Sloka & Translation

[On the thirteenth day Bharata drops down in agony while picking up the bones of his deceased father --- Bharata and Satrughna once again plunge in grief --- Vasistha and Sumanthra console them]

tatō daśāhē.tigatē kṛtaśaucō nṛpātmajaḥ.

dvādaśē.hani samprāptē śrāddhakarmāṇyakārayat৷৷2.77.1৷৷


tataḥ then, daśāhē the tenth day, atigatē having passed, kṛtaśaucaḥ purified himself, nṛpātmajaḥ king's son, Bharata, dvādaśē on the twelfth, ahani day, samprāptē had arrived, śrāddhakarmāṇi shraddha rites, akārayat got them performed.

Having observed the ten-day mourning period, Bharata purified himself on the twelfth day and got the shraddha rites (obsequies) performed.
brāhmaṇēbhyō dadau ratnaṅ dhanamannaṅ ca puṣkalam.

vāsāṅsi ca mahārhāṇi ratnāni vividhāni ca৷৷2.77.2৷৷


brāhmaṇēbhyaḥ to brahmins, ratnam precious stones, dhanam wealth, puṣkalam in abundance, annam rice, mahārhāṇi highly valuable, vāsāṅsi garments, vividhāni of various kinds, ratnāni gems, dadau gave.

During the shraddha ceremony (obsequies) Bharata bestowed on brahmins precious stones, wealth, large quantities of rice, highly valuable garments and various gems.
bāstikaṅ bahu śuklaṅ ca gāścāpi śataśastathā.

dāsīdāsaṅ ca yānaṅ ca vēśmāni sumahānti ca৷৷2.77.3৷৷

brāhmaṇēbhyō dadau putrō rājñastasyaurdhvadaihikam.


putraḥ son of Dasaratha, tasya that, rājñaḥ king's, aurdhvadaihikam rites pertaining to the other world, brāhmaṇēbhyaḥ to brahmins, bahu many, śuklam white in colour, bāstikam of goats, tathā also, śataśaḥ in hundreds, gāścāpi even cows, dāsī dāsaṅ ca male and female servants, yānaṅ ca carriages, sumahānti spacious, vēśmāni ca houses, dadau gave.

At the time of performing the rites pertaining to the other world, Bharata bestowed on brahmins herds of white goats, cows in hundreds, male and female servants and spacious houses and carriages.
tataḥ prabhātasamayē divasē.tha trayōdaśē৷৷2.77.4৷৷

vilalāpa mahābāhurbharata śśōkamūrchitaḥ.

śabdāpihitakaṇṭhastu śōdhanārthamupāgataḥ৷৷2.77.5৷৷

citāmūlē piturvākyamidamāha suduḥkhitaḥ.


tataḥ then, trayōdaśē on the thiteenth, divasē day, prabhātasamayē at dawn, atha thereafter, śōdhanārtham for purification, upāgataḥ having arrived (at the cemetery), mahābāhuḥ mighty-armed, bharataḥ Bharata, śōkamūrchitaḥ rendered unconscious by grief, śabdāpihitakaṇṭhaḥ loudly, vilalāpa lamented, pituḥ father's, citāmūlē at the foot of the pyre, suduḥkhitaḥ intensely grieved, idaṅ vākyam these words, āha spoke.

Thereafter at the hour of dawn on the thirteenth day mighty-armed Bharata visited the cemetery to perform the purificatory ceremony. Approaching the place of the funeral pyre of his father, he lamented in the intensity of grief:
tāta! yasminnisṛṣṭō.haṅ tvayā bhrātari rāghavē৷৷2.77.6৷৷

tasminvanaṅ pravrajitē śūnyē tyaktō.smyahaṅ tvayā.


tāta! O father!, yasmin bhrātari to that brother, rāghavē in Rama, aham I, tvayā by you,nisṛṣṭaḥ entrusted, tasmin that Rama, vanam to forest, pravrajitē has been sent, aham I, tvayā by you,
śūnyē in a vacuum, tyaktaḥ asmi I have been left.

O dear father, my brother Rama to whom you have entrusted me has been sent to
the forest now and I am left in a vacuum.
yasyā gatiranāthāyāḥ putraḥ pravājitō vanam.

tāmambāṅ tāta! kausalyāṅ tyaktvā tvaṅ kva gatō nṛpa৷৷2.77.7৷৷


nṛpa king, tāta father, ānāthāyāḥ of the orphaned lady, yasyāḥ gatiḥ whose support, putraḥ son (Rama), vanam to forest, pravrājitaḥ has been sent, tām that, ambam mother, kauśalyām Kausalya, tyaktvā forsaking, kva where, (tvaṅ) gataḥ have you gone?

Where have you gone, my king! my father!, forsaking mother Kausalya who is without a protector and whose only support Rama, her son has been sent away to the forest?
dṛṣṭvā bhasmāruṇaṅ tacca dagdhāsthi sthānamaṇḍalam৷৷2.77.8৷৷

pitu śśarīranirvāṇaṅ niṣṭananviṣasāda saḥ.


saḥ he, bhasmāruṇam reddish brown with ashes, dagdhāsthi with burnt bones, pituḥ father's, śarīranirvāṇam where the body was made extinct, tat that, sthānamaṇḍalam circular place, dṛṣṭvā having seen, niṣṭanan crying aloud, viṣasāda indulged in sorrow.

Having seen the circular place, looking reddish-brown with burnt bones and ashes, where his father's body was consumed by fire, Bharata started crying aloud in deep despondency.
sa tu dṛṣṭvā rudan dīnaḥ papāta dharaṇītalē৷৷2.77.9৷৷

utthāpyamānaśśakrasya yantradhvaja iva cyutaḥ.


saḥ tu as regards Bharata, dṛṣṭvā having seen, dīnaḥ desolate, rudan sobbing, utthāpyamānaḥ as it was being raised, cyutaḥ fallen down, śakrasya Indra's, yantradhvajaḥ iva like fastened flag staff, dharaṇītalau on the ground, papāta fell.

On seeing the cremation ground desolate Bharata collapsed sobbing on the ground like a fastened flag staff of Indra, which fell as it was being raised.
abhipētustatassarvē tasyāmātyāśśucivratam৷৷2.77.10৷৷

antakālē nipatitaṅ yayātimṛṣayō yathā.


tataḥ thereafter, sarvē all, tasya amātyāḥ his counsellors, śucivratam a man of pious vows, antakālē at the final hour, nipatitam fallen down, yayātim Yayati, ṛṣayō yathā like the ascetics, abhipētuḥ ran towards him.

Immediately all his counsellors ran towards him like the ascetics who raised Yayati, a man of pious vows, when he fell down at the final hour.
śatrughna ścāpi bharataṅ dṛṣṭvā śōkam pariplutaḥ৷৷2.77.11৷৷

visaṅjñō nyapatadbhūmau bhūmipālamanusmaran.


śatrughnaścāpi Satrughna too, bharatam Bharata, dṛṣṭvā beholding, śōkapariplutaḥ plunged in grief, bhūmipālam the king, anusmaran remembering, visaṅjñaḥ unconscious, bhūmau on the ground, nyapatat fell down.

Beholding Bharata, Satrughna also plunged in grief remembering the king, and fell unconscious on the ground.
unmatta iva niścētā vilalāpa suduḥkhitaḥ৷৷2.77.12৷৷

smṛtvā piturguṇāṅgāni tāni tāni tathā tathā.


pituḥ father's, tāni tāni those respective ones, guṇāṅgāni virtues resulting one from the other, tathā tathā again and again, smṛtvā recollecting, unmattaḥ iva like a mad person, niścētāḥ becoming mentally unsteady, suduḥkhitaḥ in profound sorrow, vilalāpa lamented.

Recollecting the many virtues of his father again and again, like a madman, Satrughna,
mentally unsteady, lamented in profound sorrow.
mantharāprabhavastīvraḥ kaikēyīgrāhasaṅkulaḥ৷৷2.77.13৷৷

varadānamayō.kṣōbhyō.mañjayacchōkasāgaraḥ.


mantharāprabhavaḥ with Manthara as the source, kaikēyī grāhasaṅkulaḥ Kaikeyi as a crocodile, akṣōbhyaḥ undisturbed, tīvraḥ terrible, varadānamayaḥ in the form of irrevocable boons, śōkasāgaraḥ sea of sorrow, amañjayat drowned.

With Manthara as the source, Kaikeyi as a crocodile, this terrible sea of sorrow which has submerged all of us lies unruffled.
sukumāraṅ ca bālaṅ ca satataṅ lālitaṅ tvayā৷৷2.77.14৷৷

kva tāta! bharataṅ hitvā vilapantaṅ gatō bhavān.


tāta! father, sukumāram tender, bālaṅ ca young, tvayā by you, satatam always, lālitam fondled, vilapantam lamenting, bharatam Bharata, hitvā leaving, bhavān you, kva where, gataḥ have you gone?

Where have you gone dear father, leaving the lamenting Bharata, so young and tender, who was always your darling?
nanu bhōjyēṣu pānēṣu vastrēṣvābharaṇēṣu ca৷৷2.77.15৷৷

pravārayasi nassarvān tannaḥ kō.nyaḥ kariṣyati.


bhōjyēṣu in delicious food, pānēṣu in drinks, vastrēṣu in garments, ābharaṇēṣu ca in ornaments, saḥ sarvān all of us, pravārayasi nanu used to make us choose, tat that, naḥ for us, anyaḥ some other, kaḥ who, kariṣyati will do?

You used to make all of us choose delicious food, drinks, garments and ornaments. Who else will do that now?
avadāraṇakālē tu pṛthivī nāvadīryatē৷৷2.77.16৷৷

yā vihīnā tvayā rājñā dharmajñēna mahātmanā.


dharmajñēna aware of righteous ways, mahātmanā mighty, rājñā by the king, tvayā by you, yā the earth, vihīnā devoid of, pṛthivī that earth, avadāraṇakālē at the time of breaking into pieces, nāvadīryatē does not break.

You are a righteous and mighty king and without you, this earth would have been broken into pieces. But it does not.
pitari svargamāpannē rāmē cāraṇyamāśritē৷৷2.77.17৷৷

kiṅ mē jīvitasāmarthyaṅ pravēkṣyāmi hutāśanam.


pitari when father, svargam heaven, āpannē had ascended, rāmē ca when Rama, araṇyam the forest, āśritē had taken refuge, mē to me, jīvitasāmarthyam strength to live, kim what is there, hutāśanam blazing fire, pravēkṣyāmi I will enter.

With my father ascended to heaven and Rama gone to the forest, where is the strength in me to live? I shall enter the blazing fire.
hīnō bhrātrā ca pitrā ca śūnyāmikṣvākupālitām৷৷2.77.18৷৷

ayōdhyāṅ na pravēkṣyāmi pravēkṣyāmi tapōvanam.


bhrātrā with brother, pitrā ca with father, hīnaḥ devoid of, śūnyām empty, ikṣvākupālitām ruled by Ikshvakus, ayōdhyām Ayodhya, na pravēkṣyāmi I will not enter, tapōvanam penance grove, pravēkṣyāmi I shall enter.

Devoid of my father and brother, I will not return to empty Ayodhya that was once ruled by the Ikshvakus. I will enter the grove of asceticism .
tayōrvilapitaṅ śrutvā vyasanaṅ cānvavēkṣya tat৷৷2.77.19৷৷

bhṛśamārtatarā bhūyassarvaēvānugāminaḥ.


tayōḥ of both of them, vilapitam lamentations, śrutvā having heard, tat that, vyasanam of calamity, anvavēkṣya reflecting, sarvē all, anugāminaḥ attendants, bhūyaḥ again, bhṛśam extremely, ārtatarāḥ become more afflicted.

Having heard the lamentataions of both the brothers and reflecting the calamity befallen on them, the attendants felt extremely afflicted once again.
tatō viṣaṇṇau śrāntau ca śatrughnabharatāvubhau৷৷2.77.20৷৷

dharaṇyāṅ saṅvyavēṣṭētāṅ bhagnaśṛṅgāvivarṣabhau.


tataḥ thereafter, viṣaṇṇau dejected, śrāntau ca exhausted, ubhau both, śatrughnabharatau Satrughna and Bharata, bhagnaśṛṅgau with the horns broken, ṛṣabhau iva like bulls, dharaṇyām on the floor, saṅvyavēṣṭētām lay writhing.

Thereafter, both Satrughna and Bharata, dejected and exhausted, lay writhing on the floor like two bulls with their horns broken.
tataḥ prakṛtimānvaidyaḥ piturēṣāṅ purōhitaḥ৷৷2.77.21৷৷

vasiṣṭhō bharataṅ vākyamutthāpya tamuvāca ha.


tataḥ then, prakṛtimān of composed character, vaidyaḥ learned, ēṣām their, pituḥ father's, purōhitaḥ priest, vasiṣṭhaḥ Vasistha, tam bharatam that Bharata, utthāpya having raised, vākyam these words, uvāca said.

Then his father's family priest Vasistha of composed mind and versed in the Vedas raised Bharata and said to him:
trayōdaśō.yaṅ divasaḥ piturvṛttasya tē vibhō৷৷2.77.22৷৷

sāvaśēṣāsthinicayē kimiha tvaṅ vilambhasē.


vibhō O lord, ayam it is, vṛttasya of the dead, tē pituḥ your father's, trayōdaśaḥ the thirteenth, divasaḥ day, sāvaśēṣāsthinicayē when the heap of bones and ashes still remain, tvam you, iha
here, kim why, vilambasē are you delaying?

O lord, this is the thirteenth day since the death of your father. The heap of bones and ashes still remain on the pyre. Why this delay on your part?
trīṇi dvandvāni bhūtēṣu pravṛttānyaviśēṣataḥ৷৷2.77.23৷৷

tēṣu cāparihāryēṣu naivaṅ bhavitumarhasi.


trīṇi three, dvandvāni dualities, bhūtēṣu in living beings, aviśēṣataḥ without exception, pravṛttāni are applicable, tēṣu they, aparihāryēṣu cannot be eschewed, ēvam bhavitum to become sorrowful, nārhasi it does not behove you.

There are three dualities - (hunger and thirst, pain and pleasure, birth and death), which are applicable to all living beings without any exception and cannot be eschewed. Therefore, it does not behove you to act in this way.
sumantraścāpi śatrughnamutthāpyābhiprasādya ca৷৷2.77.24৷৷

śrāvayāmāsa tattvajña ssarvabhūtabhavābhavam.


tattvajñaḥ knower of truth (nature of the Brahman), sumantraścāpi Sumantra also, śatrughnam Satrughna, utthāpya have raised, abhiprasādya ca having consoled him, sarvabhūtabhavābhavam about birth and death, śrāvayāmāsa made him to listen.

The knower of reality Sumantra helped Satrughna to rise, after having consoled him, imparted him the truth about the inevitability of birth and death.
utthitau ca naravyāghrau prakāśētē yaśasvinau৷৷2.77.25৷৷

varṣātapapariklinau pṛthagindradhvajāviva.


utthitau the two risen, yaśasvinau illustrious, naravyāghrau tigers among men, pṛthak separately, varṣātapapariklinau faded due to the heat of Sun and rain, indradhvajāviva like the banners of Indra, prakāśētē shone.

Having risen from the earth both the illustrious tigers among men, Bharata and Satrughna looked faded and weather beaten like the banners of Indra that had faded under the Sun and rain.
aśrūṇi parimṛdnantau raktākṣau dīnabhāṣiṇau.

amātyāstvarayanti sma tanayau cāparāḥ kriyāḥ৷৷2.77.26৷৷


aśrūṇi tears, parimṛdnantau wiping away, raktākṣau with blodshot eyes, dīnabhāṣiṇau speaking in desolation, tanayau both sons, amātyāḥ counsellors, aparāḥ the remaining kriyāḥ funeral rites, tvarayanti sma hastened up.

The counsellors hastened up both the sons, who were wiping away the tears and speaking with blod-shot eyes, to complete the remaining part of the funeral rites.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē saptasaptatitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the seventyseventh sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.