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

दशरथस्य अन्त्येष्टि

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

Setting: Cremation ground / pyre site near Sarayū (implied by surrounding verses)Funeral rites at the pyre

Devanagari script

प्रसव्यं चापि तं चकुः ऋत्विजोऽग्निचितं नृपम् ।

स्त्रियश्च शोकसन्तप्ताः कौसल्याप्रमुखास्तदा ॥२०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.76.20

Transliteration

prasavyaṃ cāpi taṃ cakruḥ ṛtvijo 'gnicitaṃ nṛpam |

striyaś ca śokasantaptāḥ kausalyāpramukhās tadā ||20||

Translation

అప్పుడు ఋత్వికులు మరియు శోకసంతప్తులైన స్త్రీలు—కౌసల్యను ముందుంచి—అగ్నిచితుడైన రాజుని చితిని ప్రసవ్యంగా (వామావర్తంగా) ప్రదక్షిణ చేసిరి।

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Word by Word

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

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

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

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

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

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

• अग्निचितम्: laid on the pyre
• 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')
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sandhi Notes

• चापि → च + अपि
• ऋत्विजोऽग्निचितं → ऋत्विजः + अग्निचितम्
• अग्निचितम् = अग्नौ चितम् (तत्पुरुष)
• शोकसन्तप्ताः = शोकेन सन्तप्ताः (तत्पुरुष)
• कौसल्याप्रमुखाः = कौसल्या प्रमुखा यसाम् (तत्पुरुष-प्रायः)

Context

Then the priests and other women led by Kausalya who was consumed with grief circumambulated the pyre in the reverse direction as the king's body was engulfed by flames.

The teaching

Dharma in crisis is sustained by saṃskāra: even overwhelming grief is given form through prescribed rites, preventing collapse into chaos.

Duties in tension

• Personal grief (śoka) vs. obligatory funeral ritual (antyeṣṭi/ācāra)

Ethical theme

Saṃskāra-dharma (rite-based duty)

How it resolves

Ritual duty upheld despite sorrow

For your practice

Meditation on mortality and disciplined grieving; supports śānti-pāṭha mindset and acceptance.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Lamenting, ritual-grave, heart-searing

Themes

• Dharma
• Antyeṣṭi (funeral rites)
• Ritual practice (prasavya-pradakṣiṇā)
• Grief
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

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.