Valmiki Ramayana 2.76.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 3

दशरथस्य अन्त्येष्टि

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

Setting: अयोध्या

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठस्य वच श्शृत्वा भरतो धारणां गतः ।

प्रेतकार्याणि सर्वाणि कारयामास धर्मवित् ॥३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.76.3

Transliteration

vasiṣṭhasya vacaḥ śrutvā bharato dhāraṇāṃ gataḥ |

pretakāryāṇi sarvāṇi kārayāmāsa dharmavit ||3||

Translation

ヴァシシュタの言葉を聞くと、バラタは心を取り戻し、ダルマを知る者として、亡き人のためになすべき一切の儀礼を執り行わせた。

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Word by Word

• वसिष्ठस्य: of Vasiṣṭha
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• वचः: words
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• भरतः: Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• धारणाम्: steadiness, composure
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhāraṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• गतः: having attained, regained
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु) + gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (भरतः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; 'attained')
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) / Karta-viśeṣaṇa

• प्रेतकार्याणि: funeral duties
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रेतस्य कार्याणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• सर्वाणि: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रेतकार्याणि)
• Role: Karma (कर्म) / Karma-viśeṣaṇa

• कारयामास: caused to be done, had performed
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + causative (णिच्)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• धर्मवित्: knower of duty
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मं वेत्ति); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण (भरतः)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) / Karta-viśeṣaṇa
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• वच श्शृत्वा → वचः श्रुत्वा

Context

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

The teaching

Dharma is not merely known but enacted—especially in liminal moments like death.

Duties in tension

• शोक (emotional collapse)
• कर्तव्य (preta-kārya performance as son and prince)

Ethical theme

संस्कार-धर्म / पितृऋण

How it resolves

Restoration of composure through guru counsel, then execution of prescribed rites

For your practice

Model for grief-discipline: receive wise counsel, regain dhāraṇā, and complete obligations without delay.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Composed, procedural, grave

Themes

• Dharma
• Antyeṣṭi (funeral rites)
• Self-control
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Vasiṣṭha
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Dharma is practical: it includes ritual and social responsibilities. Bharata’s composure enables him to fulfill obligatory rites for the deceased king.

What is the narrative situation?

Immediately after being counseled, Bharata steadies himself and organizes the funeral observances for Daśaratha.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dharma-jñāna joined with emotional restraint—Bharata acts responsibly despite intense sorrow.