Valmiki Ramayana 2.76.12: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 12

दशरथस्य अन्त्येष्टि

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

Setting: Ayodhyā (implied, royal precincts)

Devanagari script

तथेति भरतो वाक्यं वसिष्ठस्याभिपूज्य तत् ।

ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्यान् स्त्वरयामास सर्वशः ॥१२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.76.12

Transliteration

tatheti bharato vākyaṁ vasiṣṭhasyābhipūjya tat |

ṛtvik-purohitācāryān tvarayāmāsa sarvaśaḥ ||12||

Translation

भरत ने कहा, "ठीक है।" उन्होंने वशिष्ठ की बात मान ली। फिर उन्होंने पंडित और गुरु सबको जल्दी करने को कहा।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• तथा: so
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘so/thus’)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)

• इति: thus (saying)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)
• Role: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)

• भरतः: Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• वाक्यम्: statement/words
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• वसिष्ठस्य: of Vasistha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• अभिपूज्य: having honoured
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund): ‘having honoured’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)

• तत्: that
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्यम् इत्यस्य निर्देश
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ऋत्विक्-पुरोहित-आचार्यान्: priests, chaplains, and teachers
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: ऋत्विजश्च पुरोहिताश्च आचार्याश्च (समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; व्यवहारतः बहुवचन); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Dvandva

• स्त्वरयामास: hastened (them)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्त्वरय् (नामधातु/धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative sense: ‘made (them) hurry’
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• सर्वशः: in every way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समग्रतावाचक (adverb: ‘in every way/entirely’)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)

Sandhi Notes

• तथेति = तथा + इति (a+i→e)
• वसिष्ठस्याभिपूज्य = वसिष्ठस्य + अभिपूज्य (a+a→ā)
• ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्यान् = ऋत्विक्+पुरोहित+आचार्यान् (समास/पदसंयोग)।

Context

Bharata said, 'Be it so' in obedience to Vasistha, who hastened up the learned Vedic scholars, family priests and preceptors to perform various rites.

The teaching

In calamity, the righteous hasten prescribed rites under the guidance of the wise; dharma is upheld through timely action.

Duties in tension

• Personal grief vs. immediate performance of antyeṣṭi duties
• Succession anxiety vs. obedience to guru and śāstraic procedure

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma / saṃskāra-dharma

How it resolves

Duty-prioritization (niyata-karma first)

For your practice

Model of śraddhā and guru-vākya-anuṣṭhāna: acting promptly on dharmic instruction even when the mind is shaken.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Hastened rites, grave resolve, impending loss

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Obedience to elders
• Ritual order
• Royal administration

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Vasiṣṭha
• Ṛtvij (Vedic priests)
• Purohita (royal chaplains)
• Ācārya (preceptors)

FAQs

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

Dharma is upheld through respectful acceptance of rightful guidance and prompt organization of necessary rites—truthful duty is expressed as timely action.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata accepts Vasiṣṭha’s directive and mobilizes the ritual specialists to begin the funeral procedures.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsiveness and humility: Bharata honors counsel and acts decisively for the common good and proper order.