वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-47, verse-23

शोचन्त्याश्चाल्पभाग्याया न किं चिदुपकुर्वता ।
पुर्त्रेण किमपुत्राया मया कार्यमरिंदम ॥२३॥

23. śocantyāścālpabhāgyāyā na kiṃ cidupakurvatā ,
purtreṇa kimaputrāyā mayā kāryamariṃdama.

23. śocantyāḥ ca alpabhāgyāyāḥ na kim cit upakurvatā
putreṇa kim aputrāyāḥ mayā kāryam ariṃdama

23. ariṃdama,
aputrāyāḥ śocantyāḥ ca alpabhāgyāyāḥ mayā kim cit na upakurvatā putreṇa kim kāryam

23. O subduer of enemies (ariṃdama), what purpose is served by me, a son, who does not render any benefit to his lamenting and unfortunate mother, to one who is as if sonless?

Words meanings summery:

• शोचन्त्याः (śocantyāḥ) - of his lamenting mother (of the lamenting one, of the sorrowing one)

• च (ca) - and

• अल्पभाग्यायाः (alpabhāgyāyāḥ) - of his unfortunate mother (of the unfortunate one, of the ill-fated one)

• न (na) - not, no

• किम् (kim) - anything (what, anything (as part of indefinite 'kimcit'))

• चित् (cit) - any, some, even

• उपकुर्वता (upakurvatā) - by me, who does not do anything good (for his mother) (by doing good, by helping, by benefiting)

• पुत्रेण (putreṇa) - by a son (like me) (by a son)

• किम् (kim) - what use (what, what use, what purpose)

• अपुत्रायाः (aputrāyāḥ) - to a mother who is virtually sonless (to one without a son, of one who has no son)

• मया (mayā) - by me

• कार्यम् (kāryam) - what purpose is served (to be done, duty, purpose, action)

• अरिंदम (ariṁdama) - O Lakshmana (O subduer of enemies, O vanquisher of foes)

Words meanings and morphology

शोचन्त्याः (śocantyāḥ) - of his lamenting mother (of the lamenting one, of the sorrowing one)

(adjective)

Genitive, feminine, singular of śocat

śocat - lamenting, grieving, sorrowing

Present Active Participle

From root śuc (to sorrow, lament)

Root: śuc (class 1)

Note: Qualifies an implied 'mother' (mātā).

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects adjectives.

अल्पभाग्यायाः (alpabhāgyāyāḥ) - of his unfortunate mother (of the unfortunate one, of the ill-fated one)

(adjective)

Genitive, feminine, singular of alpabhāgyā

alpabhāgyā - unfortunate, ill-fated

Compound type : bahuvrihi (alpa+bhāgya)

• alpa – little, small, few
  adjective (neuter)
• bhāgya – fortune, luck, destiny
  noun (neuter)

Note: Qualifies an implied 'mother' (mātā).

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates 'upakurvatā'.

किम् (kim) - anything (what, anything (as part of indefinite 'kimcit'))

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, any

Note: Object of 'upakurvatā'.

चित् (cit) - any, some, even

(indeclinable)

उपकुर्वता (upakurvatā) - by me, who does not do anything good (for his mother) (by doing good, by helping, by benefiting)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of upakurvat

upakurvat - doing good, helping, benefiting

Present Active Participle

From root kṛ (to do, make) with prefix upa

Prefix: upa

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Qualifies 'putreṇa'.

पुत्रेण (putreṇa) - by a son (like me) (by a son)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son, child

Note: Agent in the construction with 'kāryam'.

किम् (kim) - what use (what, what use, what purpose)

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

अपुत्रायाः (aputrāyāḥ) - to a mother who is virtually sonless (to one without a son, of one who has no son)

(adjective)

Dative, feminine, singular of aputrā

aputrā - without a son, childless

Compound type : bahuvrihi (a+putra)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• putra – son, child
  noun (masculine)

Note: Refers to the mother.

मया (mayā) - by me

(pronoun)

Instrumental, singular of mad

mad - I, me

Note: Specifies the 'son' in question.

कार्यम् (kāryam) - what purpose is served (to be done, duty, purpose, action)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kārya

kārya - to be done, duty, action, purpose

Gerundive

From root kṛ (to do, make)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Implies "what is to be done (by a son like me)?" or "what good is it?".

अरिंदम (ariṁdama) - O Lakshmana (O subduer of enemies, O vanquisher of foes)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of ariṃdama

ariṁdama - subduer of enemies, vanquisher of foes

Compound type : tatpurusha (ari+dama)

• ari – enemy, foe
  noun (masculine)
• dama – subduing, taming, controlling
  adjective (masculine)
  From root dam (to subdue)
  Root: dam (class 4)

Note: Epithet for Lakshmana.