Bharata's Lament and the Funeral of Dasharatha

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.76.1)

तम् एवम् शोक सम्तप्तम् भरतम् केकयी सुतम्। उवाच वदताम् श्रेष्ठो वसिष्ठः श्रेष्ठ वाग् ऋषिः॥ 76.1 ॥

tam evam śoka samtaptam bharatam kekayī sutam| uvāca vadatām śreṣṭho vasiṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭha vāg ṛṣiḥ

To that Bharata, Kaikeyi's son, thus tormented by grief, the sage Vashishtha—foremost among speakers, most eloquent in speech—said:

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.76.2)

अलम् शोकेन भद्रम् ते राज पुत्र महा यशः। प्राप्त कालम् नर पतेः कुरु सम्यानम् उत्तरम्॥ 76.2 ॥

alam śokena bhadram te rāja putra mahā yaśaḥ| prāpta kālam nara pateḥ kuru samyānam uttaram

"Enough of grief, O highly renowned prince—blessings upon you! The time has come; now carry out the excellent final rite of the king."

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.76.3)

वसिष्ठस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भरतः धारणाम् गतः। प्रेत कार्याणि सर्वाणि कारयाम् आस धर्मवित्॥ 76.3 ॥

vasiṣṭhasya vacaḥ śrutvā bharataḥ dhāraṇām gataḥ| preta kāryāṇi sarvāṇi kārayām āsa dharmavit

Hearing Vashishtha's words, Bharata, knower of dharma, steadied his mind and set about arranging all the rites for the departed.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.76.4)

उद्धृतम् तैल सम्क्लेदात् स तु भूमौ निवेशितम्। आपीत वर्ण वदनम् प्रसुप्तम् इव भूमिपम्॥ 76.4 ॥

uddhṛtam taila samkledāt sa tu bhūmau niveśitam| āpīta varṇa vadanam prasuptam iva bhūmipam

The king's body was lifted from the vat of oil where it had lain, and set upon the ground—his face tinged golden, as though he were merely asleep.

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.76.5)

सम्वेश्य शयने च अग्र्ये नाना रत्न परिष्कृते। ततः दशरथम् पुत्रः विललाप सुदुह्खितः॥ 76.5 ॥

samveśya śayane ca agrye nānā ratna pariṣkṛte| tataḥ daśaratham putraḥ vilalāpa suduhkhitaḥ

Having laid him upon a splendid couch adorned with every kind of jewel, his son then lamented for Dasharatha in deep sorrow.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.76.6)

किम् ते व्यवसितम् राजन् प्रोषिते मय्य् अनागते। विवास्य रामम् धर्मज्ञम् लक्ष्मणम् च महा बलम्॥ 76.6 ॥

kim te vyavasitam rājan proṣite mayy anāgate| vivāsya rāmam dharmajñam lakṣmaṇam ca mahā balam

"O king, what was it you resolved upon, sending the righteous Rama and the mighty Lakshmana into exile while I was away and had not yet returned?

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.76.7)

क्व यास्यसि महा राज हित्वा इमम् दुह्खितम् जनम्। हीनम् पुरुष सिम्हेन रामेण अक्लिष्ट कर्मणा॥ 76.7 ॥

kva yāsyasi mahā rāja hitvā imam duhkhitam janam| hīnam puruṣa simhena rāmeṇa akliṣṭa karmaṇā

Where are you going, great king, leaving behind this grief-stricken man, bereft of Rama, that tireless doer of deeds, that lion among men?

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.76.8)

योग क्षेमम् तु ते राजन् को अस्मिन् कल्पयिता पुरे। त्वयि प्रयाते स्वः तात रामे च वनम् आश्रिते॥ 76.8 ॥

yoga kṣemam tu te rājan ko asmin kalpayitā pure| tvayi prayāte svaḥ tāta rāme ca vanam āśrite

O king, O father, who now will secure the welfare and safety of this city, with you departed to heaven and Rama gone to take refuge in the forest?

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.76.9)

विधवा पृथिवी राजंस् त्वया हीना न राजते। हीन चन्द्रा इव रजनी नगरी प्रतिभाति माम्॥ 76.9 ॥

vidhavā pṛthivī rājaṃs tvayā hīnā na rājate| hīna candrā iva rajanī nagarī pratibhāti mām

Widowed of you, O king, the earth no longer shines. To me this city appears like a night bereft of its moon."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.76.10)

एवम् विलपमानम् तम् भरतम् दीन मानसम्। अब्रवीद् वचनम् भूयो वसिष्ठः तु महान् ऋषिः॥ 76.10 ॥

evam vilapamānam tam bharatam dīna mānasam| abravīd vacanam bhūyo vasiṣṭhaḥ tu mahān ṛṣiḥ

To Bharata, who lamented thus with a stricken heart, the great sage Vashishtha again spoke these words:

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.76.11)

प्रेत कार्याणि यानि अस्य कर्तव्यानि विशाम्पतेः। तानि अव्यग्रम् महा बाहो क्रियताम् अविचारितम्॥ 76.11 ॥

preta kāryāṇi yāni asya kartavyāni viśāmpateḥ| tāni avyagram mahā bāho kriyatām avicāritam

"O mighty-armed one, whatever funeral rites remain to be performed for this lord of the people, let them be carried out without agitation and without further deliberation."

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.76.12)

तथा इति भरतः वाक्यम् वसिष्ठस्य अभिपूज्य तत्। ऋत्विक् पुरोहित आचार्यांस् त्वरयाम् आस सर्वशः॥ 76.12 ॥

tathā iti bharataḥ vākyam vasiṣṭhasya abhipūjya tat| ṛtvik purohita ācāryāṃs tvarayām āsa sarvaśaḥ

"So be it," said Bharata, honoring Vashishtha's words, and he swiftly summoned all the officiating priests, the family chaplains, and the preceptors.

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.76.13)

ये तु अग्रतः नर इन्द्रस्याग्नि अगारात् बहिष् कृताः। ऋत्विग्भिर् याजकैः चैव ते ह्रियन्ते यथा विधि॥ 76.13 ॥

ye tu agrataḥ nara indrasyāgni agārāt bahiṣ kṛtāḥ| ṛtvigbhir yājakaiḥ caiva te hriyante yathā vidhi

The sacred fires that had earlier been carried out from the fire-chamber of the lord of men were now duly brought forth by the officiating priests and the sacrificers, in accordance with rite.

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.76.14)

शिबिलायाम् अथ आरोप्य राजानम् गत चेतनम्। बाष्प कण्ठा विमनसः तम् ऊहुः परिचारकाः॥ 76.14 ॥

śibilāyām atha āropya rājānam gata cetanam| bāṣpa kaṇṭhā vimanasaḥ tam ūhuḥ paricārakāḥ

Then, placing the lifeless king upon a palanquin, the attendants, their throats choked with tears and their minds bewildered with grief, bore him away.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.76.15)

हिरण्यम् च सुवर्णम् च वासांसि विविधानि च। प्रकिरन्तः जना मार्गम् नृपतेर् अग्रतः ययुः॥ 76.15 ॥

hiraṇyam ca suvarṇam ca vāsāṃsi vividhāni ca| prakirantaḥ janā mārgam nṛpater agrataḥ yayuḥ

Scattering silver and gold and garments of every kind along the way, the people walked ahead of the king's bier.

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.76.16)

चन्दन अगुरु निर्यासान् सरलम् पद्मकम् तथा। देव दारूणि च आहृत्य चिताम् चक्रुस् तथा अपरे॥ 76.16 ॥

candana aguru niryāsān saralam padmakam tathā| deva dārūṇi ca āhṛtya citām cakrus tathā apare

Others, in the same way, brought sandalwood, the resin of aloe, sarala and padmaka wood, and deodar timber, and built the funeral pyre.

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.76.17)

गन्धान् उच्च अवचामः च अन्यांस् तत्र दत्त्वा अथ भूमिपम्। ततः सम्वेशयाम् आसुः चिता मध्ये तम् ऋत्विजः॥ 76.17 ॥

gandhān ucca avacāmaḥ ca anyāṃs tatra dattvā atha bhūmipam| tataḥ samveśayām āsuḥ citā madhye tam ṛtvijaḥ

Having offered there many other kinds of fragrant substances as well, the priests then laid the lord of the earth in the midst of the pyre.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.76.18)

तथा हुत अशनम् हुत्वा जेपुस् तस्य तदा ऋत्विजः। जगुः च ते यथा शास्त्रम् तत्र सामानि सामगाः॥ 76.18 ॥

tathā huta aśanam hutvā jepus tasya tadā ṛtvijaḥ| jaguḥ ca te yathā śāstram tatra sāmāni sāmagāḥ

Then the priests offered oblations into the fire on his behalf and recited the sacred formulas, while those among them versed in the Samaveda chanted its hymns according to rule.

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.76.19)

शिबिकाभिः च यानैः च यथा अर्हम् तस्य योषितः। नगरान् निर्ययुस् तत्र वृद्धैः परिवृताः तदा॥ 76.19 ॥

śibikābhiḥ ca yānaiḥ ca yathā arham tasya yoṣitaḥ| nagarān niryayus tatra vṛddhaiḥ parivṛtāḥ tadā

Then his wives, surrounded by elders and borne in palanquins and other conveyances suited to their rank, set out from the city to that place.

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.76.20)

प्रसव्यम् च अपि तम् चक्रुर् ऋत्विजो अग्नि चितम् नृपम्। स्त्रियः च शोक सम्तप्ताः कौसल्या प्रमुखाः तदा॥ 76.20 ॥

prasavyam ca api tam cakrur ṛtvijo agni citam nṛpam| striyaḥ ca śoka samtaptāḥ kausalyā pramukhāḥ tadā

The priests, and likewise the grief-stricken women headed by Kausalya, then walked in reverse circumambulation around the king laid upon the pyre.

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.76.21)

क्रौन्चीनाम् इव नारीणाम् निनादः तत्र शुश्रुवे। आर्तानाम् करुणम् काले क्रोशन्तीनाम् सहस्रशः॥ 76.21 ॥

krauncīnām iva nārīṇām ninādaḥ tatra śuśruve| ārtānām karuṇam kāle krośantīnām sahasraśaḥ

At that moment there arose the sound of thousands of women weeping piteously in anguish—a sound like the cries of curlews.

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.76.22)

ततः रुदन्त्यो विवशा विलप्य च पुनः पुनः। यानेभ्यः सरयू तीरम् अवतेरुर् वर अन्गनाः॥ 76.22 ॥

tataḥ rudantyo vivaśā vilapya ca punaḥ punaḥ| yānebhyaḥ sarayū tīram avaterur vara anganāḥ

Then those noble ladies, weeping and lamenting again and again, helpless with grief, descended from their conveyances at the bank of the Sarayu.

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.76.23)

कृत उदकम् ते भरतेन सार्धम्। नृप अन्गना मन्त्रि पुरोहिताः च। पुरम् प्रविश्य अश्रु परीत नेत्रा। भूमौ दश अहम् व्यनयन्त दुह्खम्॥ 76.23 ॥

kṛta udakam te bharatena sārdham| nṛpa anganā mantri purohitāḥ ca| puram praviśya aśru parīta netrā| bhūmau daśa aham vyanayanta duhkham

Having offered the water-rite together with Bharata, the queens, the ministers and the family priests entered the city with eyes full of tears, and for ten days endured their sorrow, sleeping upon the bare ground.