वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-2, chapter-98, verse-18

यथागारं दृढस्थूणं जीर्णं भूत्वावसीदति ।
तथावसीदन्ति नरा जरामृत्युवशं गताः ॥१८॥

18. yathāgāraṃ dṛḍhasthūṇaṃ jīrṇaṃ bhūtvāvasīdati ,
tathāvasīdanti narā jarāmṛtyuvaśaṃ gatāḥ.

18. yathā agāram dṛḍhasthūṇam jīrṇam bhūtvā avasīdati
tathā avasīdanti narāḥ jarāmṛtyuvaśam gatāḥ

18. yathā dṛḍhasthūṇam jīrṇam agāram bhūtvā avasīdati
tathā jarāmṛtyuvaśam gatāḥ narāḥ avasīdanti

18. Just as a house with strong pillars eventually collapses when it becomes old, so too do people perish when they fall under the sway of old age and death.

Words meanings summery:

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as, like, in the manner that

• अगारम् (agāram) - house (house, dwelling)

• दृढस्थूणम् (dṛḍhasthūṇam) - having strong pillars

• जीर्णम् (jīrṇam) - old, worn out, decayed, decrepit

• भूत्वा (bhūtvā) - having become, having been

• अवसीदति (avasīdati) - collapses, perishes (collapses, sinks down, perishes, becomes dejected)

• तथा (tathā) - so, likewise, thus

• अवसीदन्ति (avasīdanti) - collapse, perish (collapse, sink down, perish, become dejected)

• नराः (narāḥ) - people (men, people, human beings)

• जरामृत्युवशम् (jarāmṛtyuvaśam) - under the sway of old age and death

• गताः (gatāḥ) - fallen under (the sway of) (having gone, having attained, fallen into)

Words meanings and morphology

यथा (yathā) - as, just as, like, in the manner that

(indeclinable)

अगारम् (agāram) - house (house, dwelling)

(noun)

neuter, singular of agāra

agāra - house, dwelling, apartment

दृढस्थूणम् (dṛḍhasthūṇam) - having strong pillars

(adjective)

neuter, singular of dṛḍhasthūṇa

dṛḍhasthūṇa - having strong pillars

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dṛḍha+sthūṇā)

• dṛḍha – strong, firm, solid
  adjective (masculine/feminine/neuter)
• sthūṇā – pillar, post
  noun (feminine)

जीर्णम् (jīrṇam) - old, worn out, decayed, decrepit

(adjective)

neuter, singular of jīrṇa

jīrṇa - old, worn out, decayed, decrepit

Past Passive Participle

from root √jṝ (to wear out, decay)

Root: jṝ (class 9)

भूत्वा (bhūtvā) - having become, having been

(indeclinable)

absolutive (gerund)

from root √bhū (to be, become)

Root: bhū (class 1)

अवसीदति (avasīdati) - collapses, perishes (collapses, sinks down, perishes, becomes dejected)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present indicative (laṭ) of avasīd

Prefix: ava

Root: sad (class 1)

तथा (tathā) - so, likewise, thus

(indeclinable)

अवसीदन्ति (avasīdanti) - collapse, perish (collapse, sink down, perish, become dejected)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (laṭ) of avasīd

Prefix: ava

Root: sad (class 1)

नराः (narāḥ) - people (men, people, human beings)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nara

nara - man, human being, person

जरामृत्युवशम् (jarāmṛtyuvaśam) - under the sway of old age and death

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of jarāmṛtyuvaśa

jarāmṛtyuvaśa - the control/sway of old age and death

Compound type : dvandva-tatpuruṣa (jarā+mṛtyu+vaśa)

• jarā – old age, decrepitude
  noun (feminine)
• mṛtyu – death, demise
  noun (masculine)
• vaśa – sway, control, power
  noun (masculine)

गताः (gatāḥ) - fallen under (the sway of) (having gone, having attained, fallen into)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of gata

gata - gone, moved, attained, reached, fallen into

Past Passive Participle

from root √gam (to go)

Root: gam (class 1)