वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-27, verse-28

धर्मस्तु गजनासोरु सद्भिराचरितः पुरा ।
तं चाहमनुवर्ते ऽद्य यथा सूर्यं सुवर्चला ॥२८॥

28. dharmastu gajanāsoru sadbhirācaritaḥ purā ,
taṃ cāhamanuvarte'dya yathā sūryaṃ suvarcalā.

28. dharmaḥ tu gajanāsoru sadbhiḥ ācaritaḥ purā tam
ca aham anuvarte adya yathā sūryam suvarcalā

28. gajanāsoru dharmaḥ tu purā sadbhiḥ ācaritaḥ aham
ca adya tam yathā suvarcalā sūryam anuvarte

28. But this righteous conduct (dharma), O lady with thighs like an elephant's trunk, was practiced by virtuous people in ancient times. And I, today, follow that (dharma), just as Suvarcalā follows the sun.

Words meanings summery:

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - righteous conduct (righteous conduct, natural law, duty)

• तु (tu) - but (but, indeed, however)

• गजनासोरु (gajanāsoru) - O lady with thighs like an elephant's trunk

• सद्भिः (sadbhiḥ) - by virtuous people (by good/virtuous people)

• आचरितः (ācaritaḥ) - practiced (practiced, observed, performed)

• पुरा (purā) - in ancient times (formerly, in ancient times, before)

• तम् (tam) - that (dharma) (that, him)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• अहम् (aham) - I

• अनुवर्ते (anuvarte) - I follow (I follow, I conform to)

• अद्य (adya) - today (today, now)

• यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, according to)

• सूर्यम् (sūryam) - the sun

• सुवर्चला (suvarcalā) - Suvarcalā (Suvarcalā (name of a goddess or mythical figure))

Words meanings and morphology

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - righteous conduct (righteous conduct, natural law, duty)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - righteous conduct, natural law, duty, virtue, custom

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

तु (tu) - but (but, indeed, however)

(indeclinable)

गजनासोरु (gajanāsoru) - O lady with thighs like an elephant's trunk

(noun)

Vocative, feminine, singular of gajanāsoru

gajanāsoru - having thighs (ūru) like an elephant's (gaja) trunk (nāsa)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (gaja+nāsa+ūru)

• gaja – elephant
  noun (masculine)
• nāsa – nose, trunk
  noun (masculine)
• ūru – thigh
  noun (masculine)

सद्भिः (sadbhiḥ) - by virtuous people (by good/virtuous people)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of sat

sat - being, existing, good, virtuous

Present Active Participle

Derived from root as (class 2), 'to be'.

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Agent of the passive verb 'ācaritaḥ'.

आचरितः (ācaritaḥ) - practiced (practiced, observed, performed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ācarita

ācarita - practiced, observed, performed, conducted

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root car (class 1) with prefix ā-.

Prefix: ā

Root: car (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'dharmaḥ'.

पुरा (purā) - in ancient times (formerly, in ancient times, before)

(indeclinable)

तम् (tam) - that (dharma) (that, him)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers back to 'dharmaḥ'.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of aham

aham - I, myself

अनुवर्ते (anuvarte) - I follow (I follow, I conform to)

(verb)

1st person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of anu-vṛt

Prefix: anu

Root: vṛt (class 1)

अद्य (adya) - today (today, now)

(indeclinable)

यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, according to)

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces a comparative clause.

सूर्यम् (sūryam) - the sun

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of sūrya

sūrya - sun, sun-god

Note: Object of 'anuvarte' (implied).

सुवर्चला (suvarcalā) - Suvarcalā (Suvarcalā (name of a goddess or mythical figure))

(proper noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of suvarcalā

suvarcalā - a goddess, wife of the sun, or a mythical figure known for following the sun

Note: Subject of the comparative clause.