Ato o tou michi ni ya kimi wa irinuran kurushiki shide no yama e kakarade

跡を訪ふ道にや君は入りぬらん
苦しき死出の山へかからで

Roma-ji: Ato o tou michi ni ya kimi wa irinuran kurushiki shide no yama e kakarade
English Translation: The path opened by
our prayers, have you entered it,
I wonder, my lady,
without having to climb
the painful mountain of death?
Meaning: Have you entered the path opened by the prayers of those left behind, without having to climb the painful mountain of death?
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 824

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "After the death of the Second Rank Lady of the Retired Emperor, when people composed ten poems"
This is the eighth of the ten. Has she entered the path opened by the memorial prayers of those left behind, without having to climb the painful mountain of death? the poet asks, praying that the services of the bereaved will lead the departed peacefully to the Pure Land.

First line, “ato o tou”: tou is to pray for the dead, the survivors' memorial prayers, in keeping with 'nochi no yo o toe' in the preceding poem.
Second line, “michi ni ya kimi wa”: the question particle ya is answered by ran in the third line.
Third line, “irinuran”: have you entered it; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “kurushiki shide no”: of the painful mountain of death.
Fifth line, “yama e kakarade”: de is negative, without coming upon it, inverted to follow the third line.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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