वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-1, chapter-74, verse-14

तदा तु देवताः सर्वाः पृच्छन्ति स्म पितामहम् ।
शितिकण्ठस्य विष्णोश्च बलाबलनिरीक्षया ॥१४॥

14. tadā tu devatāḥ sarvāḥ pṛcchanti sma pitāmaham ,
śitikaṇṭhasya viṣṇośca balābalanirīkṣayā.

14. tadā tu devatāḥ sarvāḥ pṛcchanti sma pitāmaham
śitikaṇṭhasya viṣṇoḥ ca balābalanirīkṣayā

14. tadā tu sarvāḥ devatāḥ śitikaṇṭhasya viṣṇoḥ
ca balābalanirīkṣayā pitāmaham pṛcchanti sma

14. Then, all the deities indeed asked the Grandfather (Brahma) with the intention of observing the relative strengths and weaknesses of both Śitikāṇṭha (Śiva) and Vishnu.

Words meanings summery:

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

• देवताः (devatāḥ) - gods, deities

• सर्वाः (sarvāḥ) - all, every

• पृच्छन्ति (pṛcchanti) - they ask

• स्म (sma) - particle indicating past action (with present tense)

• पितामहम् (pitāmaham) - to the Grandfather (Brahma) (to the grandfather)

• शितिकण्ठस्य (śitikaṇṭhasya) - of Śitikāṇṭha (Śiva) (of Śitikāṇṭha)

• विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ) - of Vishnu

• च (ca) - and

• बलाबलनिरीक्षया (balābalanirīkṣayā) - by the observation of strength and weakness, with the intention of observing relative strengths

Words meanings and morphology

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

From 'tad' (that).

तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

Particle.

Note: Emphatic particle.

देवताः (devatāḥ) - gods, deities

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of devatā

devatā - god, deity, divinity

From 'deva' (god) + suffix 'tā'.

Root: div (class 4)

Note: Subject of the sentence.

सर्वाः (sarvāḥ) - all, every

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

Universal pronoun.

Note: Modifies 'devatāḥ'.

पृच्छन्ति (pṛcchanti) - they ask

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of pṛcch

Present tense

From root 'prach' (to ask), which becomes 'pṛcch' in the present stem.

Root: prach (class 6)

Note: Used with 'sma' to indicate past imperfective action.

स्म (sma) - particle indicating past action (with present tense)

(indeclinable)

Adverbial particle.

पितामहम् (pitāmaham) - to the Grandfather (Brahma) (to the grandfather)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - grandfather, great father, Brahma (as creator and progenitor)

From 'pitṛ' (father) + 'maha' (great).

Note: Object of 'pṛcchanti'.

शितिकण्ठस्य (śitikaṇṭhasya) - of Śitikāṇṭha (Śiva) (of Śitikāṇṭha)

(proper noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of śitikaṇṭha

śitikaṇṭha - blue-necked (an epithet of Śiva, referring to his throat being stained blue by poison)

Compound type : Bahuvrīhi (śiti+kaṇṭha)

• śiti – white, pale, blue-black
  adjective
• kaṇṭha – throat, neck
  noun (masculine)
  Root: kaṇṭh (class 10)

Note: Possessive, referring to Śiva.

विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ) - of Vishnu

(proper noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of viṣṇu

viṣṇu - Vishnu (a principal deity in Hinduism)

Root: viṣ (class 3)

Note: Possessive, referring to Vishnu.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Connects Śiva and Vishnu.

बलाबलनिरीक्षया (balābalanirīkṣayā) - by the observation of strength and weakness, with the intention of observing relative strengths

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of balābalanirīkṣā

balābalanirīkṣā - observation of strength and weakness, assessment of relative power

Compound type : Dvandva-Tatpuruṣa (bala+abala+nirīkṣā)

• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)
  Root: bal (class 1)
• abala – weakness, lack of strength, weak
  noun (neuter)
  'a' (negation) + 'bala'.
  Prefix: a
• nirīkṣā – observation, inspection, seeing
  noun (feminine)
  From prefix 'nir' + root 'īkṣ' (to see).
  Prefix: nir
  Root: īkṣ (class 1)

Note: Indicates the reason or means for asking.