Valmiki Ramayana 2.76.14: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 14

दशरथस्य अन्त्येष्टि

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

Setting: Ayodhyā, palace to cremation route (procession begins)Funeral procession commencing

Devanagari script

शिबिकायामथा़ऽरोप्य राजानं गतचेतसम् ।

बाष्पकण्ठा विमनसस्तमूहुः परिचारकाः ॥१४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.76.14

Transliteration

śibikāyām athāropya rājānaṁ gata-cetasam |

bāṣpa-kaṇṭhā vimanasaḥ tam ūhuḥ paricārakāḥ ||14||

Translation

แล้วเหล่าบริจารกได้นำพระราชาผู้สิ้นสติชีพขึ้นวางบนเสลี่ยงศพ; ด้วยใจหม่นหมองและลำคออัดแน่นด้วยน้ำตา จึงหามพระองค์ไป

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Word by Word

• शिबिकायाम्: on the litter/palanquin
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्)

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (sequence marker: ‘then/thereupon’)
• Role: Anukrama (अनुक्रम)

• आरोप्य: having placed
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), causative sense in usage: ‘having placed/caused to mount’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)

• राजानम्: the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• गतचेतसम्: lifeless/unconscious (departed in mind)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गम्) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: गतं चेतः यस्य/गतचेतस् (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत्; रूपतः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-आधार); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; राजानम् इति विशेषण
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• बाष्पकण्ठाः: with throats choked with tears
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: बाष्पेण कण्ठः यस्य (बहुव्रीहि); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; परिचारकाः इति विशेषण
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• विमनसः: dejected
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; परिचारकाः इति विशेषण
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)

• तम्: him
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; राजानम् इत्यस्य निर्देश
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ऊहुः: carried
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; √वह् → ऊहुः (अभ्यास/वृद्धि-रूप)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• परिचारकाः: attendants
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिचारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• अथाऽऽरोप्य = अथ + आरोप्य (a+a→ā; avagraha)
• तमूहुः = तम् + ऊहुः (m+ū→mū)।

Context

Thereafter the attendants raised the mortal remains of the deceased king onto a litter, with dejected minds, throats choked with tears and carried him away.

The teaching

True service persists even when the heart breaks; duty becomes the vessel that carries grief forward.

Duties in tension

• Emotional collapse vs. required service to the deceased king
• Private grief vs. public ceremonial decorum

Ethical theme

Sevā-dharma / social duty

How it resolves

Service-through-grief (seva as discipline)

For your practice

Contemplation on mortality (maraṇa-smṛti) and compassionate service; supports vairāgya and steadiness.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Tear-choked, heavy-hearted, funereal

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Mourning
• Impermanence
• Funeral procession

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• King Daśaratha (rājā, implied)
• Śibikā (bier/palanquin)

FAQs

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

Dharma honors the dead with dignified rites; even while grieving, one performs compassionate service and maintains communal respect for the departed.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha’s body is placed on a bier and carried by attendants as the funeral procession begins.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Loyal service (sevā) and reverence—attendants fulfill their duty despite overwhelming sorrow.