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142
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
सा त्वमग्निं प्रविश वा स्वयं वा दण्डकान् विश ।
रज्जुं बधान वा कण्ठे न हि तेऽन्यत् परायणम् ॥
 
Enter the fire then, or go to Dandaka,
or knot a rope round your neck: no other
fate befits you."
 
तमेवं शोकसन्तप्तं भरतं कैकयीसुतम् ।
उवाच वदतां श्रेष्ठो वसिष्ठः श्रेष्ठवागृषिः ॥
 
To Bharata the son of Kaikeyi, who was
thus burning with sorrow, Vasishtha the
sage, the best of speakers and of un-
requalled speech, said :
 
अलं शोकेन भद्रं ते राजपुत्र महायशः ।
प्राप्तकालं नरपतेः कुरु संयानमुत्तमम् ॥
 
"Enough of grief, good betide you,
Perform in
O prince of great fame.
proper time the great funeral rites of the
king."
 
वसिष्ठस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भरतो धारणं गतः ।
प्रेतकार्याणि सर्वाणि कारयामास धर्मवित् ॥
 
Hearing the
 
words of
 
Vasishtha,
 
Bharata, knower of dharma, becoming
self-possessed, caused the performance of
all the rites pertaining to the dead.