वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-2, verse-30

मच्छन्दादेव ते ब्रह्मन्प्रवृत्तेयं सरस्वती ।
रामस्य चरितं सर्वं कुरु त्वमृषिसत्तम ॥३०॥

30. macchandādeva te brahmanpravṛtteyaṃ sarasvatī ,
rāmasya caritaṃ sarvaṃ kuru tvamṛṣisattama.

30. mat-chandāt eva te brahman pravṛttā iyam sarasvatī
rāmasya caritam sarvam kuru tvam ṛṣi-sattama

30. brahman mat-chandāt eva te iyam sarasvatī pravṛttā
ṛṣi-sattama tvam rāmasya sarvam caritam kuru

30. O Brahmā, by my will alone, this divine speech (Sarasvatī) has been granted to you. O best among sages, you should narrate the entire story of Rāma.

Words meanings summery:

• मत्-छन्दात् (mat-chandāt) - by the will of Brahmā (by my will, by my desire)

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly, just

• ते (te) - to you (addressing Brahmā) (to you, for you, by you, your)

• ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O Brahmā (the creator god) (O Brahmā, O holy one)

• प्रवृत्ता (pravṛttā) - has been granted, has manifested (commenced, started, engaged in, manifested)

• इयम् (iyam) - this (speech/Sarasvatī) (this (feminine))

• सरस्वती (sarasvatī) - divine speech, eloquence (personified as Goddess Sarasvatī) (Sarasvatī (goddess of knowledge/speech), speech, eloquence)

• रामस्य (rāmasya) - of the legendary hero Rāma (of Rāma)

• चरितम् (caritam) - life story, narrative of deeds (story, deeds, conduct, life)

• सर्वम् (sarvam) - the entire (story) (all, entire, whole)

• कुरु (kuru) - narrate, compose (do, make, perform, accomplish, narrate)

• त्वम् (tvam) - you (Valmiki) (you (singular))

• ऋषि-सत्तम (ṛṣi-sattama) - O Vālmīki, best among sages (O best among sages, O preeminent sage)

Words meanings and morphology

मत्-छन्दात् (mat-chandāt) - by the will of Brahmā (by my will, by my desire)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of mat-chanda

mat-chanda - my will, my desire

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (mad+chanda)

• mad – my, mine
  pronoun
• chanda – will, desire, pleasure, wish
  noun (masculine)
  Root: chad (class 1)

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly, just

(indeclinable)

ते (te) - to you (addressing Brahmā) (to you, for you, by you, your)

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

Note: Can also be genitive singular. Here it implies 'for your benefit' or 'to you'.

ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O Brahmā (the creator god) (O Brahmā, O holy one)

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of brahman

brahman - Brahmā (the creator god), a priest, the Absolute (brahman)

प्रवृत्ता (pravṛttā) - has been granted, has manifested (commenced, started, engaged in, manifested)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of pravṛtta

pravṛtta - commenced, started, arisen, manifested, engaged in

Past Passive Participle

Derived from pra-√vṛt (to turn forward, to proceed)

Prefix: pra

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Used predicatively.

इयम् (iyam) - this (speech/Sarasvatī) (this (feminine))

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of idam

idam - this

सरस्वती (sarasvatī) - divine speech, eloquence (personified as Goddess Sarasvatī) (Sarasvatī (goddess of knowledge/speech), speech, eloquence)

(proper noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of sarasvatī

sarasvatī - Sarasvatī (goddess of knowledge, speech, arts, music), speech, eloquence, a river

Note: The noun to which 'pravṛttā' and 'iyam' refer.

रामस्य (rāmasya) - of the legendary hero Rāma (of Rāma)

(proper noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of rāma

rāma - Rāma (the hero of Rāmāyaṇa), pleasing, charming

Root: ram (class 1)

चरितम् (caritam) - life story, narrative of deeds (story, deeds, conduct, life)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of carita

carita - walked, moved; conduct, deeds, story, character

Past Passive Participle (substantivized)

Derived from √car (to move, to go)

Root: car (class 1)

Note: Object of 'kuru'.

सर्वम् (sarvam) - the entire (story) (all, entire, whole)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of sarva

sarva - all, every, entire, whole

Note: Agrees with 'caritam'.

कुरु (kuru) - narrate, compose (do, make, perform, accomplish, narrate)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of kṛ

Imperative Mood

Root verb, 8th class (tanādi), active voice, 2nd person singular

Root: kṛ (class 8)

त्वम् (tvam) - you (Valmiki) (you (singular))

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

Note: Subject of 'kuru'.

ऋषि-सत्तम (ṛṣi-sattama) - O Vālmīki, best among sages (O best among sages, O preeminent sage)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of ṛṣi-sattama

ṛṣi-sattama - best among sages

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ṛṣi+sattama)

• ṛṣi – sage, seer
  noun (masculine)
• sattama – best, most excellent, preeminent
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative suffix -tama
  Root: sat (class 2)

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