वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-53, verse-17

भवितव्यतया नूनमिदं वा व्यसनं महत् ।
कुलस्यास्य विनाशाय प्राप्तं सूत यदृच्छया ॥१७॥

17. bhavitavyatayā nūnamidaṃ vā vyasanaṃ mahat ,
kulasyāsya vināśāya prāptaṃ sūta yadṛcchayā.

17. bhavitavyatayā nūnam idam vā vyasanam mahat
kulasya asya vināśāya prāptam sūta yadṛcchayā

17. sūta nūnam idam mahat vyasanam asya kulasya
vināśāya bhavitavyatayā vā yadṛcchayā prāptam

17. O charioteer, this great calamity has certainly come about for the destruction of this family, whether by destiny or by mere chance.

Words meanings summery:

• भवितव्यतया (bhavitavyatayā) - by destiny, by fate, by what is to be

• नूनम् (nūnam) - surely, certainly, indeed, truly

• इदम् (idam) - this, the following

• वा (vā) - or, either

• व्यसनम् (vyasanam) - calamity, misfortune, disaster, addiction

• महत् (mahat) - great, large, important

• कुलस्य (kulasya) - of the Ikṣvāku family (of the family, of the lineage)

• अस्य (asya) - of this

• विनाशाय (vināśāya) - for the destruction, for the ruin

• प्राप्तम् (prāptam) - arrived, obtained, fallen upon

• सूत (sūta) - O charioteer

• यदृच्छया (yadṛcchayā) - by chance, accidentally, arbitrarily

Words meanings and morphology

भवितव्यतया (bhavitavyatayā) - by destiny, by fate, by what is to be

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of bhavitavyatā

bhavitavyatā - destiny, fate, inevitability, what is to be

Abstract noun from bhavitavya (that which is to be, future passive participle of bhū).

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Indicates the means or cause.

नूनम् (nūnam) - surely, certainly, indeed, truly

(indeclinable)

Particle of ascertainment.

इदम् (idam) - this, the following

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, here, now

वा (vā) - or, either

(indeclinable)

Disjunctive particle.

Note: Connects bhavitavyatayā and yadṛcchayā as alternative reasons.

व्यसनम् (vyasanam) - calamity, misfortune, disaster, addiction

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vyasana

vyasana - calamity, misfortune, disaster, distress, evil habit

From root as (to throw, cast) with prefix vi.

Prefix: vi

Root: as (class 4)

महत् (mahat) - great, large, important

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, vast, mighty

Root mah (to be great).

Root: mah (class 1)

कुलस्य (kulasya) - of the Ikṣvāku family (of the family, of the lineage)

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of kula

kula - family, lineage, race, clan, house

Note: Possessive, connected to vināśāya.

अस्य (asya) - of this

(pronoun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, here, now

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Agrees with kulasya.

विनाशाय (vināśāya) - for the destruction, for the ruin

(noun)

Dative, masculine, singular of vināśa

vināśa - destruction, ruin, loss, disappearance

From root naś (to perish, be lost) with prefix vi.

Prefix: vi

Root: naś (class 4)

प्राप्तम् (prāptam) - arrived, obtained, fallen upon

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of prāpta

prāpta - reached, attained, obtained, arrived, met with

Past Passive Participle

From root āp (to obtain, reach) with prefix pra.

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

Note: Functions as the main predicate (verb is implied).

सूत (sūta) - O charioteer

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of sūta

sūta - charioteer, herald, bard

Note: Address to the charioteer.

यदृच्छया (yadṛcchayā) - by chance, accidentally, arbitrarily

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of yadṛcchā

yadṛcchā - chance, accident, free will, spontaneity

From yad (what) + ṛch (to seek, desire).

Root: ṛch (class 1)

Note: Indicates the manner or cause.