consumed with grief, कौशल्याप्रमुखाः led by Kausalya, स्त्रियश्च women also, अग्निचितम् engulfed by flames, तं नृपम् that king, प्रसव्यं चापि चक्रुः circumambulated in the reverse direction.

Then the priests and other women led by Kausalya who was consumed with grief circumambulated the pyre in the reverse direction as the king's body was engulfed by flames.
क्रौञ्चीनामिव नारीणां निनादस्तत्र शुश्रुवे।

आर्तानां करुणं काले क्रोशन्तीनां सहस्रशः।।2.76.21।।


तत्र काले at that time, आर्तानाम् of the distressed persons, करुणम् piteously, क्रोशन्तीनाम् of those women crying, सहस्रशः in thousands, नारीणाम् women's, निनादः sound, क्रौञ्चीनामिव like the sound of the kraunchas (birds), शुश्रुवे was heard.

At that time, piteous cries of distressed women in their thousands like the piercing cries of female kraunchas (birds) were heard.
ततो रुदन्त्यो विवशाविलप्य च पुनः पुनः।

यानेभ्यस्सरयूतीरमवतेरुर्वराङ्गनाः।।2.76.22।।


ततः then, रुदन्त्यो weeping, विवशाः uncontrolled, वराङ्गनाः courtesans, पुनः पुनः again and again, विलप्य lamenting, सरयूतीरम् on the bank of the river Sarayu, यानेभ्यः from the carriages, अवतेरुः alighted.

Thereafter, the courtesans weeping uncontrollably and, lamenting again and again, alighted from carriages on the bank of the river Sarayu.
कृत्वोदकं ते भरतेन सार्धं नृपाङ्गना मन्त्रिपुरोहिता श्च।

पुरंप्रविश्याश्रुपरीतनेत्राः भूमौ दशाहं व्यनयन्त दुःखम्।।2.76.23।।


नृपाङ्गनाः wives of the king, ते they, मन्त्रिपुरोहिताश्च counsellors and priests, भरतेन सार्धम् along with Bharata, उदकम् waterlibations, कृत्वा having offered, अश्रुपरीतनेत्राः with their eyes filled with tears, पुरम् the city, प्रविश्य having reentered, दशाहम् ten days, भूमौ on the floor, दु:खम् their mourning period, व्यनयन्त spent.

The wives of the king, counsellors and priests along with Bharata offered waterlibation and entered the city with tearful eyes. They spent the tenday mourning period sleeping on the ground (floor) in great grief.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे षटसप्ततितमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the seventysixth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.