ऋते तु पुत्राद्दहनं महीपतेर्न रोचयन्ते सुहृदः समागताः।
इतीव तस्मिञ्शयने न्यवेशयन्विचिन्त्य राजानमचिन्त्यदर्शनम्॥
ṛte tu putrād dahanaṁ mahī-pater
na rocayante suhṛdaḥ samāgatāḥ
itīva tasmiñ śayane nyaveśayan
vicintya rājānam acintya-darśanam
ṛte tu putrāt = by anyone other than a son of his; dahanam = to be burnt; mahī-pateḥ = the king’s body; na rocayante = did not want; suhṛdaḥ = well-wishing relatives; samāgatāḥ = the assembled; iti iva = along these lines; tasmin śayane = in the tub of oil; nyaveśayan = they then placed; vicintya = thinking; rājānam = the king; acintya-darśanam = of inconceivable appearance.
The assembled well-wishing relatives did not want the king’s body to be burnt by anyone other than a son of his. Thinking along these lines, they then placed the king of inconceivable appearance in the tub of oil.
Even though he had sons, who were extremely strong and adventurous, at this time and by the will of God, not even one of his sons was present [in Ayodhyā]. [The relatives thought,] “It is also inappropriate to not do anything.” So therefore, this decision was arrived at: somehow or other the final rites must go on. [Therefore, they decided that his body should be placed in a tub of oil.]