Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 51, Shloka 20

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः — Guha’s Vigil and Lakṣmaṇa’s Lament

Night on the riverbank

Devanagari script

सिद्धार्थाः पितरं वृत्तं तस्मिन्कालेऽप्युपस्थिते।प्रेतकार्येषु सर्वेषु संस्करिष्यन्ति भूमिपम्।।।।

Transliteration

siddhārthāḥ pitaraṃ vṛttaṃ tasmin kāle 'py upasthite | pretakāryeṣu sarveṣu saṃskariṣyanti bhūmipam ||

Translation

ಆ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನ ತಂದೆ ಭೂಪತಿಯನ್ನು ಸುತ್ತುವರಿದು ಉಪಸ್ಥಿತರಿರುವವರು, ಅವನಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದ ಎಲ್ಲ ಪ್ರೇತಕಾರ್ಯಗಳನ್ನೂ ಅಂತ್ಯೇಷ್ಠಿ-ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರಗಳನ್ನೂ ನೆರವೇರಿಸುವವರು—ತಮ್ಮ ಉದ್ದೇಶವನ್ನು ಸಿದ್ಧಿಸಿಕೊಂಡವರಾಗುವರು.

Word by Word

• सिद्धार्थाः: those whose aims are fulfilled
• सिद्धार्थाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्धार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सिद्ध + अर्थ (कर्मधारय); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• वृत्तम्: lying/placed (in that state)
• वृत्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग); 'having happened/occurred; (here) lying/being in that state'

• तस्मिन्: at that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine/Neuter form

• काले: time
• काले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; 'even/also' (particle)

• उपस्थिते: when it has come
• उपस्थिते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative absolute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-sthā (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine/Neuter; 'when (it) has arrived/occurred'

• प्रेतकार्येषु: in the funeral rites
• प्रेतकार्येषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: प्रेतस्य कार्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• संस्करिष्यन्ति: will perform (rites)/cremate
• संस्करिष्यन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• भूमिपम्: the king
• भूमिपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: भूमेः पः/पालः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

Those who will remain present around the king, my father, at the time of his death and perform the funeral rites have their desires fulfilled (for they could attend the king's obsequies).

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Antyeṣṭi-dharma (funerary duty): performing last rites is a sacred obligation and a final service to elders and rulers.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker anticipates the king’s death and notes who will be able to attend and complete the required obsequies.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence for ritual duty and acknowledgment of social-religious obligations.