Valmiki Ramayana 2.76.18 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 18

दशरथस्य अन्त्येष्टि

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

Devanagari script

तदा हुताशनं हुत्वा जेपुस्तस्य तदृत्विजः।जगुश्च ते यथाशास्त्र तत्र सामानि सामगाः।।2.76.18।।

Transliteration

tadā hutāśanaṁ hutvā jepus tasya tad-ṛtvijaḥ | jaguś ca te yathā-śāstra tatra sāmāni sāma-gāḥ || 2.76.18 ||

Translation

Bấy giờ, sau khi dâng các lễ vật vào Hỏa Thần thiêng liêng, các vị tế sư của ngài tụng niệm những chân ngôn đúng pháp; và tại đó, những người ca tụng Sāma Veda hát các thánh ca theo đúng kinh điển.

Word by Word

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

• हुताशनम्: fire
• हुताशनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुताशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• हुत्वा: having offered oblations
• हुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund: having offered/oblated)

• जेपुः: they recited (prayers)
• जेपुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person plural)

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

• तदृत्विजः: his priests
• तदृत्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (Masculine, Nominative, Plural: those priests of his)

• जगुः: they sang
• जगुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person plural)

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

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Pronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Plural: they/those)

• यथाशास्त्रम्: according to the scriptures
• यथाशास्त्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रिया-विशेषणम् (indeclinable compound: according to scripture)

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

• सामानि: Sāman hymns
• सामानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Plural)

• सामगाः: Sāma-chanters
• सामगाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

Context

In this way others brought sandal, agaru and fragrant gum gugul, the resin of balsa tree and woods of sarala, padmaka and devadaru and built a pyre and strew many kinds of fragrant substances on it. Thereafter the priests laid the mortal remains of the king in the centre of the pyre.

Characters & Entities

• Sacred fire (hutāśana/agni)
• Ṛtvij (priests)
• Śāstra (scriptural rule)
• Daśaratha (implied as the one for whom rites are done)

FAQs

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

Dharma is truthful adherence to śāstra in sacred acts; right performance and right recitation preserve moral and ritual order during life’s most vulnerable transitions.

What is the narrative situation?

With the body placed on the pyre, priests offer oblations and chant; Sāma Veda singers perform hymns as prescribed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sacred professionalism and devotion—ritualists uphold tradition through accurate offerings and scriptural chanting.