वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-13, verse-23

स चित्यो राजसिंहस्य संचितः कुशलैर्द्विजैः ।
गरुडो रुक्मपक्षो वै त्रिगुणो ऽष्टादशात्मकः ॥२३॥

23. sa cityo rājasiṃhasya saṃcitaḥ kuśalairdvijaiḥ ,
garuḍo rukmapakṣo vai triguṇo'ṣṭādaśātmakaḥ.

23. saḥ cityaḥ rājasiṃhasya saṃcitaḥ kuśalaiḥ dvijaiḥ
garuḍaḥ rukmapakṣaḥ vai triguṇaḥ aṣṭādaśātmakaḥ

23. saḥ rājasiṃhasya cityaḥ kuśalaiḥ dvijaiḥ saṃcitaḥ.
vai garuḍaḥ rukmapakṣaḥ triguṇaḥ aṣṭādaśātmakaḥ (āsīt).

23. That altar (citya) of the lion among kings was built by skilled Brahmins (dvijaiḥ). It was indeed a Garuḍa-shaped altar (garuḍa) with golden wings, three-fold (triguṇa) and consisting of eighteen (parts/measures).

Words meanings summery:

• सः (saḥ) - That (altar) (that, he)

• चित्यः (cityaḥ) - the (fire) altar (being piled up) (to be piled, built; (an altar) for piling)

• राजसिंहस्य (rājasiṁhasya) - of King Daśaratha (implied from context of Rāmāyaṇa) (of the lion among kings, of a king like a lion)

• संचितः (saṁcitaḥ) - (altar) well-constructed (well-piled, perfectly built, accumulated)

• कुशलैः (kuśalaiḥ) - by (Brahmins) skilled (by skilled ones, by experts)

• द्विजैः (dvijaiḥ) - by skilled Brahmins (by twice-born ones, by Brahmins)

• गरुडः (garuḍaḥ) - The altar was shaped like Garuḍa (Garuḍa (a mythical bird, vehicle of Vishnu))

• रुक्मपक्षः (rukmapakṣaḥ) - (Garuḍa-shaped altar) with golden wings (golden-winged)

• वै (vai) - indeed, surely, verily

• त्रिगुणः (triguṇaḥ) - (altar) consisting of three layers/types (symbolic interpretation) (three-fold, having three qualities (guṇas))

• अष्टादशात्मकः (aṣṭādaśātmakaḥ) - (altar) formed of eighteen elements/sections (consisting of eighteen, having eighteen constituents)

Words meanings and morphology

सः (saḥ) - That (altar) (that, he)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, this, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Refers to agniḥ (fire-altar) from the previous verse, or cityaḥ in this verse.

चित्यः (cityaḥ) - the (fire) altar (being piled up) (to be piled, built; (an altar) for piling)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of citya

citya - to be piled, piled up, a pile of bricks, an altar

Gerundive

From root ci (to pile) + ya (suffix).

Root: ci (class 5)

राजसिंहस्य (rājasiṁhasya) - of King Daśaratha (implied from context of Rāmāyaṇa) (of the lion among kings, of a king like a lion)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of rājasiṃha

rājasiṁha - a lion among kings, a pre-eminent king

Tatpuruṣa compound (or Karmadhāraya, 'king who is a lion').

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (rājan+siṃha)

• rājan – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)
  Root: rāj (class 1)
• siṃha – lion
  noun (masculine)

Note: Refers to King Daśaratha, as known from the epic context.

संचितः (saṁcitaḥ) - (altar) well-constructed (well-piled, perfectly built, accumulated)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of saṃcita

saṁcita - well-piled, built, collected, accumulated

Past Passive Participle

From sam (prefix) + root ci (to pile) + kta (suffix).

Prefix: sam

Root: ci (class 5)

Note: The sam prefix denotes completeness or perfection.

कुशलैः (kuśalaiḥ) - by (Brahmins) skilled (by skilled ones, by experts)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of kuśala

kuśala - skilful, expert, clever, well

From kuśa (grass, darbha) + la (suffix); perhaps literally 'one who cuts kuśa grass skillfully'.

द्विजैः (dvijaiḥ) - by skilled Brahmins (by twice-born ones, by Brahmins)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of dvija

dvija - twice-born (referring to Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, or specifically Brahmins after upanayana; also bird, tooth, snake)

Bahuvrīhi compound: dvi (two) + ja (born).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dvi+ja)

• dvi – two
  numeral
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective
  Adjective from root jan
  Root: jan (class 4)

गरुडः (garuḍaḥ) - The altar was shaped like Garuḍa (Garuḍa (a mythical bird, vehicle of Vishnu))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of garuḍa

garuḍa - a mythical bird, chief of the feathered race, vehicle of Vishnu, enemy of serpents. Also a specific type of altar shape.

Note: Here, it refers to the specific shape of the fire altar, a common practice in agnicayana.

रुक्मपक्षः (rukmapakṣaḥ) - (Garuḍa-shaped altar) with golden wings (golden-winged)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rukmapakṣa

rukmapakṣa - golden-winged, having golden sides

Bahuvrīhi compound: rukma (gold) + pakṣa (wing/side).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (rukma+pakṣa)

• rukma – gold, golden ornament
  noun (masculine/neuter)
• pakṣa – wing, side, party
  noun (masculine)

वै (vai) - indeed, surely, verily

(indeclinable)

Particle.

त्रिगुणः (triguṇaḥ) - (altar) consisting of three layers/types (symbolic interpretation) (three-fold, having three qualities (guṇas))

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of triguṇa

triguṇa - having three strands/qualities (guṇas), three-fold, three times

Dvigu or Bahuvrīhi compound: tri (three) + guṇa (strand, quality, part).

Compound type : dvigu / bahuvrīhi (tri+guṇa)

• tri – three
  numeral
• guṇa – strand, quality, constituent (guṇa), multiple
  noun (masculine)

अष्टादशात्मकः (aṣṭādaśātmakaḥ) - (altar) formed of eighteen elements/sections (consisting of eighteen, having eighteen constituents)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aṣṭādaśātmaka

aṣṭādaśātmaka - consisting of eighteen, having eighteen constituents or parts

Tatpuruṣa compound: aṣṭādaśa (eighteen) + ātmaka (consisting of, having the nature of).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (aṣṭādaśa+ātmaka)

• aṣṭādaśa – eighteen
  numeral
  From aṣṭan (eight) + daśan (ten)
• ātmaka – consisting of, having the nature of (ātman), relating to the self
  adjective
  Suffix -ka from ātman.

Note: The aṣṭādaśātmaka refers to the 18 layers or types of bricks/measurements used in the elaborate Agnicayana altar.