वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-42, verse-20

कैकेय्या न वयं राज्ये भृतका निवसेमहि ।
जीवन्त्या जातु जीवन्त्यः पुत्रैरपि शपामहे ॥२०॥

20. kaikeyyā na vayaṃ rājye bhṛtakā nivasemahi ,
jīvantyā jātu jīvantyaḥ putrairapi śapāmahe.

20. kaikeyуā na vayam rājye bhṛtakāḥ nivāsemahi
jīvantyāḥ jātu jīvantyaḥ putraiḥ api śapāmahe

20. vayam jīvantyaḥ kaikeyуāḥ jīvantyāḥ rājye na jātu bhṛtakāḥ nivāsemahi,
putraiḥ api śapāmahe

20. We, who are alive, will not live as hired servants in Kaikeyi's kingdom while she is alive. We swear this even by our sons.

Words meanings summery:

• कैकेय्уआ (kaikeyуā) - in Kaikeyi's (kingdom) (by Kaikeyi, of Kaikeyi)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• वयम् (vayam) - we (the women of Ayodhya) (we)

• राज्ये (rājye) - in Kaikeyi's kingdom (in the kingdom, in the reign)

• भृतकाः (bhṛtakāḥ) - as hired servants (hired, maintained, servants, laborers)

• निवासेमहि (nivāsemahi) - we would live (here) (we would dwell, we would live)

• जीवन्त्याः (jīvantyāḥ) - while she (Kaikeyi) is living (while living, of a living one (feminine))

• जातु (jātu) - ever (emphasizing the impossibility) (ever, at all, certainly)

• जीवन्त्यः (jīvantyaḥ) - we (the women) being alive (living, alive (feminine plural))

• पुत्रैः (putraiḥ) - even by (the lives of) our sons (as a solemn oath) (by sons, with sons)

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

• शपामहे (śapāmahe) - we swear (an oath) (we swear, we curse)

Words meanings and morphology

कैकेय्уआ (kaikeyуā) - in Kaikeyi's (kingdom) (by Kaikeyi, of Kaikeyi)

(proper noun)

Genitive, feminine, singular of kaikeyī

kaikeyī - Kaikeyi (daughter of the King of Kekaya)

Note: Denotes possession here.

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Note: Negation particle.

वयम् (vayam) - we (the women of Ayodhya) (we)

(pronoun)

Nominative, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

Note: Refers to the collective group speaking.

राज्ये (rājye) - in Kaikeyi's kingdom (in the kingdom, in the reign)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of rājya

rājya - kingdom, realm, sovereignty

Root: rāj (class 1)

Note: Location where they refuse to live.

भृतकाः (bhṛtakāḥ) - as hired servants (hired, maintained, servants, laborers)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of bhṛtaka

bhṛtaka - hired, maintained, a hired servant or laborer

Derived from root bhṛ (to bear, maintain)

Root: bhṛ (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'vayam' (referring to the women as hired ones).

निवासेमहि (nivāsemahi) - we would live (here) (we would dwell, we would live)

(verb)

1st person , plural, middle, optative (vidhiliṅ) of nivās

Prefix: ni

Root: vas (class 1)

Note: Expresses a strong negation of willingness.

जीवन्त्याः (jīvantyāḥ) - while she (Kaikeyi) is living (while living, of a living one (feminine))

(adjective)

Genitive, feminine, singular of jīvantī

jīvantī - living, alive (feminine)

Present Active Participle (feminine)

Derived from root jīv (to live) with present participle suffix -at, then feminine -ī

Root: jīv (class 1)

Note: Modifies an implied Kaikeyi, indicating a condition.

जातु (jātu) - ever (emphasizing the impossibility) (ever, at all, certainly)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

जीवन्त्यः (jīvantyaḥ) - we (the women) being alive (living, alive (feminine plural))

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of jīvantī

jīvantī - living, alive (feminine)

Present Active Participle (feminine)

Derived from root jīv (to live) with present participle suffix -at, then feminine -ī

Root: jīv (class 1)

Note: Modifies 'vayam', forming a nominative absolute construction.

पुत्रैः (putraiḥ) - even by (the lives of) our sons (as a solemn oath) (by sons, with sons)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of putra

putra - son, child

Note: Used with 'śapāmahe' to denote swearing by someone.

अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes the preceding word.

शपामहे (śapāmahe) - we swear (an oath) (we swear, we curse)

(verb)

1st person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of śap

Root: śap (class 1)

Note: Indicates the act of taking an oath.

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