वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-60, verse-18

प्रायेण हि नरश्रेष्ठ ज्येष्ठाः पितृषु वल्लभाः ।
मातॄणां च कनीयांसस्तस्माद् रक्षे कनीयसं ॥१८॥

18. prāyeṇa hi naraśreṣṭha jyeṣṭhāḥ pitṛṣu vallabhāḥ ,
mātṝṇāṃ ca kanīyāṃsastasmād rakṣe kanīyasaṃ.

18. prāyeṇa hi naraśreṣṭha jyeṣṭhāḥ pitṛṣu vallabhāḥ
mātṝṇām ca kanīyāṃsaḥ tasmāt rakṣe kanīyasam

18. naraśreṣṭha prāyeṇa hi pitṛṣu jyeṣṭhāḥ vallabhāḥ
ca mātṝṇām kanīyāṃsaḥ tasmāt kanīyasam rakṣe

18. Indeed, O best among men, usually the eldest children are beloved by fathers, and the youngest ones by mothers. Therefore, I will protect the youngest.

Words meanings summery:

• प्रायेण (prāyeṇa) - mostly, usually, generally

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for, because

• नरश्रेष्ठ (naraśreṣṭha) - O best among men

• ज्येष्ठाः (jyeṣṭhāḥ) - eldest children/sons (eldest, oldest (masculine plural))

• पितृषु (pitṛṣu) - among fathers, to fathers

• वल्लभाः (vallabhāḥ) - dear, beloved, favorite

• मातॄणाम् (mātṝṇām) - of mothers

• च (ca) - and, also

• कनीयांसः (kanīyāṁsaḥ) - youngest children/sons (younger ones, youngest (masculine plural))

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

• रक्षे (rakṣe) - I protect, I guard

• कनीयसम् (kanīyasam) - the youngest son (the younger one, the youngest (masculine singular))

Words meanings and morphology

प्रायेण (prāyeṇa) - mostly, usually, generally

(indeclinable)

Note: Used adverbially to mean 'mostly' or 'generally'

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for, because

(indeclinable)

नरश्रेष्ठ (naraśreṣṭha) - O best among men

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of naraśreṣṭha

naraśreṣṭha - best among men, foremost of men

Compound of nara (man) and śreṣṭha (best)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nara+śreṣṭha)

• nara – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• śreṣṭha – best, most excellent, chief
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative degree of praśasya (praiseworthy)

ज्येष्ठाः (jyeṣṭhāḥ) - eldest children/sons (eldest, oldest (masculine plural))

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of jyeṣṭha

jyeṣṭha - eldest, oldest, chief, principal

Superlative degree of 'vṛddha' (old)

पितृषु (pitṛṣu) - among fathers, to fathers

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of pitṛ

pitṛ - father, ancestor

वल्लभाः (vallabhāḥ) - dear, beloved, favorite

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of vallabha

vallabha - dear, beloved, favorite, a lover, a chief

मातॄणाम् (mātṝṇām) - of mothers

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of mātṛ

mātṛ - mother

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

कनीयांसः (kanīyāṁsaḥ) - youngest children/sons (younger ones, youngest (masculine plural))

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kanīyas

kanīyas - younger, smallest, inferior

Comparative degree of 'kana' (young, small)

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

(indeclinable)

Note: Used adverbially to mean 'therefore' or 'for that reason'

रक्षे (rakṣe) - I protect, I guard

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of rakṣ

Root verb, 1st conjugation

Root: rakṣ (class 1)

कनीयसम् (kanīyasam) - the youngest son (the younger one, the youngest (masculine singular))

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of kanīyas

kanīyas - younger, smallest, inferior

Comparative degree of 'kana' (young, small)