वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-17, verse-23

सा बहून्यमनोज्ञानि वाक्यानि हृदयच्छिदाम् ।
अहं श्रोष्ये सपत्नीनामवराणां वरा सती ।
अतो दुःखतरं किं नु प्रमदानां भविष्यति ॥२३॥

23. sā bahūnyamanojñāni vākyāni hṛdayacchidām ,
ahaṃ śroṣye sapatnīnāmavarāṇāṃ varā satī ,
ato duḥkhataraṃ kiṃ nu pramadānāṃ bhaviṣyati.

23. sā bahūni amanojñāni vākyāni
hṛdayacchidām aham śroṣye sapatnīnām
avarāṇām varā satī ataḥ duḥkhataram
kim nu pramadānām bhaviṣyati

23. sā aham varā satī bahūni amanojñāni
hṛdayacchidām avarāṇām sapatnīnām
vākyāni śroṣye ataḥ pramadānām
kim nu duḥkhataram bhaviṣyati

23. Even I, being superior, will have to listen to many unpleasant, heart-rending words from my inferior co-wives. What, indeed, could be more sorrowful for women than this?

Words meanings summery:

• सा (sā) - Refers to the speaker (Sītā). (she, that (feminine))

• बहूनि (bahūni) - many, numerous

• अमनोज्ञानि (amanojñāni) - unpleasant, disagreeable, unattractive

• वाक्यानि (vākyāni) - words, statements, speeches

• हृदयच्छिदाम् (hṛdayacchidām) - heart-rending, piercing to the heart

• अहम् (aham) - The speaker, Sītā. (I)

• श्रोष्ये (śroṣye) - I will hear, I will listen

• सपत्नीनाम् (sapatnīnām) - of co-wives, of rivals

• अवराणाम् (avarāṇām) - of inferior ones, of lower ones

• वरा (varā) - superior, excellent, best

• सती (satī) - while being, though being (superior) (being, existing, virtuous woman)

• अतः (ataḥ) - from this, therefore, hence

• दुःखतरम् (duḥkhataram) - more sorrowful, worse

• किम् (kim) - what?

• नु (nu) - indeed, now, then, surely (interrogative particle)

• प्रमदानाम् (pramadānām) - of women, for women

• भविष्यति (bhaviṣyati) - will be, will happen

Words meanings and morphology

सा (sā) - Refers to the speaker (Sītā). (she, that (feminine))

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

3rd person demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Used here to emphasize 'I' (aham).

बहूनि (bahūni) - many, numerous

(adjective)

neuter, plural of bahu

bahu - many, much, numerous, abundant

Note: Agrees with 'vākyāni'.

अमनोज्ञानि (amanojñāni) - unpleasant, disagreeable, unattractive

(adjective)

neuter, plural of amanojña

amanojña - unpleasant, disagreeable, unlovely, unattractive

From a (negation) + manojña (pleasant).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+manojña)

• a – not, non, without
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• manojña – pleasant, agreeable, lovely
  adjective (masculine)
  From manas (mind) + jña (knowing/perceiving).
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Agrees with 'vākyāni'.

वाक्यानि (vākyāni) - words, statements, speeches

(noun)

neuter, plural of vākya

vākya - word, speech, statement, sentence

From root vac (to speak).

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Object of the verb 'śroṣye'.

हृदयच्छिदाम् (hṛdayacchidām) - heart-rending, piercing to the heart

(adjective)

Genitive, feminine, plural of hṛdayacchid

hṛdayacchid - heart-breaking, heart-rending, piercing the heart

Compound of hṛdaya (heart) and chid (cutting, piercing).

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa or upapada-tatpuruṣa (hṛdaya+chid)

• hṛdaya – heart, mind, soul
  noun (neuter)
• chid – cutting, splitting, breaking
  adjective/noun (feminine)
  Agent noun/adjective from root chid (to cut/split).
  Root: chid (class 7)

Note: Describes the 'sapatnī' (co-wives).

अहम् (aham) - The speaker, Sītā. (I)

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

1st person pronoun.

Note: Subject of 'śroṣye'.

श्रोष्ये (śroṣye) - I will hear, I will listen

(verb)

1st person , singular, middle, future (lṛṭ) of śru

Future middle

1st person singular future middle (ātmanepada) indicative.

Root: śru (class 5)

Note: Expresses a future action that the speaker will undergo.

सपत्नीनाम् (sapatnīnām) - of co-wives, of rivals

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of sapatnī

sapatnī - co-wife, female rival

Feminine of sapatna.

Note: Indicates the source of the words.

अवराणाम् (avarāṇām) - of inferior ones, of lower ones

(adjective)

Genitive, feminine, plural of avara

avara - inferior, lower, subsequent, lesser

Note: Describes the co-wives.

वरा (varā) - superior, excellent, best

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of varā

vara - best, excellent, superior, boon, choice, suitor

Feminine form of vara.

Root: vṛ (class 5)

Note: Functions as a predicate adjective with 'satī'.

सती (satī) - while being, though being (superior) (being, existing, virtuous woman)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of satī

satī - being, existing, virtuous woman, faithful wife

Present Active Participle

Feminine nominative singular of the present participle of root as (to be).

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Used adverbially with 'varā' to mean 'being superior'.

अतः (ataḥ) - from this, therefore, hence

(indeclinable)

Ablative of tad.

दुःखतरम् (duḥkhataram) - more sorrowful, worse

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of duḥkhatara

duḥkhatara - more sorrowful, more painful, worse (comparative degree of duḥkha)

Comparative suffix -tara added to duḥkha.

Note: Predicative adjective with 'kim'.

किम् (kim) - what?

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, who, which (interrogative pronoun)

Interrogative pronoun/adjective.

Note: Subject of the sentence.

नु (nu) - indeed, now, then, surely (interrogative particle)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

प्रमदानाम् (pramadānām) - of women, for women

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of pramadā

pramadā - a woman, a beautiful woman, a lady

From pra + mad (to rejoice, be joyful).

Prefix: pra

Root: mad (class 4)

Note: Indicates the group for whom the sorrow exists.

भविष्यति (bhaviṣyati) - will be, will happen

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, future (lṛṭ) of bhū

Future indicative

3rd person singular future active indicative.

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Predicates the question.

Previous Verse Next Verse