वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-19, verse-13

कथं च प्रतिकर्तव्यं तेषां रामेण रक्षसाम् ।
मामकैर्वा बलैर्ब्रह्मन्मया वा कूटयोधिनाम् ॥१३॥

13. kathaṃ ca pratikartavyaṃ teṣāṃ rāmeṇa rakṣasām ,
māmakairvā balairbrahmanmayā vā kūṭayodhinām.

13. katham ca pratikartavyam teṣām rāmeṇa rakṣasām
māmakaiḥ vā balaiḥ brahman mayā vā kūṭayodhinām

13. brahman ca teṣām kūṭayodhinām rakṣasām rāmeṇa vā
māmakaiḥ balaiḥ vā mayā katham pratikartavyam

13. And O Brāhmaṇa, how should those Rākṣasas, who are cunning warriors, be countered by Rāma, or by my forces, or by me?

Words meanings summery:

• कथम् (katham) - how (should be countered) (how, in what manner, why)

• च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

• प्रतिकर्तव्यम् (pratikartavyam) - should be countered (to be countered, to be resisted, to be retaliated against)

• तेषाम् (teṣām) - of those (Rākṣasas) (of them, for them, those)

• रामेण (rāmeṇa) - by Rāma

• रक्षसाम् (rakṣasām) - of the Rākṣasas (of Rākṣasas, for Rākṣasas)

• मामकैः (māmakaiḥ) - by my own (forces) (by my own, by mine)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• बलैः (balaiḥ) - by (my) forces (by forces, by powers, by strengths)

• ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O Brāhmaṇa (vocative, addressing Viśvāmitra) (O Brāhmaṇa, O sage)

• मया (mayā) - by me

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• कूटयोधिनाम् (kūṭayodhinām) - of those (Rākṣasas) who fight deceptively (of those who fight deceptively, of tricky warriors)

Words meanings and morphology

कथम् (katham) - how (should be countered) (how, in what manner, why)

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects this question to the previous one.

प्रतिकर्तव्यम् (pratikartavyam) - should be countered (to be countered, to be resisted, to be retaliated against)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pratikartavya

pratikartavya - to be done in return, to be resisted, to be retaliated

Gerundive

Derived from pra-ti-√kṛ (to do against) + tavya (suffix for gerundive)

Prefix: prati

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Gerundive, expressing obligation or fitness.

तेषाम् (teṣām) - of those (Rākṣasas) (of them, for them, those)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those

Note: Refers to the Rākṣasas.

रामेण (rāmeṇa) - by Rāma

(proper noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of rāma

rāma - Rāma (a proper name, the hero of Rāmāyaṇa)

Note: Agent in the passive construction 'should be countered'.

रक्षसाम् (rakṣasām) - of the Rākṣasas (of Rākṣasas, for Rākṣasas)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of rakṣas

rakṣas - Rākṣasa, demon

Note: Parallel to 'teṣām', referring to the Rākṣasas.

मामकैः (māmakaiḥ) - by my own (forces) (by my own, by mine)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of māmaka

māmaka - mine, my own

Derived from 'mama' (my) + 'ka' (suffix for possession/relation)

Note: Implies 'my own forces/men'.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects alternative agents.

बलैः (balaiḥ) - by (my) forces (by forces, by powers, by strengths)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of bala

bala - strength, power, force, army, troops

Note: Agent in the passive construction.

ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O Brāhmaṇa (vocative, addressing Viśvāmitra) (O Brāhmaṇa, O sage)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of brahman

brahman - Brāhmaṇa, priest, a sacred text, the ultimate reality (brahman)

Note: Addressing Viśvāmitra.

मया (mayā) - by me

(pronoun)

Instrumental, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Note: Agent in the passive construction.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects alternative agents.

कूटयोधिनाम् (kūṭayodhinām) - of those (Rākṣasas) who fight deceptively (of those who fight deceptively, of tricky warriors)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of kūṭayodhin

kūṭayodhin - one who fights deceptively, deceitful warrior

Compound: kūṭa (deception) + yodhin (fighter)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kūṭa+yodhin)

• kūṭa – horn, peak, deception, trick, puzzle
  noun (neuter)
• yodhin – fighter, warrior
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root √yudh (to fight) + -in (agent suffix)
  Root: yudh (class 4)

Note: Modifies 'rakṣasām'.