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

कथं नु मयि धर्मेण पृथिवीमनुशासति ।
भवन्तो द्रष्टुमिच्छन्ति युवराजं ममात्मजम् ॥१७॥

17. kathaṃ nu mayi dharmeṇa pṛthivīmanuśāsati ,
bhavanto draṣṭumicchanti yuvarājaṃ mamātmajam.

17. katham nu mayi dharmeṇa pṛthivīm anuśāsati
bhavantaḥ draṣṭum icchanti yuvarājam mama ātmajam

17. nu katham mayi dharmeṇa pṛthivīm anuśāsati
bhavantaḥ mama ātmajam yuvarājam draṣṭum icchanti

17. How is it, then, that while I am ruling the earth according to natural law (dharma), you desire to see my own son as crown prince (yuvarāja)?

Words meanings summery:

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner, why

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

• मयि (mayi) - in me, on me, while I

• धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by natural law (dharma), according to righteousness, justly

• पृथिवीम् (pṛthivīm) - the earth

• अनुशासति (anuśāsati) - ruling, governing, administrating

• भवन्तः (bhavantaḥ) - you (plural, respectful)

• द्रष्टुम् (draṣṭum) - to see, to perceive

• इच्छन्ति (icchanti) - they desire, wish, want

• युवराजम् (yuvarājam) - crown prince, heir apparent

• मम (mama) - my, of me

• आत्मजम् (ātmajam) - son (born of oneself/ātman)

Words meanings and morphology

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner, why

(indeclinable)

नु (nu) - then, indeed, now (interrogative or emphatic particle)

(indeclinable)

मयि (mayi) - in me, on me, while I

(pronoun)

Locative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

Note: Part of a locative absolute construction 'mayi anuśāsati'.

धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by natural law (dharma), according to righteousness, justly

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, righteousness, duty, virtue, intrinsic nature, constitution, universal law

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

पृथिवीम् (pṛthivīm) - the earth

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of pṛthivī

pṛthivī - the earth, soil, land

अनुशासति (anuśāsati) - ruling, governing, administrating

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of anuśāsat

anuśāsat - ruling, governing, instructing

Present Active Participle

from root śās (to rule, teach) with upasarga anu-

Prefix: anu

Root: śās (class 2)

Note: Agrees with 'mayi' in locative absolute.

भवन्तः (bhavantaḥ) - you (plural, respectful)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of bhavat

bhavat - your honor, you (polite address)

Root: bhū (class 1)

द्रष्टुम् (draṣṭum) - to see, to perceive

(indeclinable)

infinitive

formed from root dṛś with suffix -tum

Root: dṛś (class 1)

इच्छन्ति (icchanti) - they desire, wish, want

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (laṭ) of iṣ

Root: iṣ (class 6)

युवराजम् (yuvarājam) - crown prince, heir apparent

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of yuvarāja

yuvarāja - crown prince, heir apparent

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (yuva+rāja)

• yuva – young
  adjective
• rāja – king
  noun (masculine)

मम (mama) - my, of me

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

आत्मजम् (ātmajam) - son (born of oneself/ātman)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ātmaja

ātmaja - son, born of oneself/ātman

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ātman+ja)

• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essential nature
  noun (masculine)
  Root: an
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective (masculine)
  suffix indicating 'born from'
  Root: jan