वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-17, verse-31

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इदं तु दुःखं यदनर्थकानि मे व्रतानि दानानि च संयमाश्च हि ।
तपश्च तप्तं यदपत्यकारणात् सुनिष्फलं बीजमिवोप्तमूषरे ॥३१॥

31. idaṃ tu duḥkhaṃ yadanarthakāni me vratāni dānāni ca saṃyamāśca hi ,
tapaśca taptaṃ yadapatyakāraṇāt suniṣphalaṃ bījamivoptamūṣare.

31. idam tu duḥkham yat anarthakāni me
vratāni dānāni ca saṃyamāḥ ca hi
tapas ca taptam yat apatya-kāraṇāt
suniṣphalam bījam iva uptam ūṣare

31. tu idam duḥkham yat me vratāni dānāni ca saṃyamāḥ hi anarthakāni.
ca yat apatya-kāraṇāt taptam tapas suniṣphalam ūṣare uptam bījam iva.

31. But this is the sorrow: that my vows, charitable gifts (dāna), and self-restraints (saṃyama) have all become meaningless. And the austerity (tapas) that I performed for the sake of offspring has been utterly fruitless, like a seed sown in barren soil.

Words meanings summery:

(Scroll down for elaborated words morphology)

इदम् (idam) - this

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

दुःखम् (duḥkham) - sorrow, misery, suffering

यत् (yat) - that, because, which

अनर्थकानि (anarthakāni) - useless, meaningless, unprofitable

मे (me) - my, to me

व्रतानि (vratāni) - vows, observances, religious practices

दानानि (dānāni) - gifts, donations, charitable acts

च (ca) - and, also

संयमाः (saṁyamāḥ) - self-restraints, controls, disciplines

च (ca) - and, also

हि (hi) - indeed, surely

तपस् (tapas) - austerity, penance, spiritual heat

च (ca) - and, also

तप्तम् (taptam) - performed, practiced, heated

यत् (yat) - that which, because

अपत्य-कारणात् (apatya-kāraṇāt) - for the sake of offspring/children

सुनिष्फलम् (suniṣphalam) - very fruitless, utterly useless

बीजम् (bījam) - seed, germ, origin

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

उप्तम् (uptam) - sown, planted

ऊषरे (ūṣare) - in barren land, in saline soil

Words meanings and morphology

इदम् (idam) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this here

Note: Refers to the following statement.

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle introducing a contrast or emphasis.

दुःखम् (duḥkham) - sorrow, misery, suffering

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of duḥkha

duḥkha - sorrow, misery, suffering, pain

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'is'.

यत् (yat) - that, because, which

(indeclinable)

अनर्थकानि (anarthakāni) - useless, meaningless, unprofitable

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of anarthaka

anarthaka - useless, meaningless, unprofitable, vain

Compound 'an-' (not) + 'artha' (purpose, meaning) + '-ka' (suffix).

Note: Predicate adjective for 'vratāni', 'dānāni', and 'saṃyamāḥ'.

मे (me) - my, to me

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of aham

aham - I

Note: Possessive form for the following nouns.

व्रतानि (vratāni) - vows, observances, religious practices

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of vrata

vrata - vow, sacred observance, religious duty, practice

Root: vṛ (class 1)

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'are'.

दानानि (dānāni) - gifts, donations, charitable acts

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of dāna

dāna - gift, donation, charity, giving

From root 'dā' (to give) with suffix '-ana'.

Root: dā (class 3)

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'are'.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

संयमाः (saṁyamāḥ) - self-restraints, controls, disciplines

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of saṃyama

saṁyama - self-control, restraint, discipline, concentration

From 'sam-' (together, thoroughly) + 'yam' (to hold, restrain).

Prefix: sam

Root: yam (class 1)

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'are'.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

हि (hi) - indeed, surely

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

तपस् (tapas) - austerity, penance, spiritual heat

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - austerity, penance, heat, spiritual fervor

From root 'tap' (to heat, to burn).

Root: tap (class 1)

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'is'.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

तप्तम् (taptam) - performed, practiced, heated

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tapta

tapta - heated, burnt, practiced, performed (as austerity)

Past Passive Participle

Past passive participle of root 'tap' (to heat, perform austerity).

Root: tap (class 1)

Note: Modifies 'tapas'.

यत् (yat) - that which, because

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, that, because, since

अपत्य-कारणात् (apatya-kāraṇāt) - for the sake of offspring/children

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of apatya-kāraṇa

apatya-kāraṇa - reason for offspring, for the sake of children

Ablative singular of the compound 'apatya-kāraṇa'.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (apatya+kāraṇa)

apatya – offspring, child
noun (neuter)
Compound 'a-' (not) + 'pat' (to fall) + '-ya'. Lit. 'not falling away from the father'.
Root: pat (class 1)
kāraṇa – cause, reason, motive
noun (neuter)
From root 'kṛ' (to do) with suffix '-ana'.
Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Indicates the reason or purpose.

सुनिष्फलम् (suniṣphalam) - very fruitless, utterly useless

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of suniṣphala

suniṣphala - very fruitless, utterly useless

Compound 'su-' (very) + 'niṣphala' (fruitless).

Compound type : pravādi-samāsa (su+niṣphala)

su – good, well, very
indeclinable
niṣphala – fruitless, useless, ineffectual
adjective (masculine)
Compound 'nis-' (without) + 'phala' (fruit).
Prefix: nis

Note: Predicate adjective modifying 'tapas'.

बीजम् (bījam) - seed, germ, origin

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of bīja

bīja - seed, germ, origin, cause

Note: Part of the simile,

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle of comparison.

उप्तम् (uptam) - sown, planted

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of upta