Valmiki Ramayana 2.76.20 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 20

दशरथस्य अन्त्येष्टि

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

Devanagari script

प्रसव्यं चापि तं चकुः ऋत्विजोऽग्निचितं नृपम्।स्त्रियश्च शोकसन्तप्ताः कौसल्याप्रमुखास्तदा।।2.76.20।।

Transliteration

prasavyaṃ cāpi taṃ cakruḥ ṛtvijo 'gnicitaṃ nṛpam |

striyaś ca śokasantaptāḥ kausalyāpramukhās tadā || 2.76.20 ||

Translation

ついで祭司たちと、悲嘆に焼かれカウサリヤーを先頭とする女たちは、王の燃え盛る火葬の薪堆を逆回りに周回した。

Word by Word

• प्रसव्यम्: counterclockwise
• प्रसव्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रसव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रिया-विशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: keeping the left side; counterclockwise)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

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

• चक्रुः: they did/performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person plural)

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

• अग्निचितम्: laid on the pyre
• अग्निचितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √चि)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Accusative, Singular; 'placed on the fire-pyre')

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Plural)

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

• शोकसन्तप्ताः: tormented by grief
• शोकसन्तप्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्तप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √तप्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (Feminine, Nominative, Plural; afflicted by grief)

• कौसल्याप्रमुखाः: led by Kausalyā
• कौसल्याप्रमुखाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौसल्या (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (Feminine, Nominative, Plural; led by Kausalyā)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

Context

The wives of the king, counsellors and priests along with Bharata offered water-libation and entered the city with tearful eyes. They spent the ten-day mourning period sleeping on the ground (floor) in great grief.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē ṣaṭasaptatitamassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the seventysixth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kausalyā
• ṛtvij (priests)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes prescribed rites that honor life’s transitions; the reverse circumambulation marks the solemnity of death-rituals and communal respect for the departed.

What is the narrative situation?

At Daśaratha’s cremation, priests and the grieving queens perform the customary movement around the pyre.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence and fidelity—Kausalyā and the others uphold ritual duty despite overwhelming sorrow.