वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-34, verse-21

एतत्ते धर्ममाख्यातं यथा त्रिपथगा नदी ।
खं गता प्रथमं तात गतिं गतिमतां वर ॥२१॥

21. etatte dharmamākhyātaṃ yathā tripathagā nadī ,
khaṃ gatā prathamaṃ tāta gatiṃ gatimatāṃ vara.

21. etat te dharmam ākhyātam yathā tripathagā nadī
kham gatā prathamam tāta gatim gatimatām vara

21. tāta gatimatām vara te etat dharmam ākhyātam
yathā tripathagā nadī prathamam kham gatim gatā

21. This natural law (dharma) has been explained to you, dear one, how the three-pathed river (Ganga) first went to the sky, O best among those who move.

Words meanings summery:

• एतत् (etat) - this (natural law) (this, this (neuter))

• ते (te) - to you (to you (dative/genitive singular))

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, duty, righteousness, virtue)

• आख्यातम् (ākhyātam) - has been explained (explained, narrated, told)

• यथा (yathā) - how, as (as, just as, according to)

• त्रिपथगा (tripathagā) - the three-pathed (river, Ganga) (three-pathed, going three ways (epithet of Ganga))

• नदी (nadī) - the river (Ganga) (river)

• खम् (kham) - the sky (sky, ether, space)

• गता (gatā) - went (to) (gone, went)

• प्रथमम् (prathamam) - first, initially (first, firstly, at first)

• तात (tāta) - dear one (addressing Rama) (dear one, father, son)

• गतिम् (gatim) - course, path (implicitly 'into the sky') (course, path, destination, movement)

• गतिमताम् (gatimatām) - of those who move (of those who move, of beings)

• वर (vara) - O best (of those who move) (best, excellent, boon, suitor)

Words meanings and morphology

एतत् (etat) - this (natural law) (this, this (neuter))

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, these

Note: Neuter singular nominative form of 'etad'.

ते (te) - to you (to you (dative/genitive singular))

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

Note: Enclitic form for 2nd person singular dative 'to you'.

धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, duty, righteousness, virtue)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

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

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Masculine singular accusative, object of 'ākhyātam'.

आख्यातम् (ākhyātam) - has been explained (explained, narrated, told)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ākhyāta

ākhyāta - explained, narrated, told, declared

Past Passive Participle

Past passive participle of root 'khyā' with prefix 'ā'.

Prefix: ā

Root: khyā (class 2)

Note: Neuter singular nominative, functioning as a predicate adjective with an implied 'is' verb.

यथा (yathā) - how, as (as, just as, according to)

(indeclinable)

Note: Indeclinable conjunction.

त्रिपथगा (tripathagā) - the three-pathed (river, Ganga) (three-pathed, going three ways (epithet of Ganga))

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of tripathaga

tripathaga - going three ways, three-pathed (epithet of Ganga, referring to her flowing in heaven, earth, and the netherworld)

Compound: 'tripatha' (three paths) + 'ga' (going).

Compound type : bahuvrihi (tripatha+ga)

• tripatha – three paths, crossroads
  noun (masculine)
• ga – going, moving, residing in
  adjective (masculine)
  noun-agent
  Derived from root 'gam' (to go).
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Feminine singular nominative, modifying 'nadī'.

नदी (nadī) - the river (Ganga) (river)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of nadī

nadī - river

Note: Feminine singular nominative.

खम् (kham) - the sky (sky, ether, space)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kha

kha - sky, ether, space, zero

Note: Neuter singular accusative, indicating destination.

गता (gatā) - went (to) (gone, went)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of gata

gata - gone, arrived at, reached

Past Passive Participle

Past passive participle of root 'gam'.

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Feminine singular nominative, modifying 'nadī'.

प्रथमम् (prathamam) - first, initially (first, firstly, at first)

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverbial usage of neuter accusative singular.

तात (tāta) - dear one (addressing Rama) (dear one, father, son)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of tāta

tāta - dear one, father, son, an affectionate address

Note: Masculine singular vocative, an affectionate address.

गतिम् (gatim) - course, path (implicitly 'into the sky') (course, path, destination, movement)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of gati

gati - going, movement, path, course, destination, state

action noun

Derived from root 'gam' (to go).

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Feminine singular accusative, object of 'gatā'.

गतिमताम् (gatimatām) - of those who move (of those who move, of beings)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of gatimat

gatimat - possessing movement, intelligent, sentient, living beings

Possessive suffix '-mat' added to 'gati'.

Note: Masculine genitive plural, referring to all beings that move.

वर (vara) - O best (of those who move) (best, excellent, boon, suitor)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, choice, boon, suitor

Root: vṛ (class 5)

Note: Masculine singular vocative, addressing Rama.