वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-7, verse-7

कुशला व्यवहारेषु सौहृदेषु परीक्षिताः ।
प्राप्तकालं यथा दण्डं धारयेयुः सुतेष्वपि ॥७॥

7. kuśalā vyavahāreṣu sauhṛdeṣu parīkṣitāḥ ,
prāptakālaṃ yathā daṇḍaṃ dhārayeyuḥ suteṣvapi.

7. kuśalāḥ vyavahāreṣu sauhṛdeṣu parīkṣitāḥ
prāptakālam yathā daṇḍam dhārayeyuḥ suteṣu api

7. vyavahāreṣu kuśalāḥ sauhṛdeṣu parīkṣitāḥ te
yathā prāptakālam daṇḍam suteṣu api dhārayeyuḥ

7. They should be skilled in governance and proven trustworthy in their alliances. They ought to apply punishment at the appropriate time, even to their own sons.

Words meanings summery:

• कुशलाः (kuśalāḥ) - skillful, expert, competent

• व्यवहारेषु (vyavahāreṣu) - in matters of governance or administration (in matters of conduct, business, administration, legal disputes)

• सौहृदेषु (sauhṛdeṣu) - in maintaining good relations or alliances with others (in friendships, in alliances, in good relations)

• परीक्षिताः (parīkṣitāḥ) - tested, examined, proven

• प्राप्तकालम् (prāptakālam) - at the proper time, opportune moment

• यथा (yathā) - as, according to, just as

• दण्डम् (daṇḍam) - appropriate application of justice or punishment (punishment, rod, staff, scepter, authority)

• धारयेयुः (dhārayeyuḥ) - they should apply punishment (they should wield, they should hold, they should apply, they should maintain)

• सुतेषु (suteṣu) - even towards their own children (on sons, among sons)

• अपि (api) - even, also

Words meanings and morphology

कुशलाः (kuśalāḥ) - skillful, expert, competent

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kuśala

kuśala - skillful, expert, clever, well-being, healthy

Note: Refers to the ministers/officials.

व्यवहारेषु (vyavahāreṣu) - in matters of governance or administration (in matters of conduct, business, administration, legal disputes)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of vyavahāra

vyavahāra - conduct, practice, usage, custom, administration, legal dispute, business

Prefixes: vi+ava

Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Plural locative, indicating a sphere of activity.

सौहृदेषु (sauhṛdeṣu) - in maintaining good relations or alliances with others (in friendships, in alliances, in good relations)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of sauhṛda

sauhṛda - friendship, affection, good-heartedness, alliance

Derived from suhṛd (friend) + aṇ

Note: Plural locative, indicating a sphere of activity.

परीक्षिताः (parīkṣitāḥ) - tested, examined, proven

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of parīkṣita

parīkṣita - tested, examined, tried, proven

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root īkṣ (to see) with prefix pari- (around, thoroughly)

Prefix: pari

Root: īkṣ (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'kuśalāḥ'.

प्राप्तकालम् (prāptakālam) - at the proper time, opportune moment

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of prāptakāla

prāptakāla - having obtained time, having the right time, opportune time

Compound of prāpta (obtained) and kāla (time)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (prāpta+kāla)

• prāpta – obtained, reached, gained
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root āp (to obtain) with prefix pra-
  Prefix: pra
  Root: āp (class 5)
• kāla – time, season, proper time
  noun (masculine)

Note: Functions adverbially, modifying `dhārayeyuḥ`.

यथा (yathā) - as, according to, just as

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects to `prāptakālam`.

दण्डम् (daṇḍam) - appropriate application of justice or punishment (punishment, rod, staff, scepter, authority)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of daṇḍa

daṇḍa - rod, staff, punishment, chastisement, authority, scepter

Root: daṇḍ (class 10)

Note: Object of `dhārayeyuḥ`.

धारयेयुः (dhārayeyuḥ) - they should apply punishment (they should wield, they should hold, they should apply, they should maintain)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, optative (liṅ) of dhṛ

Optative Active, 3rd Person Plural (Causative stem)

Causative stem of root dhṛ, conjugated in optative

Root: dhṛ (class 10)

Note: Indicates obligation or recommendation.

सुतेषु (suteṣu) - even towards their own children (on sons, among sons)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of suta

suta - son, offspring

Past Passive Participle (from sū 'to beget')

Derived from root sū (to beget)

Root: sū (class 2)

Note: Locative of reference or sphere.

अपि (api) - even, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes 'suteṣu'.