Valmiki Ramayana 2.76.17: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 17

दशरथस्य अन्त्येष्टि

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

Devanagari script

चन्दनागरुनिर्यासान् सरलं पद्मकं तथा।देवदारूणि चाहृत्य क्षेपयन्ति तथापरे।।2.76.16।।गन्धानुच्चावचांश्चान्यां स्तत्र गत्वाथ भूमिपम्।तत्र संवेशयामासुश्चितामध्ये तमृत्विजः।।2.76.17।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.76.17

Transliteration

tadā hutāśanaṁ hutvā jepus tasya tad-ṛtvijaḥ | jaguś ca te yathā-śāstra tatra sāmāni sāma-gāḥ || 2.76.18 ||

Translation

Entonces, tras ofrecer las oblaciones en el fuego sagrado, sus sacerdotes recitaron las fórmulas prescritas; y allí los cantores del Sāma Veda entonaron los himnos conforme a la śāstra.

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Word by Word

• गन्धान्: fragrant substances
• गन्धान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• उच्चावचान्: of various kinds
• उच्चावचान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्चावच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Accusative, Plural; adjective qualifying गन्धान्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Accusative, Plural; adjective: other)

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

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund: having gone)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha/Discourse (अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय (particle: then/thereupon)

• भूमिपम्: the king (body of the king)
• भूमिपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

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

• संवेशयामासुः: they laid (him) down
• संवेशयामासुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + विश् (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (Causative perfect, 3rd person plural, Parasmaipada: they caused to lie/laid)

• चितामध्ये: in the middle of the pyre
• चितामध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिता (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (Neuter, Locative, Singular: in the middle of the pyre)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Pronoun; Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• ऋत्विजः: priests
• ऋत्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

Context

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.

Characters & Entities

• Sacred fire (hutāśana/agni)
• Ṛtvij (priests)
• Śāstra (scriptural rule)
• Daśaratha (implied as the one for whom rites are done)

FAQs

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

Dharma is truthful adherence to śāstra in sacred acts; right performance and right recitation preserve moral and ritual order during life’s most vulnerable transitions.

What is the narrative situation?

With the body placed on the pyre, priests offer oblations and chant; Sāma Veda singers perform hymns as prescribed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sacred professionalism and devotion—ritualists uphold tradition through accurate offerings and scriptural chanting.