वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-57, verse-33

जानन्नपि च किं कुर्यादशक्तिरपरिक्रमः ।
भिद्यमानमिवाशक्तस्त्रातुमन्यो नगो नगम् ॥३३॥

33. jānannapi ca kiṃ kuryādaśaktiraparikramaḥ ,
bhidyamānamivāśaktastrātumanyo nago nagam.

33. jānan api ca kim kuryāt aśaktiḥ aparikramaḥ
bhidyamānam iva aśaktaḥ trātum anyaḥ nagaḥ nagam

33. ca api jānan kim kuryāt aśaktiḥ aparikramaḥ
anyaḥ nagaḥ iva bhidyamānam nagam trātum aśaktaḥ

33. And even if he knew, what could he do? He is in a state of powerlessness (śakti) and without resources, like one mountain unable to save another crumbling mountain.

Words meanings summery:

• जानन् (jānan) - even knowing (my father) (knowing, understanding)

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• च (ca) - and, also

• किम् (kim) - what (interrogative pronoun) (what, why, whether)

• कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - he could do (he might do, he should do, he could do)

• अशक्तिः (aśaktiḥ) - He is in a state of powerlessness (śakti) (powerlessness, inability, weakness)

• अपरिक्रमः (aparikramaḥ) - without resources, without means, helpless

• भिद्यमानम् (bhidyamānam) - a crumbling (mountain) (being broken, being split, being crumbled)

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• अशक्तः (aśaktaḥ) - unable, powerless

• त्रातुम् (trātum) - to protect, to save

• अन्यः (anyaḥ) - another (mountain) (other, another)

• नगः (nagaḥ) - mountain (mountain, tree)

• नगम् (nagam) - mountain (mountain, tree)

Words meanings and morphology

जानन् (jānan) - even knowing (my father) (knowing, understanding)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of jānat

jānat - knowing, understanding, recognizing

Present Active Participle

Derived from verb root jñā (to know).

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Refers to the father (implied subject).

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes 'jānan'.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects this thought with the previous one.

किम् (kim) - what (interrogative pronoun) (what, why, whether)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, who, which, why

Note: Functions as the object of 'kuryāt' or as an interrogative adverb.

कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - he could do (he might do, he should do, he could do)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of kṛ

Optative Active

3rd person singular optative active of root kṛ.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Expresses possibility or potential.

अशक्तिः (aśaktiḥ) - He is in a state of powerlessness (śakti) (powerlessness, inability, weakness)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of aśakti

aśakti - powerlessness, inability, weakness

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (a+śakti)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
• śakti – power, strength, capability, energy, divine feminine power
  noun (feminine)
  Root: śak (class 5)

Note: Predicate nominative for the implied subject (father).

अपरिक्रमः (aparikramaḥ) - without resources, without means, helpless

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aparikrama

aparikrama - without resources, without means, helpless, without movement

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+parikrama)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
• parikrama – power, resource, means, movement, circumambulation
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: pari
  Root: kram (class 1)

Note: Predicate adjective for the implied subject (father).

भिद्यमानम् (bhidyamānam) - a crumbling (mountain) (being broken, being split, being crumbled)

(participle)

Accusative, masculine, singular of bhidyamāna

bhidyamāna - being broken, being split, being torn asunder

Present Passive Participle

Derived from verb root bhid (to split, break).

Root: bhid (class 7)

Note: Adjective describing 'nagam'.

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

अशक्तः (aśaktaḥ) - unable, powerless

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aśakta

aśakta - unable, powerless, incapable

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (a+śakta)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
• śakta – able, capable, powerful
  participle (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from verb root śak (to be able).
  Root: śak (class 5)

Note: Modifies 'anyaḥ nagaḥ'.

त्रातुम् (trātum) - to protect, to save

(indeclinable)

Infinitive

Infinitive form of root trā.

Root: trā (class 2)

Note: Expresses purpose, 'to save'.

अन्यः (anyaḥ) - another (mountain) (other, another)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of anya

anya - other, another, different

Note: Modifies 'nagaḥ'.

नगः (nagaḥ) - mountain (mountain, tree)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of naga

naga - mountain, tree, serpent (that which does not move)

Note: Subject of the comparison.

नगम् (nagam) - mountain (mountain, tree)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of naga

naga - mountain, tree, serpent (that which does not move)

Note: Object of 'trātum'.

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