वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-35, verse-4

कथं गङ्गां त्रिपथगा विश्रुता सरिदुत्तमा ।
त्रिषु लोकेषु धर्मज्ञ कर्मभिः कैः समन्विता ॥४॥

4. kathaṃ gaṅgāṃ tripathagā viśrutā sariduttamā ,
triṣu lokeṣu dharmajña karmabhiḥ kaiḥ samanvitā.

4. katham gaṅgām tri-pathagā viśrutā sarit-uttamā
triṣu lokeṣu dharma-jña karmabhiḥ kaiḥ samanvitā

4. dharma-jña,
katham gaṅgām tri-pathagā sarit-uttamā viśrutā triṣu lokeṣu (abhavat)? kaiḥ karmabhiḥ samanvitā (āsīt)?

4. O knower of natural law (dharma), how did Gaṅgā, the supreme river and the one who flows through three paths, become renowned in the three worlds? And with what deeds (karma) is she associated?

Words meanings summery:

• कथम् (katham) - how (did she become renowned) (how, why, in what manner)

• गङ्गाम् (gaṅgām) - Gaṅgā (the river) (Gaṅgā (accusative))

• त्रि-पथगा (tri-pathagā) - (Gaṅgā) flowing through the three realms (flowing in three paths/ways)

• विश्रुता (viśrutā) - became renowned (famous, renowned, heard of)

• सरित्-उत्तमा (sarit-uttamā) - the supreme river (Gaṅgā) (best of rivers, supreme river)

• त्रिषु (triṣu) - in the three (worlds) (in three)

• लोकेषु (lokeṣu) - in the three worlds/realms (in the worlds, among the worlds)

• धर्म-ज्ञ (dharma-jña) - O knower of natural law (dharma) (knower of dharma, righteous one)

• कर्मभिः (karmabhiḥ) - by what deeds (karma) (by deeds, by actions)

• कैः (kaiḥ) - by what (deeds) (by what, by whom)

• समन्विता (samanvitā) - associated with (accompanied by, endowed with, connected with)

Words meanings and morphology

कथम् (katham) - how (did she become renowned) (how, why, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb.

Note: Adverb of manner.

गङ्गाम् (gaṅgām) - Gaṅgā (the river) (Gaṅgā (accusative))

(proper noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of gaṅgā

gaṅgā - the river Gaṅgā

Note: Object of implicit verb like 'became'.

त्रि-पथगा (tri-pathagā) - (Gaṅgā) flowing through the three realms (flowing in three paths/ways)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of tri-pathagā

tri-pathagā - flowing in three paths (heaven, earth, netherworld)

Compound

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tripatha+gā)

• tri – three
  numeral (masculine)
• patha – path, way, course
  noun (masculine)
• gā – going, moving, flowing (feminine)
  adjective (feminine)
  Agent noun
  From root gam- (to go) with suffix -a (feminine)
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Qualifies Gaṅgā.

विश्रुता (viśrutā) - became renowned (famous, renowned, heard of)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of viśruta

viśruta - famous, renowned, well-known, heard

Past Passive Participle

From root śru- (to hear) with prefix vi-.

Prefix: vi

Root: śru (class 5)

Note: Predicate adjective for Gaṅgā.

सरित्-उत्तमा (sarit-uttamā) - the supreme river (Gaṅgā) (best of rivers, supreme river)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of sarit-uttamā

sarit-uttamā - best of rivers

Compound

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sarit+uttamā)

• sarit – river
  noun (feminine)
  From root sṛ- (to flow)
  Root: sṛ (class 1)
• uttamā – best, highest, supreme (feminine)
  adjective (feminine)
  Superlative of 'ud' (up)

Note: Appositive to Gaṅgā.

त्रिषु (triṣu) - in the three (worlds) (in three)

(numeral)

Note: Qualifies 'lokeṣu'.

लोकेषु (lokeṣu) - in the three worlds/realms (in the worlds, among the worlds)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of loka

loka - world, realm, people

Root: lok (class 1)

Note: Specifies location of renown.

धर्म-ज्ञ (dharma-jña) - O knower of natural law (dharma) (knower of dharma, righteous one)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of dharma-jña

dharma-jña - knower of dharma (natural law, righteousness, duty)

Compound

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dharma+jña)

• dharma – righteousness, natural law, duty, virtue, intrinsic nature
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• jña – knower, understanding
  adjective (masculine)
  From root jñā- (to know)
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Address to Viśvāmitra.

कर्मभिः (karmabhiḥ) - by what deeds (karma) (by deeds, by actions)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of karman

karman - action, deed, ritual, fate (karma)

From root kṛ- (to do).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Instrumental plural.

कैः (kaiḥ) - by what (deeds) (by what, by whom)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of kim

kim - who, what, which

Interrogative pronoun.

Note: Can be masculine or neuter plural instrumental. Here neuter for 'karmabhiḥ'.

समन्विता (samanvitā) - associated with (accompanied by, endowed with, connected with)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of samanvita

samanvita - accompanied, joined, endowed with, connected

Past Passive Participle

From root i- (to go) with prefixes sam-anu-.

Prefixes: sam+anu

Root: i (class 2)

Note: Predicate adjective for Gaṅgā.