वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-41, verse-20

उक्तवाक्यं तु राजानं सर्वलोकपितामहः ।
प्रत्युवाच शुभां वाणीं मधुरां मधुराक्षराम् ॥२०॥

20. uktavākyaṃ tu rājānaṃ sarvalokapitāmahaḥ ,
pratyuvāca śubhāṃ vāṇīṃ madhurāṃ madhurākṣarām.

20. ukta-vākyaṃ tu rājānaṃ sarva-loka-pitāmahaḥ
prati uvāca śubhāṃ vāṇīṃ madhurāṃ madhurākṣarām

20. sarva-loka-pitāmahaḥ ukta-vākyaṃ rājānaṃ tu
śubhāṃ madhurāṃ madhurākṣarām vāṇīṃ pratyuvāca

20. Then, the grandfather of all worlds (Brahmā) replied to the king, who had just spoken, with auspicious, sweet, and melodious words.

Words meanings summery:

• उक्त-वाक्यं (ukta-vākyaṁ) - to whom words had just been spoken (i.e., the king who had finished speaking) (whose words were spoken, having spoken words)

• तु (tu) - then (but, indeed, however, then)

• राजानं (rājānaṁ) - to the king (Bhagīratha) (to the king)

• सर्व-लोक-पितामहः (sarva-loka-pitāmahaḥ) - Brahmā, the creator god (the grandfather of all worlds)

• प्रति (prati) - in return (as a prefix to `uvāca`) (towards, against, in return)

• उवाच (uvāca) - (Brahmā) spoke (he spoke, he said)

• शुभां (śubhāṁ) - auspicious (auspicious, beautiful, pure)

• वाणीं (vāṇīṁ) - words, speech (speech, word, voice)

• मधुरां (madhurāṁ) - sweet (sweet, pleasant, charming)

• मधुराक्षराम् (madhurākṣarām) - melodious, composed of sweet syllables (having sweet letters/syllables, mellifluous)

Words meanings and morphology

उक्त-वाक्यं (ukta-vākyaṁ) - to whom words had just been spoken (i.e., the king who had finished speaking) (whose words were spoken, having spoken words)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ukta-vākya

ukta-vākya - having spoken words, whose words were spoken

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (ukta+vākya)

• ukta – spoken, said
  participle (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root `vac`
  Root: vac (class 2)
• vākya – word, speech, sentence
  noun (neuter)
  Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Modifies `rājānam`.

तु (tu) - then (but, indeed, however, then)

(indeclinable)

राजानं (rājānaṁ) - to the king (Bhagīratha) (to the king)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king

Root: rāj (class 1)

Note: Object of `pratyuvāca`.

सर्व-लोक-पितामहः (sarva-loka-pitāmahaḥ) - Brahmā, the creator god (the grandfather of all worlds)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sarva-loka-pitāmaha

sarva-loka-pitāmaha - grandfather of all worlds

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sarva+loka+pitāmaha)

• sarva – all, every
  adjective (masculine)
• loka – world, realm, people
  noun (masculine)
  Root: lok (class 10)
• pitāmaha – grandfather, great father, Brahmā
  noun (masculine)
  `pitṛ` + `āmaha`

Note: Subject of `pratyuvāca`.

प्रति (prati) - in return (as a prefix to `uvāca`) (towards, against, in return)

(indeclinable)

Preposition/Prefix

Note: Forms sandhi with `uvāca` to become `pratyuvāca`.

उवाच (uvāca) - (Brahmā) spoke (he spoke, he said)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (Lit) of vac

Perfect (Lit)

3rd person singular perfect active of root `vac`

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Combines with `prati` via sandhi to form `pratyuvāca`.

शुभां (śubhāṁ) - auspicious (auspicious, beautiful, pure)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of śubhā

śubha - auspicious, shining, beautiful, pure, good

Root: śubh (class 1)

Note: Agrees with `vāṇīṃ`.

वाणीं (vāṇīṁ) - words, speech (speech, word, voice)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of vāṇī

vāṇī - speech, word, voice, Sarasvatī

From `vāṇ` (sound, speech)

Root: van (class 1)

Note: Object of `pratyuvāca`.

मधुरां (madhurāṁ) - sweet (sweet, pleasant, charming)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of madhurā

madhura - sweet, pleasant, charming, melodious

From `madhu` (honey)

Note: Agrees with `vāṇīṃ`.

मधुराक्षराम् (madhurākṣarām) - melodious, composed of sweet syllables (having sweet letters/syllables, mellifluous)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of madhurākṣarā

madhurākṣara - having sweet syllables/letters, mellifluous, articulate

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (madhura+akṣara)

• madhura – sweet, pleasant, charming
  adjective (masculine)
• akṣara – letter, syllable, imperishable
  noun (neuter)
  From `a-kṣar` (not perishing)
  Prefix: a
  Root: kṣar (class 1)

Note: Agrees with `vāṇīṃ`.