Sage Vasishtha and the learned Vamadeva tried to console the grief-stricken brothers and dispel Bharata’s deep sense of guilt for his mother’s actions. They instructed him to perform Dasharatha’s last rites. Bharata acted according to their advice. The great funeral pyre of the late King was prepared on the banks of River Sarayu. The queens, relatives and all the learned people and citizens paid their last respects to the King. To the chanting of Vedic mantras, Bharata lit the pyre and performed the rituals that are for the peace of the departing soul. Oblations were offered in the River Sarayu where everyone bathed. Then, in accordance with custom, Bharata distributed cows, horses, elephants, gold, clothes and food to the needy and the priests. When the rites were over, the family returned to the palace to share their grief during the mourning period.
The Last Rites
