तमेवं शोकसंतप्तं भरतं कैकयीसुतम्। उवाच वदतां श्रेष्ठो वसिष्ठः श्रेष्ठवागृषिः॥
As Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi was thus burning in grief, that foremost of those skilled in speech, the saint Vasistha, endowed with excellence of language, said.
अलं शोकेन भद्रं ते राजपुत्र महायशः। प्राप्तकालं नरपतेः कुरु संयानमुत्तमम्॥
Do not weep, good betide you, O illustrious prince. Do you perform the funereal rites of the departed king.
वसिष्ठस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भरतो धरणीं गतः। प्रेतकृत्यानि सर्वाणि कारयामास धर्मवित्॥
Hearing Vasistha's words, Bharata cognisant of duty, bowed down to the ground and despatched the ministers for performing the last rites.
उदधृत्य तैलसंसेकात् स तु भूमौ निवेशितम्। आपीतवर्णवदनं प्रसुप्तमिव भूमिपम्॥ संवेश्य शयने चाग्र्ये नानारत्नपरिष्कृते। ततो दशरथं पुत्रो विललाप सुदुःखितः॥
And raising from under the oil the body of the king with a sallow countenance, and appearing to be asleep. Bharata placed it on the ground upon a couch in front adorned with various gems. Then overwhelmed with grief, Dasaratha's son bewailed him thus.
किं ते व्यवसितं राजन् प्रोषिते मय्यनागते। विवास्य रामं धर्मज्ञं लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्॥
O king, what was it that you had intended to do, I absent and away from home, by banishing righteous Rāma and the powerful Lakşmana?
क्व यास्यसे महाराज हित्वेमं दु:खितं जनम्। हीनं पुरुषसिंहेन रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा ॥
Whither wend you, O mighty monarch, forsaking these aggrieved people, who have already been deprived of the lion like Rāma energetic in action?
योगक्षेमं तु तेऽव्यग्रं कोऽस्मिन् कल्पयिता पुरे। त्वयि प्रयाते स्वस्तात रामे च वनमाश्रिते॥
O father, you having ascended heaven and Rāma having taken refuge in the woods, who now in this city of yours shall protect what the people possess and secure to them what they have not?
विधवा पृथिवी राजंस्त्वया हीना न राजते। हीनचन्द्रव रजनी नगरी प्रतिभाति माम्॥
Widowed in consequence of losing you, this earth does not look graceful. The city appears to me like the night deprived of the Moon
एवं विलपमानं तं भरतं दीनमानसम्। अब्रवीद् वचनं भूयो वसिष्ठस्तु महामुनिः॥
As Bharata was lamenting thus in dejected mood, the mighty ascetic Vasiştha again addressed him, saying.
प्रेतकार्याणि यान्यस्य कर्तव्यानि विशाम्पतेः। तान्यव्यग्रं महाबाहो क्रियतामविचारितम्॥
O mighty armed one, do you without indulging in any reflections, perform those funeral ceremonies of the monarch which ought to be performed.
तथेति भरतो वाक्यं वसिष्टस्याभिपूज्य तत्। ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्यास्त्वरयामास सर्वशः॥
Thereupon honouring his words by saying, "So be it,” he urged speed upon all the Rtvigs, priests, and Acāryas.
ये त्वग्नयो नरेन्द्रस्य अग्न्यगाराद् बहुष्कृताः। ऋत्विग्भिर्याजकैश्चैव ते हूयन्ते यथाविधि॥
And then those that had brought the king's corpse out side from the fire chamber, instructed by the Rtvigs and priests according to the ordinance began to offer oblations into the fire.
शिबिकायामथारोप्य राजानं गतचेतनम्। बाष्पकण्ठा विमनसस्तमूचुः परिचारकाः॥
Next placing the king deprived of life on a car, the servants with their throats oppressed with vapour and with their minds weighed down with dejection carried him.
हिरण्यं च सुवर्णं च वासांसि विविधानि च। प्रकिरन्तो जना मार्गे नृपतेरग्रतो ययुः॥
And scattering gold and silver and various kinds of cloth, on the way people went in front of the king.
चन्दनागुरुनिर्यासान् सरलं पद्मकं तथा। देवदारूणि चाहृत्य क्षेपयन्ति तथापरे॥ गन्धानुच्चावचांश्चान्यांस्तत्र गत्वाथ भूमिपम्। तत्र संवेशयामासुश्चितामध्ये तमृत्विजः॥
Others procuring sandal, aguru and other sarala, padmaka and devadari, cast it (on the earth). And drawing near the king there, Rtvigs laid various other fragrant substances on the funeral pile.
तदा हुताशनं हुत्वा जेपुस्तस्य तदृत्विजः। जगुश्च ते यथाशास्त्रं तत्र सामानि सामगाः॥
Then offering oblations into the fire, the Rtvigs began to recite japa; and as laid down in the scriptures, Sāma-singers chanted Sämans.
शिबिकाभिश्च यानैश्च यथार्ह तस्य योषितः। नगरान्निर्ययुस्तत्र वृद्धैः परिवृतास्तथा॥ प्रसव्यं चापि तं चक्रुर्ऋत्विजोऽग्निचितं नृपम्। स्त्रियश्च शोकसंतप्ता: कौसल्याप्रमुखास्तदा॥
By means of litters and other conveyances, each mounted according to her rank, the wives of the king went out from the city, surrounded by aged men. And Rtvijas went round the corpse on the king who performed many sacrifices leaving it on the left side.
क्रौञ्चीनामिव नारीणां निनादस्तत्र शुश्रुवे। आर्तानां करुणं काले क्रोशन्तीनां सहस्रशः॥
And kindling with grief, the females also headed by Kausalyā (circumambulated the pyre). And then there was heard the wail of women distressed with grief weeping piteously by thousands like to Krauñcis.
ततो रुदन्त्यो विवशा विलप्य च पुनः पुनः। यानेभ्यः सरयूतीरमवतेरुपाङ्गनाः॥
Weeping again and again with their sense lost, the wives of the king alighted from the car on the banks of the Sarayu.
कृत्वोदकं ते भरतेन साधु नृपाङ्गना मन्त्रिपुरोहिताश्च। पुरं प्रविश्याश्रुपरीतनेत्रा भूमौ दशाहं व्यनयन्त दुःखम्॥
Having performed the watery rites, the wives of the monarch as well as the counsellors and priests, in company with Bharata entering the city with tears in their eyes, spent ten days* in mourning lying down on the ground. *The Smrti: lays down twelve days of mourning for kings, and sixteen for Khatriyas. Parasara, however, fixes ten days for Ksatriyas in general.