Shloka 17

पितृमरणश्रवणं जलक्रिया च

Hearing of Daśaratha’s death and the libation rites at Mandākinī

Devanagari script

ततस्ते भ्रातर स्रव्रॆ भृशमाश्वास्य दु:खितम्।अब्रुवन् जगतीभर्तुः क्रियतामुदकं पितुः।।।।

Transliteration

tatas te bhrātaraḥ sarve bhṛśam āśvāsya rāghavam |

abruvan jagatībhartuḥ kriyatām udakaṃ pituḥ ||

Translation

Kemudian semua saudara baginda, setelah sedaya upaya menenangkan Rāghava, berkata: “Hendaklah dipersembahkan udaka, libasi air, bagi ayahanda—penyangga dunia.”

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भ्रातरः: brothers
• भ्रातरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण of ‘भ्रातरः’

• भृशम्: greatly
• भृशम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक अव्यय (intensifier adverb)

• आश्वास्य: having consoled
• आश्वास्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + श्वस् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यपन्त (absolutive), ‘having consoled’

• राघवम्: Rama
• राघवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अब्रुवन्: they said
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• जगतीभर्तुः: of the protector of the earth
• जगतीभर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगतीभर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: जगत्याः भर्ता

• क्रियताम्: let (it) be done
• क्रियताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be done’

• उदकम्: water-libation
• उदकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of ‘क्रियताम्’

• पितुः: for/of (our) father
• पितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Context

All the brothers, having consoled Rama as best they could, told him, Let the libations be offered to our father, the protector of the world.

Characters & Entities

• Rama (Raghava)
• Bharata
• Lakshmana
• Shatrughna
• Dasharatha

FAQs

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

Dharma as duty after death: the sons must perform udaka-kriyā (water-libations), expressing gratitude, continuity of lineage, and respect for the departed.

What is the narrative situation?

The brothers steady Rama and urge immediate performance of the traditional rite of offering water to Dasharatha.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Promptness in duty (kartavya) even amid sorrow—ritual responsibility is upheld as an ethical obligation.