Valmiki Ramayana 2.76.19: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 19

दशरथस्य अन्त्येष्टि

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

Setting: अयोध्या (city) → departure toward the cremation/river-side ritesPlaces named: नगर (Ayodhya)Funeral procession leaving the city

Devanagari script

शिबिकाभिश्च यानैश्च यथार्हं तस्य योषितः ।

नगरा न्निर्ययुस्तत्र वृद्धैः परिवृता स्तदा ॥१९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.76.19

Transliteration

śibikābhiś ca yānaiś ca yathārhaṃ tasya yoṣitaḥ |

nagarān niryayus tatra vṛddhaiḥ parivṛtās tadā ||19||

Translation

แล้วเหล่าสตรีฝ่ายในของพระราชา ตามฐานันดรศักดิ์ของตน บ้างขึ้นเสลี่ยง บ้างขึ้นยานพาหนะ อันมีนางพี่เลี้ยงชราห้อมล้อม ก็ออกจากนครไปยังสถานที่นั้นในกาลนั้น

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Word by Word

• शिबिकाभिः: by/with palanquins
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Plural)
• Role: Karana (करण)

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

• यानैः: by/with vehicles
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)
• Role: Karana (करण)

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

• यथार्हम्: as appropriate
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रिया-विशेषणम् (indeclinable: as is proper/according to rank)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• तस्य: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular: of him)
• Role: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

• योषितः: women/wives
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Plural)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• नगरात्: from the city
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative, Singular)
• Role: Apadana (अपादान)

• निर्ययुः: went out/departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person plural)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• तत्र: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)
• Role: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)

• वृद्धैः: with elders/aged attendants
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)
• Role: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)

• परिवृताः: surrounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोग (Feminine, Nominative, Plural: surrounded)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

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

Sandhi Notes

• शिबिकाभिश्च → शिबिकाभिः + च
• यानैश्च → यानैः + च
• नगरान्निर्ययुः → नगरात् + निर्ययुः

Context

Then in accordance with their rank and surrounded by aged guards, the wives of king Dasaratha departed for that place from the city in palanquins and other carriages.

The teaching

Even in grief, royal households uphold maryādā (protocol) and proceed to obligatory rites in ordered fashion.

Ethical theme

Sadācāra (proper conduct)

For your practice

Contemplation on anitya and disciplined conduct during loss; supports vairāgya and steadiness.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Processional, heavy-hearted, ritual-bound

Themes

• Dharma
• Royal protocol
• Community mourning
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as ordered conduct in crisis: even mourning follows appropriate roles and protections, reflecting social responsibility and decorum.

What is the narrative situation?

As funeral rites proceed, the royal women leave Ayodhyā for the riverside/cremation area in a guarded, rank-ordered procession.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective discipline and propriety—maintaining dignified conduct while honoring the deceased king.