वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-6, verse-17

क्षत्रं ब्रह्ममुखं चासीद्वैश्याः क्षत्रमनुव्रताः ।
शूद्राः स्वधर्मनिरतास्त्रीन् वर्णानुपचारिणः ॥१७॥

17. kṣatraṃ brahmamukhaṃ cāsīdvaiśyāḥ kṣatramanuvratāḥ ,
śūdrāḥ svadharmaniratāstrīn varṇānupacāriṇaḥ.

17. kṣatram brahmamukham ca āsīt vaiśyāḥ kṣatram anuvratāḥ
śūdrāḥ svadharmaniratāḥ trīn varṇān upacāriṇaḥ

17. kṣatram ca brahmamukham āsīt vaiśyāḥ kṣatram anuvratāḥ
śūdrāḥ svadharmaniratāḥ trīn varṇān upacāriṇaḥ (babhūvuḥ)

17. The warrior class (kṣatra) revered the priestly class (brahman) as their leaders. The merchant class (vaiśya) followed the warrior class. The servant class (śūdra) were devoted to their own inherent nature (dharma) and served the three higher classes.

Words meanings summery:

• क्षत्रम् (kṣatram) - the Kshatriya class (the warrior class, valor)

• ब्रह्ममुखम् (brahmamukham) - having Brahmins as chief, led by Brahmins

• च (ca) - and, also

• आसीत् (āsīt) - was, existed

• वैश्याः (vaiśyāḥ) - the merchant class

• क्षत्रम् (kṣatram) - the Kshatriya class (the warrior class, valor)

• अनुव्रताः (anuvratāḥ) - followers, devoted to, adhering to

• शूद्राः (śūdrāḥ) - the servant class

• स्वधर्मनिरताः (svadharmaniratāḥ) - devoted to their own natural law/duty

• त्रीन् (trīn) - three

• वर्णान् (varṇān) - the three higher social classes (social classes, castes)

• उपचारिणः (upacāriṇaḥ) - servers, attendants, ministers

Words meanings and morphology

क्षत्रम् (kṣatram) - the Kshatriya class (the warrior class, valor)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kṣatra

kṣatra - rule, dominion, power, the warrior class (Kshatriya)

From root 'kṣi' (to rule)

Root: kṣi (class 2)

ब्रह्ममुखम् (brahmamukham) - having Brahmins as chief, led by Brahmins

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of brahmamukha

brahmamukha - having Brahmins as their mouth/chief, with Brahmins at the head

Bahuvrihi compound: 'brahma' (Brahmin) + 'mukha' (face, mouth, chief)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (brahman+mukha)

• brahman – Brahmin, priestly class, sacred knowledge, ultimate reality (brahman)
  noun (masculine)
• mukha – mouth, face, chief, principal
  noun (neuter)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

आसीत् (āsīt) - was, existed

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, imperfect (luṅ) of as

Imperfect Tense, 3rd Person Singular, Active Voice

Root verb from Class 2 (adādi)

Root: as (class 2)

वैश्याः (vaiśyāḥ) - the merchant class

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of vaiśya

vaiśya - member of the third social class (Vaishya), merchant, farmer, trader

From 'viś' (settlement, community)

क्षत्रम् (kṣatram) - the Kshatriya class (the warrior class, valor)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kṣatra

kṣatra - rule, dominion, power, the warrior class (Kshatriya)

From root 'kṣi' (to rule)

Root: kṣi (class 2)

अनुव्रताः (anuvratāḥ) - followers, devoted to, adhering to

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of anuvrata

anuvrata - following, devoted to, observant of, loyal

Compound of 'anu' (after, according to) and 'vrata' (vow, observance, rule)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (anu+vrata)

• anu – after, along, with, following
  indeclinable
  Preposition/prefix
• vrata – vow, sacred observance, rule, religious practice
  noun (neuter)

शूद्राः (śūdrāḥ) - the servant class

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śūdra

śūdra - member of the fourth social class (Shudra), servant class

स्वधर्मनिरताः (svadharmaniratāḥ) - devoted to their own natural law/duty

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of svadharmanirata

svadharmanirata - devoted to one's own natural law (dharma), engaged in one's own duty

Compound of 'sva' (own), 'dharma' (duty, intrinsic nature), and 'nirata' (devoted)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sva+dharma+nirata)

• sva – own, one's own
  pronoun (masculine)
• dharma – natural law, duty, intrinsic nature (dharma)
  noun (masculine)
• nirata – devoted, attached, absorbed in
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'ram' (to delight in) with prefix 'ni'
  Prefix: ni
  Root: ram (class 1)

त्रीन् (trīn) - three

(numeral)

वर्णान् (varṇān) - the three higher social classes (social classes, castes)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of varṇa

varṇa - social class, caste, color, group, category

From root 'vṛ' (to choose, classify)

Root: vṛ (class 9)

उपचारिणः (upacāriṇaḥ) - servers, attendants, ministers

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of upacārin

upacārin - serving, attending, treating, performer of service

Agent noun

From root 'car' (to move, to act) with prefix 'upa'

Prefix: upa

Root: car (class 1)