वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-18, verse-39

यशो ह्यहं केवलराज्यकारणान्न पृष्ठतः कर्तुमलं महोदयम् ।
अदीर्घकाले न तु देवि जीविते वृणे ऽवरामद्य महीमधर्मतः ॥३९॥

39. yaśo hyahaṃ kevalarājyakāraṇānna pṛṣṭhataḥ kartumalaṃ mahodayam ,
adīrghakāle na tu devi jīvite vṛṇe'varāmadya mahīmadharmataḥ.

39. yaśaḥ hi aham kevalarājyakāraṇāt
na pṛṣṭhataḥ kartum alam mahodayam
| adīrghakāle na tu devi jīvite
vṛṇe avarām adya mahīm adharmataḥ

39. devi hi aham kevalarājyakāraṇāt
mahodayam yaśaḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ kartum
na alam tu adīrghakāle jīvite
adya adharmataḥ avarām mahīm na vṛṇe

39. Indeed, I am not capable of abandoning great glory (yaśaḥ) for the sake of mere kingship. But, O Goddess, I will not choose an inferior kingdom today through unrighteousness (adharma) in this short life (jīvita).

Words meanings summery:

• यशः (yaśaḥ) - great glory (yaśaḥ) (glory, fame, reputation)

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

• अहम् (aham) - I

• केवलराज्यकारणात् (kevalarājyakāraṇāt) - for the sake of mere kingship

• न (na) - not

• पृष्ठतः (pṛṣṭhataḥ) - abandoning (literally, to put to the back) (from behind, to the back, behind)

• कर्तुम् (kartum) - to put (behind), to abandon (to do, to make, to perform)

• अलम् (alam) - capable (able, capable, sufficient, enough)

• महोदयम् (mahodayam) - great glory (great prosperity, great rise, great glory)

• अदीर्घकाले (adīrghakāle) - in this short life (jīvita) (in a short time, in a non-long time)

• न (na) - not

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

• देवि (devi) - O Goddess (referring to Kausalya) (O goddess, O queen)

• जीविते (jīvite) - in this life (jīvita) (in life, in living)

• वृणे (vṛṇe) - I will choose (I choose, I select, I prefer)

• अवराम् (avarām) - inferior (inferior, low, mean, later)

• अद्य (adya) - today (today, now)

• महीम् (mahīm) - kingdom (earth, land, kingdom)

• अधर्मतः (adharmataḥ) - through unrighteousness (adharma) (unrighteously, unlawfully, by unrighteousness)

Words meanings and morphology

यशः (yaśaḥ) - great glory (yaśaḥ) (glory, fame, reputation)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of yaśas

yaśas - glory, fame, reputation, honor

s-stem neuter noun.

Root: yaś

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

(indeclinable)

Particle emphasizing the preceding word or clause.

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of aham

aham - I

First person singular pronoun.

केवलराज्यकारणात् (kevalarājyakāraṇāt) - for the sake of mere kingship

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of kevalarājyakāraṇa

kevalarājyakāraṇa - the cause/reason of mere kingship

Compound of kevala (mere, only), rājya (kingship), and kāraṇa (cause, reason).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (kevala-rājya) then tatpuruṣa (kevalarājya-kāraṇa) (kevala+rājya+kāraṇa)

• kevala – mere, only, pure, whole
  adjective (neuter)
• rājya – kingship, kingdom, reign
  noun (neuter)
  From root rāj (to rule).
  Root: rāj (class 1)
• kāraṇa – cause, reason, instrument
  noun (neuter)
  From root kṛ (to do) in causative, with suffix -ana.
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Indicates the cause or reason.

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

Negative particle.

पृष्ठतः (pṛṣṭhataḥ) - abandoning (literally, to put to the back) (from behind, to the back, behind)

(indeclinable)

From pṛṣṭha (back) with suffix -tas.

कर्तुम् (kartum) - to put (behind), to abandon (to do, to make, to perform)

(verb)

active, infinitive (tumun) of kṛ

Infinitive

From root kṛ (class 8) with suffix -tum.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

अलम् (alam) - capable (able, capable, sufficient, enough)

(indeclinable)

Adverb or particle indicating capability or prohibition.

Note: Predicate for 'aham'.

महोदयम् (mahodayam) - great glory (great prosperity, great rise, great glory)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of mahodaya

mahodaya - great prosperity, great rise, great glory, high fortune

Compound of mahā (great) and udaya (rise, prosperity).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+udaya)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• udaya – rise, ascent, prosperity, dawn
  noun (masculine)
  From root i (to go) with prefix ud-.
  Prefix: ud
  Root: i (class 2)

Note: Adjective modifying 'yaśaḥ'.

अदीर्घकाले (adīrghakāle) - in this short life (jīvita) (in a short time, in a non-long time)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of adīrghakāla

adīrghakāla - of short duration, not long-lasting

Negative compound of 'a' and 'dīrghakāla' (long time).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+dīrghakāla)

• a – not, non
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• dīrghakāla – long time, long duration
  noun (masculine)
  Compound of dīrgha (long) and kāla (time).

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

Negative particle.

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

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Introduces a contrasting idea.

देवि (devi) - O Goddess (referring to Kausalya) (O goddess, O queen)

(noun)

Vocative, feminine, singular of devī

devī - goddess, queen, lady

Feminine form of deva.

Root: div (class 4)

Note: Direct address to Kausalya.

जीविते (jīvite) - in this life (jīvita) (in life, in living)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of jīvita

jīvita - life, living, existence

Noun derived from root jīv (to live).

Root: jīv (class 1)

Note: Contextually modified by 'adīrghakāle'.

वृणे (vṛṇe) - I will choose (I choose, I select, I prefer)

(verb)

1st person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of vṛ

Present Middle, 1st person singular

From root vṛ (class 9, vṛṇoti/vṛṇute or class 5, vṛṇoti/vṛṇute). Here class 9 middle.

Root: vṛ (class 9)

Note: The subject is 'aham' (implied or from first clause).

अवराम् (avarām) - inferior (inferior, low, mean, later)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of avara

avara - inferior, lower, mean, subsequent

Derived from ava (down, off).

अद्य (adya) - today (today, now)

(indeclinable)

Adverb of time.

महीम् (mahīm) - kingdom (earth, land, kingdom)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of mahī

mahī - earth, land, ground, kingdom

Feminine noun.

Root: mah (class 1)

अधर्मतः (adharmataḥ) - through unrighteousness (adharma) (unrighteously, unlawfully, by unrighteousness)

(indeclinable)

From adharma (unrighteousness) with suffix -tas.