वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-44, verse-18

अथ धन्वन्तरिर्नाम अप्सराश्च सुवर्चसः ।
अप्सु निर्मथनादेव रसात्तस्माद्वरस्त्रियः ।
उत्पेतुर्मनुजश्रेष्ठ तस्मादप्सरसो ऽभवन् ॥१८॥

18. atha dhanvantarirnāma apsarāśca suvarcasaḥ ,
apsu nirmathanādeva rasāttasmādvarastriyaḥ ,
utpeturmanujaśreṣṭha tasmādapsaraso'bhavan.

18. atha dhanvantariḥ nāma apsarāḥ ca
suvarcasaḥ apsu nirmathanāt eva
rasāt tasmāt varastriyaḥ utpetuḥ
manuja-śreṣṭha tasmāt apsarasaḥ abhavan

18. manuja-śreṣṭha atha tasmāt nirmathanāt
eva rasāt apsu dhanvantariḥ
nāma ca suvarcasaḥ varastriyaḥ apsarāḥ
utpetuḥ tasmāt apsarasaḥ abhavan

18. O best of men, then from the essence (rasa) of that churning in the waters, Dhanvantari by name, and brilliant Apsaras, excellent women, arose. From that, they became known as Apsaras.

Words meanings summery:

• अथ (atha) - Introduces the next event in the sequence. (then, now, moreover)

• धन्वन्तरिः (dhanvantariḥ) - The divine physician who emerged from the ocean of milk. (Dhanvantari (a proper name))

• नाम (nāma) - named Dhanvantari. (by name, indeed, namely)

• अप्सराः (apsarāḥ) - Refers to the beautiful female beings who emerged. (Apsaras, celestial nymphs)

• च (ca) - Connects Dhanvantari and the Apsaras. (and)

• सुवर्चसः (suvarcasaḥ) - Describes the Apsaras as splendid in appearance. (radiant, brilliant, beautiful)

• अप्सु (apsu) - In the ocean that was being churned. (in the waters)

• निर्मथनात् (nirmathanāt) - The source of the emergence. (from the churning)

• एव (eva) - Emphasizes that it was *from* the churning itself. (just, only, indeed)

• रसात् (rasāt) - From the vital fluid or product of the churning. (from the essence, from the fluid)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - From that (churning/essence). (from that, therefore)

• वरस्त्रियः (varastriyaḥ) - An epithet for the beautiful Apsaras. (excellent women, best of women)

• उत्पेतुः (utpetuḥ) - Emerging from the churned ocean. (they arose, they sprang up)

• मनुज-श्रेष्ठ (manuja-śreṣṭha) - Vocative address to Rāma. (O best of men)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - Because of their emergence from the waters. (from that, therefore)

• अप्सरसः (apsarasaḥ) - They became known as Apsaras due to their origin. 'Apsaras' literally means 'moving in water' or 'born from water'. (Apsaras, celestial nymphs)

• अभवन् (abhavan) - They came to be known by that name. (they became, they were)

Words meanings and morphology

अथ (atha) - Introduces the next event in the sequence. (then, now, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Note: Temporal conjunction.

धन्वन्तरिः (dhanvantariḥ) - The divine physician who emerged from the ocean of milk. (Dhanvantari (a proper name))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhanvantari

dhanvantari - Dhanvantari (name of the physician of the gods)

Note: One of the subjects of 'utpetuḥ'.

नाम (nāma) - named Dhanvantari. (by name, indeed, namely)

(indeclinable)

Note: Affixes to proper nouns for clarification.

अप्सराः (apsarāḥ) - Refers to the beautiful female beings who emerged. (Apsaras, celestial nymphs)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of apsaras

apsaras - Apsaras, celestial nymph

Note: One of the subjects of 'utpetuḥ' and 'abhavan'.

च (ca) - Connects Dhanvantari and the Apsaras. (and)

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

सुवर्चसः (suvarcasaḥ) - Describes the Apsaras as splendid in appearance. (radiant, brilliant, beautiful)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of suvarcas

suvarcas - beautiful, brilliant, radiant, energetic

Compound: su- (good) + varcas (splendor).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (su+varcas)

• su – good, well, excellent
  indeclinable
• varcas – splendor, brilliance, energy
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with 'apsarāḥ'.

अप्सु (apsu) - In the ocean that was being churned. (in the waters)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, plural of ap

ap - water

Note: Location of the churning.

निर्मथनात् (nirmathanāt) - The source of the emergence. (from the churning)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of nirmathana

nirmathana - churning, grinding

From √math with prefix nis-.

Prefix: nis

Root: math

Note: Denotes origin.

एव (eva) - Emphasizes that it was *from* the churning itself. (just, only, indeed)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

रसात् (rasāt) - From the vital fluid or product of the churning. (from the essence, from the fluid)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of rasa

rasa - essence, juice, taste, fluid, sentiment

Note: Denotes origin.

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - From that (churning/essence). (from that, therefore)

(pronoun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the churning or its essence.

वरस्त्रियः (varastriyaḥ) - An epithet for the beautiful Apsaras. (excellent women, best of women)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of varastrī

varastrī - excellent woman, best woman

Compound: vara (excellent) + strī (woman).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vara+strī)

• vara – excellent, best, choice
  adjective (masculine)
• strī – woman, female
  noun (feminine)

Note: Co-referent with 'apsarāḥ'.

उत्पेतुः (utpetuḥ) - Emerging from the churned ocean. (they arose, they sprang up)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, past perfect (liṭ) of utpat

Perfect tense, 3rd person plural

From √pat (class 1) with prefix ut-.

Prefix: ut

Root: pat (class 1)

Note: Main verb of the first part of the second sentence.

मनुज-श्रेष्ठ (manuja-śreṣṭha) - Vocative address to Rāma. (O best of men)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of manuja-śreṣṭha

manuja-śreṣṭha - best among men

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (manuja+śreṣṭha)

• manuja – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
  From manu (first man) + ja (born).
• śreṣṭha – best, most excellent, chief
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative of praśasya (praiseworthy).

Note: Refers to Rāma.

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - Because of their emergence from the waters. (from that, therefore)

(pronoun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Denotes reason or origin.

अप्सरसः (apsarasaḥ) - They became known as Apsaras due to their origin. 'Apsaras' literally means 'moving in water' or 'born from water'. (Apsaras, celestial nymphs)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of apsaras

apsaras - Apsaras, celestial nymph

From ap (water) + sṛ (to move) or rasa (fluid).

Root: sṛ

Note: Subject of 'abhavan'.

अभवन् (abhavan) - They came to be known by that name. (they became, they were)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of bhū

Imperfect tense, 3rd person plural

Root √bhū (class 1).

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Main verb of the second clause of the sentence.