वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-31, verse-18

मा भूत् स कालो दुर्मेधः पितरं सत्यवादिनम् ।
नावमन्यस्व धर्मेण स्वयं वरमुपास्महे ॥१८॥

18. mā bhūt sa kālo durmedhaḥ pitaraṃ satyavādinam ,
nāvamanyasva dharmeṇa svayaṃ varamupāsmahe.

18. mā bhūt saḥ kālaḥ durmedhaḥ pitaram satyavādinam
na avamanyasva dharmeṇa svayam varam upāsmahe

18. durmedhaḥ saḥ kālaḥ mā bhūt (yadā tvaṃ) satyavādinam pitaram
na avamanyasva (api tu) dharmeṇa svayam varam upāsmahe

18. O dull-witted one, may that time never come when you disrespect your truthful father. It is by our inherent duty (dharma) that we ourselves seek a suitable groom.

Words meanings summery:

• मा (mā) - do not, not

• भूत् (bhūt) - may it be, may it happen

• सः (saḥ) - that, he

• कालः (kālaḥ) - time

• दुर्मेधः (durmedhaḥ) - dull-witted, foolish, stupid

• पितरम् (pitaram) - father

• सत्यवादिनम् (satyavādinam) - truthful, truth-speaking

• न (na) - not

• अवमन्यस्व (avamanyasva) - disrespect, despise

• धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by natural law, by duty, righteously

• स्वयम् (svayam) - oneself, by oneself, personally

• वरम् (varam) - a choice, a boon, a desired object, a groom

• उपास्महे (upāsmahe) - we attend upon, we seek, we wait for

Words meanings and morphology

मा (mā) - do not, not

(indeclinable)

Note: Used with aorist to express prohibition.

भूत् (bhūt) - may it be, may it happen

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, aorist (luṅ) of bhū

Aorist

3rd person singular Aorist, Injunctive mood

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Used with 'mā' for prohibition.

सः (saḥ) - that, he

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to 'kālaḥ'.

कालः (kālaḥ) - time

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kāla

kāla - time, season, black

Note: Subject of 'bhūt'.

दुर्मेधः (durmedhaḥ) - dull-witted, foolish, stupid

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of durmedhas

durmedhas - foolish, dull-witted, stupid, ignorant

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dur+medhas)

• dur – bad, difficult, ill
  indeclinable
• medhas – intellect, wisdom, spiritual merit
  noun (neuter)

Note: Adjective modifying an implied person, used in vocative sense.

पितरम् (pitaram) - father

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pitṛ

pitṛ - father

Note: Object of 'avamanyasva'.

सत्यवादिनम् (satyavādinam) - truthful, truth-speaking

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of satyavādin

satyavādin - truthful, speaking the truth

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (satya+vādin)

• satya – truth, true, real
  noun (neuter)
• vādin – speaking, speaker, proclaiming
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root 'vad' (to speak)
  Root: vad (class 1)

Note: Adjective modifying 'pitaram'.

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates the verb 'avamanyasva'.

अवमन्यस्व (avamanyasva) - disrespect, despise

(verb)

2nd person , singular, middle, imperative (loṭ) of avaman

Imperative

2nd person singular Imperative, middle voice

Prefix: ava

Root: man (class 4)

Note: The middle voice suggests the action is for oneself or impacts oneself.

धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by natural law, by duty, righteously

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, duty, righteousness, constitution, intrinsic nature

Note: Instrumental can indicate means ('by means of dharma') or cause/reason ('on account of dharma'). Also 'according to dharma'.

स्वयम् (svayam) - oneself, by oneself, personally

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes the agent.

वरम् (varam) - a choice, a boon, a desired object, a groom

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - choice, boon, blessing, best, excellent, groom

Note: Object of 'upāsmahe'.

उपास्महे (upāsmahe) - we attend upon, we seek, we wait for

(verb)

1st person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of upās

Present

1st person plural Present, middle voice

Prefix: upa

Root: ās (class 2)

Note: The middle voice indicates the action is for the benefit of the subject.