वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-7, verse-3

पताकाभिर्वरार्हाभिर्ध्वजैश्च समलंकृताम् ।
सिक्तां चन्दनतोयैश्च शिरःस्नातजनैर्वृताम् ॥३॥

3. patākābhirvarārhābhirdhvajaiśca samalaṃkṛtām ,
siktāṃ candanatoyaiśca śiraḥsnātajanairvṛtām.

3. patākābhiḥ vara-arhābhiḥ dhvajaiḥ ca samalaṃkṛtām
siktām candana-toyaiḥ ca śiraḥ-snāta-janaiḥ vṛtām

3. vara-arhābhiḥ patākābhiḥ dhvajaiḥ ca samalaṃkṛtām
candana-toyaiḥ ca siktām śiraḥ-snāta-janaiḥ vṛtām

3. The city (Ayodhya) was adorned with magnificent banners and flags, sprinkled with sandalwood water, and bustling with people who had just bathed their heads.

Words meanings summery:

• पताकाभिः (patākābhiḥ) - with decorative banners (with banners, with flags)

• वर-अर्हाभिः (vara-arhābhiḥ) - with magnificent and befitting (banners and flags) (with excellent, with worthy of the best)

• ध्वजैः (dhvajaiḥ) - with ceremonial flags (with flags, with standards)

• च (ca) - and (connecting banners and flags) (and, also)

• समलंकृताम् (samalaṁkṛtām) - beautifully decorated (adorned, decorated, embellished)

• सिक्ताम् (siktām) - sprinkled (with water) (sprinkled, moistened)

• चन्दन-तोयैः (candana-toyaiḥ) - with waters mixed with sandalwood (for purification/fragrance) (with sandalwood waters, with water scented with sandalwood)

• च (ca) - and (connecting different aspects of adornment) (and, also)

• शिरः-स्नात-जनैः (śiraḥ-snāta-janaiḥ) - by people who had performed the auspicious head-bath (ceremonial bath) (by people with bathed heads)

• वृताम् (vṛtām) - filled or bustling with (people) (surrounded, covered, filled with)

Words meanings and morphology

पताकाभिः (patākābhiḥ) - with decorative banners (with banners, with flags)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, plural of patākā

patākā - banner, flag, standard, emblem

Note: Used as means of adornment for the city.

वर-अर्हाभिः (vara-arhābhiḥ) - with magnificent and befitting (banners and flags) (with excellent, with worthy of the best)

(adjective)

Instrumental, feminine, plural of varārha

varārha - worthy of the best, excellent, precious, valuable

Compound 'vara' (best, excellent) + 'arha' (worthy, deserving).

Compound type : Tatpurusha (vara+arha)

• vara – best, excellent, boon, choice
  noun (masculine)
• arha – worthy, deserving, fit, proper
  adjective (masculine)
  From √arh (to deserve).
  Root: √arh (class 1)

Note: Modifies 'patākābhiḥ' and implicitly 'dhvajaiḥ'.

ध्वजैः (dhvajaiḥ) - with ceremonial flags (with flags, with standards)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of dhvaja

dhvaja - flag, banner, standard, emblem

Note: Used as means of adornment for the city.

च (ca) - and (connecting banners and flags) (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Conjunctive particle.

समलंकृताम् (samalaṁkṛtām) - beautifully decorated (adorned, decorated, embellished)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of samalaṃkṛtā

samalaṁkṛtā - adorned, decorated, embellished

Past Passive Participle

Formed from the root √kṛ (to do) with prefixes 'sam' and 'alam', and the past passive participle suffix 'kta'.

Prefixes: sam+alam

Root: √kṛ (class 8)

Note: Modifies 'ayodhyām' from previous verse.

सिक्ताम् (siktām) - sprinkled (with water) (sprinkled, moistened)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of sikta

sikta - sprinkled, wetted, moistened, bedewed

Past Passive Participle

Formed from the root √sic (to sprinkle) with the past passive participle suffix 'kta'.

Root: √sic (class 6)

Note: Modifies 'ayodhyām' from previous verse.

चन्दन-तोयैः (candana-toyaiḥ) - with waters mixed with sandalwood (for purification/fragrance) (with sandalwood waters, with water scented with sandalwood)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of candanatoya

candanatoya - sandalwood water

Tatpurusha compound 'candana' (sandalwood) + 'toya' (water).

Compound type : Tatpurusha (candana+toya)

• candana – sandalwood, sandalwood tree, perfume
  noun (masculine)
• toya – water
  noun (neuter)
  From √tu (to swell, to be strong).
  Root: √tu (class 1)

Note: Indicates what the city was sprinkled with.

च (ca) - and (connecting different aspects of adornment) (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Conjunctive particle.

शिरः-स्नात-जनैः (śiraḥ-snāta-janaiḥ) - by people who had performed the auspicious head-bath (ceremonial bath) (by people with bathed heads)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of śiraḥsnātajana

śiraḥsnātajana - people who have bathed their heads

Bahuvrihi compound: 'śiras' (head) + 'snāta' (bathed) + 'jana' (people).

Compound type : Bahuvrihi (śiras+snāta+jana)

• śiras – head, top, peak
  noun (neuter)
• snāta – bathed, purified by bathing
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Formed from the root √snā (to bathe) with the past passive participle suffix 'kta'.
  Root: √snā (class 2)
• jana – person, people, man, creature
  noun (masculine)
  From √jan (to be born, produce).
  Root: √jan (class 4)

Note: Indicates the agents who were present, characteristic of a festive occasion.

वृताम् (vṛtām) - filled or bustling with (people) (surrounded, covered, filled with)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of vṛtā

vṛtā - surrounded, covered, filled, enclosed, occupied by

Past Passive Participle

Formed from the root √vṛ (to cover, enclose) or √vṛt (to be, exist) with the past passive participle suffix 'kta'.

Root: √vṛ (class 9)

Note: Modifies 'ayodhyām' from previous verse, describing its state.

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