वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-61, verse-3

एते द्विजाः सहामात्यैः पृथग्वाचमुदीरयन् ।
वसिष्ठमेवाभिमुखाः श्रेष्ठो राजपुरोहितम् ॥३॥

3. ete dvijāḥ sahāmātyaiḥ pṛthagvācamudīrayan ,
vasiṣṭhamevābhimukhāḥ śreṣṭho rājapurohitam.

3. ete dvijāḥ saha amātyaiḥ pṛthak vācam udīrayan
vasiṣṭham eva abhimukhāḥ śreṣṭhaḥ rājapurohitam

3. ete dvijāḥ saha amātyaiḥ pṛthak vācam udīrayan
śreṣṭhaḥ rājapurohitam vasiṣṭham eva abhimukhāḥ

3. These twice-born (dvijāḥ), accompanied by their ministers, each spoke their words, facing towards Vasiṣṭha, the chief royal priest.

Words meanings summery:

• एते (ete) - these (sages from the previous verse) (these)

• द्विजाः (dvijāḥ) - the twice-born (sages) (twice-born)

• सह (saha) - accompanied by (with, accompanied by)

• अमात्यैः (amātyaiḥ) - with (their) ministers (by ministers, with ministers)

• पृथक् (pṛthak) - individually (each their own speech) (separately, individually, apart)

• वाचम् (vācam) - their words, speech (speech, word)

• उदीरयन् (udīrayan) - uttering, speaking (their words) (uttering, speaking, causing to rise)

• वसिष्ठम् (vasiṣṭham) - towards Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha)

• एव (eva) - only, indeed (only, indeed, just)

• अभिमुखाः (abhimukhāḥ) - facing towards (Vasiṣṭha) (facing, directed towards)

• श्रेष्ठः (śreṣṭhaḥ) - the chief (one) (most excellent, chief, best)

• राजपुरोहितम् (rājapurohitam) - the royal priest (royal priest, king's chaplain)

Words meanings and morphology

एते (ete) - these (sages from the previous verse) (these)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of etad

etad - this, these

Demonstrative pronoun.

द्विजाः (dvijāḥ) - the twice-born (sages) (twice-born)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of dvija

dvija - twice-born (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya; also bird, tooth)

From 'dvi' (twice) and root 'jan' (to be born).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dvi+ja)

• dvi – two, twice
  numeral
• ja – born, produced
  adjective
  Derived from root jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Subject of the sentence.

सह (saha) - accompanied by (with, accompanied by)

(indeclinable)

Preposition/adverb.

अमात्यैः (amātyaiḥ) - with (their) ministers (by ministers, with ministers)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of amātya

amātya - minister, councilor, associate

From 'amā' (at home, together) + 'tya' (suffix).

पृथक् (pṛthak) - individually (each their own speech) (separately, individually, apart)

(indeclinable)

Adverb.

Note: Modifies 'udīrayan'.

वाचम् (vācam) - their words, speech (speech, word)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of vāc

vāc - speech, word, voice, language

From root 'vac' (to speak).

Root: vac (class 2)

उदीरयन् (udīrayan) - uttering, speaking (their words) (uttering, speaking, causing to rise)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of udīrayat

udīrayat - uttering, speaking, causing to rise

Present Active Participle

From causal of root 'īr' (to move, to stir) with upasarga 'ud'.

Prefix: ud

Root: īr (class 2)

Note: Functions adverbially, indicating the manner of action.

वसिष्ठम् (vasiṣṭham) - towards Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha)

(proper noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of vasiṣṭha

vasiṣṭha - Vasiṣṭha (name of a most celebrated sage, often a royal priest)

Superlative of 'vasu' (good, excellent).

एव (eva) - only, indeed (only, indeed, just)

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

अभिमुखाः (abhimukhāḥ) - facing towards (Vasiṣṭha) (facing, directed towards)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of abhimukha

abhimukha - facing, directed towards, turning towards

From 'abhi' (towards) and 'mukha' (face).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa or avyayībhāva (abhi+mukha)

• abhi – towards, against, over
  indeclinable
  Preposition/prefix.
• mukha – face, mouth, front
  noun (neuter)

श्रेष्ठः (śreṣṭhaḥ) - the chief (one) (most excellent, chief, best)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - most excellent, best, chief, most distinguished

Superlative form, derived from root 'śrī' (to shine, to excel).

Root: śrī (class 1)

Note: Appositive for Vasiṣṭha.

राजपुरोहितम् (rājapurohitam) - the royal priest (royal priest, king's chaplain)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of rājapurohita

rājapurohita - royal priest, king's chaplain

Compound: 'rājan' (king) + 'purohita' (chaplain).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (rājan+purohita)

• rājan – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)
• purohita – placed foremost, appointed (especially as a family priest)
  noun (masculine)
  From 'puras' (before) + root 'dhā' (to place).
  Prefix: puras
  Root: dhā (class 3)