Sloka & Translation

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

tamēvaṅ śōkasantaptaṅ bharataṅ kaikayī sutam.

uvāca vadatāṅ śrēṣṭhō vasiṣṭha śśrēṣṭhavāgṛṣiḥ৷৷2.76.1৷৷


ēvam in this way, śōkasantaptam tormented with grief, kaikayīsutam son of Kaikeyi, taṅ bharatam to that Bharata, vadatām among the eloquent, śrēṣṭhaḥ best, śrēṣṭhavāk a man of excellent speech, vasiṣṭhaḥ ṛṣiḥ sage Vasistha, uvāca said.

Vasistha, the most eloquent and the best of ascetics said to Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi who was tormented with grief:
alaṅ śōkēna bhadraṅ tē rājaputra mahāyaśaḥ.

prāptakālaṅ narapatēḥ kuru saṅyānamuttamam৷৷2.76.2৷৷


mahāyaśaḥ of great renown, rājaputraḥ king's son, tē bhadraṅ bless you, śōkēna by grief, alam enough, narapatēḥ king's, prāptakālam time has come, uttamam best, saṅyānam funeral rites, kuru 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.
vasiṣṭhasya vaca śśṛtvā bharatō dhāraṇāṅ gataḥ.

prētakāryāṇi sarvāṇi kārayāmāsa dharmavit৷৷2.76.3৷৷


dharmavit knower of his duty, bharataḥ Bharata, vasiṣṭhasya Vasistha's, vacaḥ words, śrūtvā on hearing, dhāraṇām steadiness, gataḥ regained, sarvāṇi all, prētakāryaṇi funeral rites, kārayāmāsa began the performance.

On hearing the words of Vasistha, dutiful Bharata regained his steadiness and engaged in the performance of the funeral rites.
uddhṛtaṅ tailasaṅrōdhātsatu bhūmau nivēśitam.

āpītavarṇavadanaṅ prasuptamiva bhūmipam৷৷2.76.4৷৷

saṅvēśya śayanē cāgyrē nānāratnapariṣkṛtē.

tatō daśarathaṅ putrō vilalāpa suduḥkhitaḥ৷৷2.76.5৷৷


saḥ putraḥ that son Bharata, tailasaṅrōdhāt from the oil container, uddhṛtam raised, bhūmau on the
floor, nivēśitam placed, āpītavarṇavadanam with a pale yellow-coloured face, prasuptamiva as if sleeping, bhūmipam protector of the earth, daśaratham Dasaratha, nānāratna pariṣkṛtē adorned with every kind of gem, agyrē on a magnificient, śayanē on the couch, saṅvēśya tataḥ having placed then, suduḥkhitaḥ in extreme distress, vilalāpa 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.
kiṅ tē vyavasitaṅ rājan! prōṣitē mayyanāgatē.

vivāsya rāmaṅ dharmajñaṅ lakṣmaṇaṅ ca mahābalam৷৷2.76.6৷৷


rājan O king, prōṣitē when I was away from home, mayi anāgatē before I could return, dharmajñam righteous one, rāmam Rama, mahābalam valiant, lakṣmaṇaṅ ca Lakshmana, vivāsya banished, tē you, kim what, vyavasitam was resolved?

What have you done, O king, between my absence and my arrival? You have banished the righteous Rama and the valiant Lakshmana.
kva yāsyasi mahārāja! hitvēmaṅ duḥkhitaṅ janam.

hīnaṅ puruṣasiṅhēna rāmēṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā৷৷2.76.7৷৷


mahārāja! O great king!, akliṣṭakarmaṇā by a man of pious acts, puruṣasiṅhēna by a lion among men, rāmēṇa by Rama, hīnam left, duḥkhitam bewailing, imaṅ janam this person, hitvā leaving, kva where, yāsyasi 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?
yōgakṣēmaṅ tu tē rājan! kō.sminkalpayitā purē

tvayi prayātē svastāta rāmē ca vanamāśritē৷৷2.76.8৷৷


rājan! O king!, tāta O father!, tvayi when you, svaḥ to heaven, prayātē having gone, rāmē ca Rama, vanam forest, āśritē having taken refuge, asmin this, purē in your city, yōgakṣēmam welfare and security, kalpayitā 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?
vidhavā pṛthivī rājan! stvayā hīnā na rājatē.

hīnacandrēva rajanī nagarī pratibhāti mā৷৷2.76.9৷৷


rājan! O king!, tvayā by you, hīnā bereft of, pṛthivī the earth, vidhavā is a widow, na rājatē does not shine, nagarī city, hīnacandrā without Moon, rajanīva like the night, mā to me, pratibhāti 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.
ēvaṅ vilapamānaṅ taṅ bharataṅ dīnamānasam.

abravīdvacanaṅ bhūyō vasiṣṭhastu mahāmuniḥ৷৷2.76.10৷৷


ēvam in this way, vilapamānam lamenting, dīnamānasam dejected mind, taṅ bharatam to that Bharata, mahāmuniḥ great ascetic, vasiṣṭhaḥ Vasistha, bhūyaḥ again, vacanam words, abravīt said.

To Bharata who was thus lamenting with a dejected mind, the great ascetic Vasistha once again said:
prētakāryāṇi yānyasya kartavyāni viśāṅ patēḥ.

tānyavyagraṅ mahābāhō! kriyāntāmavicāritam৷৷2.76.11৷৷


mahābāhō O mighty-armed one, asya viśāṅpatēḥ for this king, yāni those, prētakāryāṇi funeral rites, kartavyāni are required to be done, tāni them, avicāritam without hesitation, avyagram
attentively, kriyāntām may be performed.

O mighty-armed prince, the funeral rites that are required to be performed for the departed king ought to be done carefully without any shortcomings.
tathēti bharatō vākyaṅ vasiṣṭhasyābhipūjya tat.

ṛtvikpurōhitācāryān stvarayāmāsa sarvaśaḥ৷৷2.76.12৷৷


bharataḥ Bharata, tathēti 'Be it so', variṣṭhasya Vasistha's, tat vākyam those words, abhipūjya honouring, sarvaśaḥ every way, ṛtvikpurōhitācāryān learned Vedic scholars, family priests and spiritual preceptors, tvarayāmāsa 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.
yē tvagnayō narēndrēsya cāgnyagārādbahiṣkṛtāḥ.

ṛtvigbhiryājakaiścaiva tē āhriyanta yathāvidhi৷৷2.76.13৷৷


narēndrasya king's, yē agnayaḥ the fire, agnyagārāt from fire-sanctuary, bahiṣkṛtāḥ have been put outside, tē they, yathāvidhi in accordance with the ritual precepts, ṛtvigbhi: by Vedic priests, yājakaiścaiva by sacrificial attendants, āhriyanta were withdrawn.

The sacrificial fire of the king has been put outside the fire-sanctuary in accordance with the ritual precepts and were withdrawn by the attendants and priests well-versed in Vedic lore.
śibikāyāmathā.rōpya rājānaṅ gatacētasam.

bāṣpakaṇṭhā vimanasastamūhuḥ paricārakāḥ৷৷2.76.14৷৷


atha thereafter, paricārakāḥ the attendants, gatacētasam deceased, rājānam king, śibikāyām on a litter, ārōpya placing, bāṣpakaṇṭhāḥ with their throats choked with tears, vimanasaḥ with dejected mind, tam him, ūhuḥ 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.
hiraṇyaṅ ca suvarṇaṅ ca vāsāṅsi vividhāni ca.

prakirantō janā mārgaṅ nṛpatēragratō yayuḥ৷৷2.76.15৷৷


janāḥ people, nṛpatēḥ king's, agrataḥ ahead, hiraṇyam gold, suvarṇaṅ ca with bright colour, vividhāni differents kinds, vāsāṅsi ca garments, prakirantaḥ strewing, mārgam on the way, yayuḥ went.

The people went ahead of the king's body strewing on the way gold of brilliant colour and different kinds of garments.
candanāgaruniryāsān saralaṅ padmakaṅ tathā.

dēvadārūṇi cāhṛtya kṣēpayanti tathāparē৷৷2.76.16৷৷

gandhānuccāvacāṅścānyāṅ statra gatvātha bhūmipam.

tatra saṅvēśayāmāsuścitāmadhyē tamṛtvijaḥ৷৷2.76.17৷৷


tathā like that, aparē others, candanāgarūniryāsān sandal, agaru and fragrant gum gugul, the
resin of Balsa tree, saralam sarala tree, padmakam padmaka tree, dēvadārūṇi ca devadaru tree, anyān other, uccāvacān of many kinds, gandhān fragrant substances, āhṛtya having brought, tatra there, gatvā having gone, kṣēpayanti were strewn, atha there, ṛtvijaḥ priests, bhūmipam the body of the king, tatra there, citāmadhyē in the centre of fire, saṅvēśayāmāsuḥ 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.
tadā hutāśanaṅ hutvā jēpustasya tadṛtvijaḥ.

jaguśca tē yathāśāstra tatra sāmāni sāmagāḥ৷৷2.76.18৷৷


tadā then, tadṛtvijaḥ his priests, tasya that king's, hutāśanam fire, hutvā offering oblations, jēpuḥ intoned prayers, tatra there, tē those, sāmagāḥ those who chant Sama Veda, yathāśāstram in accordance with sacred scriptures, sāmāni hymns, jaguśca 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.
śibikābhiśca yānaiśca yathārhaṅ tasya yōṣitaḥ.

nagarā nniryayustatra vṛddhaiḥ parivṛtā stadā৷৷2.76.19৷৷


tadā then, tasya his (the king's), yōṣitaḥ wives, vṛddhaiḥ with aged guards, parivṛtāḥ surrounded by, yathārham according to their rank, śibikābhiśca in palanquins, yānaiśca in other carriages, nagarāt from the city, tatra to that place, niryayuḥ 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.
prasavyaṅ cāpi taṅ cakuḥ ṛtvijō.gnicitaṅ nṛpam.

striyaśca śōkasantaptāḥ kausalyāpramukhāstadā৷৷2.76.20৷৷


tadā then, ṛtvijaḥ priests, śākēsantaptāḥ consumed with grief, kauśalyāpramukhāḥ led by Kausalya, striyaśca women also, agnicitam engulfed by flames, taṅ nṛpam that king, prasavyaṅ cāpi cakruḥ 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.
krauñcīnāmiva nārīṇāṅ ninādastatra śuśruvē.

ārtānāṅ karuṇaṅ kālē krōśantīnāṅ sahasraśaḥ৷৷2.76.21৷৷


tatra kālē at that time, ārtānām of the distressed persons, karuṇam piteously, krōśantīnām of those women crying, sahasraśaḥ in thousands, nārīṇām women's, ninādaḥ sound, krauñcīnāmiva like the sound of the kraunchas (birds), śuśruvē was heard.

At that time, piteous cries of distressed women in their thousands like the piercing cries of female kraunchas (birds) were heard.
tatō rudantyō vivaśāvilapya ca punaḥ punaḥ.

yānēbhyassarayūtīramavatērurvarāṅganāḥ৷৷2.76.22৷৷


tataḥ then, rudantyō weeping, vivaśāḥ uncontrolled, varāṅganāḥ courtesans, punaḥ punaḥ again and again, vilapya lamenting, sarayūtīram on the bank of the river Sarayu, yānēbhyaḥ from the carriages, avatēruḥ alighted.

Thereafter, the courtesans weeping uncontrollably and, lamenting again and again, alighted from carriages on the bank of the river Sarayu.
kṛtvōdakaṅ tē bharatēna sārdhaṅ nṛpāṅganā mantripurōhitā śca.

puraṅpraviśyāśruparītanētrāḥ bhūmau daśāhaṅ vyanayanta duḥkham৷৷2.76.23৷৷


nṛpāṅganāḥ wives of the king, tē they, mantripurōhitāśca counsellors and priests, bharatēna sārdham along with Bharata, udakam water-libations, kṛtvā having offered, aśruparītanētrāḥ with their eyes filled with tears, puram the city, praviśya having re-entered, daśāham ten days, bhūmau on the floor, du:kham their mourning period, vyanayanta spent.

The wives of the king, counsellors and priests along with Bharata offered water-libation and entered the city with tearful eyes. They spent the ten-day mourning period sleeping on the ground (floor) in great grief.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē ṣaṭasaptatitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the seventysixth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.