Valmiki Ramayana 2.76.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 21

दशरथस्य अन्त्येष्टि

विधानम् — Dasaratha’s Funeral Rites and Ayodhya’s Mourning

Devanagari script

क्रौञ्चीनामिव नारीणां निनादस्तत्र शुश्रुवे।आर्तानां करुणं काले क्रोशन्तीनां सहस्रशः।।2.76.21।।

Transliteration

krauñcīnām iva nārīṇāṃ ninādas tatra śuśruve |

ārtānāṃ karuṇaṃ kāle krośantīnāṃ sahasraśaḥ || 2.76.21 ||

Translation

وفي ذلك الحين سُمِع هناك نحيبُ النساء: آلافُ الأصواتِ المكلومة تصرخُ صراخًا رقيقًا حزينًا، كالصيحاتِ النافذة لإناثِ طيرِ الكراونتشا.

Word by Word

• क्रौञ्चीनाम्: of krauñcī birds
• क्रौञ्चीनाम्: Upamana-sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्ची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Plural)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana-marker (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (particle: like/as)

• नारीणाम्: of women
• नारीणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Plural)

• निनादः: sound/cry
• निनादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निनाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• शुश्रुवे: was heard
• शुश्रुवे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Perfect, 3rd person singular, Atmanepada: was heard)

• आर्तानाम्: of the distressed
• आर्तानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural: of the distressed)

• करुणम्: piteously
• करुणम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रिया-विशेषणवत् (Neuter, Singular; used adverbially: piteously)

• काले: at the time
• काले: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

• क्रोशन्तीनाम्: of (women) crying
• क्रोशन्तीनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रुश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Present active participle; Feminine, Genitive, Plural: of those crying)

• सहस्रशः: in thousands
• सहस्रशः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशः (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: by thousands/in thousands)

Context

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

Characters & Entities

• krauñca birds

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma recognizes human sorrow as natural, yet it frames grief within communal rites—lamentation accompanies, but does not replace, the responsibilities of farewell.

What is the narrative situation?

During the cremation proceedings, the collective mourning of women rises loudly and is poetically compared to krauñca birds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate realism—acknowledging suffering as part of human life while continuing the sacred duties of the moment.