वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-95, verse-2

शाश्वतो ऽयं सदा धर्मः स्थितो ऽस्मासु नरर्षभ ।
ज्येष्ठ पुत्रे स्थिते राजन्न कनीयान्भवेन्नृपः ॥२॥

2. śāśvato'yaṃ sadā dharmaḥ sthito'smāsu nararṣabha ,
jyeṣṭha putre sthite rājanna kanīyānbhavennṛpaḥ.

2. śāśvataḥ ayam sadā dharmaḥ sthitaḥ asmāsu nararṣabha
| jyeṣṭha putre sthite rājan na kanīyān bhavet nṛpaḥ

2. nararṣabha asmāsu śāśvataḥ ayam dharmaḥ sadā sthitaḥ
rājan jyeṣṭha putre sthite kanīyān nṛpaḥ na bhavet

2. O best of men (nararṣabha), this eternal natural law (dharma) is always established among us. When the eldest son is in place, O King, a younger son should not become king.

Words meanings summery:

• शाश्वतः (śāśvataḥ) - eternal, perpetual, permanent

• अयम् (ayam) - this, he

• सदा (sadā) - always, ever, constantly

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law regarding succession (natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness)

• स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - established, standing, situated, existing

• अस्मासु (asmāsu) - among us, in us

• नरर्षभ (nararṣabha) - O best of men, O bull among men

• ज्येष्ठ (jyeṣṭha) - eldest, senior, best

• पुत्रे (putre) - in/on/upon the son, when the son

• स्थिते (sthite) - being established, being present, in place

• राजन् (rājan) - O King

• न (na) - not, no

• कनीयान् (kanīyān) - younger, youngest

• भवेत् (bhavet) - should be, may be, would be

• नृपः (nṛpaḥ) - king, ruler

Words meanings and morphology

शाश्वतः (śāśvataḥ) - eternal, perpetual, permanent

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śāśvata

śāśvata - eternal, perpetual, constant, everlasting

From śaśvat (always) + a suffix.

अयम् (ayam) - this, he

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one, here

सदा (sadā) - always, ever, constantly

(indeclinable)

From sa + dā (suffix for time).

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law regarding succession (natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue, custom, religion

From root dhṛ (to hold, support) + man suffix.

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - established, standing, situated, existing

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sthita

sthita - stood, standing, situated, existing, firm, established

Past Passive Participle

From root sthā (to stand) + kta (P.P.P. suffix).

Root: sthā (class 1)

अस्मासु (asmāsu) - among us, in us

(pronoun)

Locative, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

नरर्षभ (nararṣabha) - O best of men, O bull among men

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of nararṣabha

nararṣabha - best of men, foremost among men (lit. 'bull among men')

Compound type : tatpurusha (nara+ṛṣabha)

• nara – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
  Root: nṛ
• ṛṣabha – bull, chief, best, foremost
  noun (masculine)
  Root: ṛṣabh

ज्येष्ठ (jyeṣṭha) - eldest, senior, best

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of jyeṣṭha

jyeṣṭha - eldest, oldest, chief, best, most excellent

Superlative form of vṛddha (old, grown).

Root: vṛdh (class 1)

Note: Used here in apposition to putre.

पुत्रे (putre) - in/on/upon the son, when the son

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son, child

Note: Locative absolute construction, meaning 'when the son is...'

स्थिते (sthite) - being established, being present, in place

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of sthita

sthita - stood, standing, situated, existing, firm, established

Past Passive Participle

From root sthā (to stand) + kta (P.P.P. suffix).

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Part of a locative absolute construction with putre.

राजन् (rājan) - O King

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

From root rāj (to rule, shine).

Root: rāj (class 1)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

कनीयान् (kanīyān) - younger, youngest

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kanīyas

kanīyas - younger, youngest, inferior, smaller

Comparative/superlative form from kana (small, young).

Note: Used here in apposition to nṛpaḥ.

भवेत् (bhavet) - should be, may be, would be

(verb)

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

Optative mood, active voice, 3rd person singular

Present optative, parasmaipada.

Root: bhū (class 1)

नृपः (nṛpaḥ) - king, ruler

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nṛpa

nṛpa - king, ruler (lit. 'protector of men')

From nṛ (man) + pā (to protect).

Compound type : tatpurusha (nṛ+pā)

• nṛ – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• pā – protector, to protect
  noun (masculine)
  From root pā (to protect).
  Root: pā (class 2)