वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-3, chapter-16, verse-16

त्वां तु वेदितुमिच्छामि कथ्यतां कासि कस्य वा ।
इह वा किंनिमित्तं त्वमागता ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः ॥१६॥

16. tvāṃ tu veditumicchāmi kathyatāṃ kāsi kasya vā ,
iha vā kiṃnimittaṃ tvamāgatā brūhi tattvataḥ.

16. tvām tu veditum icchāmi kathyatām kā asi kasya
vā iha vā kimnimittam tvam āgatā brūhi tattvataḥ

16. tu (aham) tvām veditum icchāmi.
(tvam) kā asi,
vā kasya (asi),
(iti) kathyatām.
vā kimnimittam tvam iha āgatā (asi iti) tattvataḥ brūhi.

16. Indeed, I wish to know you. Please tell me, who are you, and to whom do you belong? Also, for what reason have you come here? Speak the truth (tattvataḥ).

Words meanings summery:

• त्वाम् (tvām) - you

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, yet

• वेदितुम् (veditum) - to know, to learn

• इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish, I desire

• कथ्यताम् (kathyatām) - let it be told, let it be said, tell me (passive imperative)

• का (kā) - who (feminine)

• असि (asi) - you are

• कस्य (kasya) - to whom do you belong (of whom, whose)

• वा (vā) - or

• इह (iha) - here, in this world

• वा (vā) - or, also

• किम्निमित्तम् (kimnimittam) - for what reason, on what account

• त्वम् (tvam) - you

• आगता (āgatā) - arrived, come

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

• तत्त्वतः (tattvataḥ) - truly, in truth, in essence

Words meanings and morphology

त्वाम् (tvām) - you

(pronoun)

Accusative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

2nd person pronoun.

तु (tu) - but, indeed, yet

(indeclinable)

वेदितुम् (veditum) - to know, to learn

(verb)

active, infinitive (tumun) of vid

Infinitive

Infinitive form of root `vid`.

Root: vid (class 2)

इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish, I desire

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present indicative (lat) of iṣ

Present Active Indicative

1st person singular. Root `iṣ` (class 6) becomes `icch` in present stem.

Root: iṣ (class 6)

Note: The vowel change `iṣ` -> `icch` is part of present stem formation.

कथ्यताम् (kathyatām) - let it be told, let it be said, tell me (passive imperative)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, imperative (lot) of kath

Passive Imperative

3rd person singular. Derived from `kathay` (causative of a root which is often `katha`).

Root: kath (class 10)

Note: Literally 'let it be said'.

का (kā) - who (feminine)

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Interrogative pronoun, feminine nominative singular.

Note: Refers to the person being addressed.

असि (asi) - you are

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, present indicative (lat) of as

Present Active Indicative

2nd person singular.

Root: as (class 2)

कस्य (kasya) - to whom do you belong (of whom, whose)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Interrogative pronoun, masculine/neuter genitive singular.

Note: Also could be dative, but genitive is more fitting with context.

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Connects 'who are you' and 'whose'.

इह (iha) - here, in this world

(indeclinable)

Adverb.

वा (vā) - or, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Introduces an alternative question.

किम्निमित्तम् (kimnimittam) - for what reason, on what account

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kimnimitta

kimnimitta - for what reason, on what account, what cause

Compound `kim` (what) + `nimitta` (cause/reason).

Compound type : tatpurusha (kim+nimitta)

• kim – what, which
  pronoun
• nimitta – cause, reason, motive, sign
  noun (neuter)

Note: Adverbial usage.

त्वम् (tvam) - you

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

2nd person pronoun.

आगता (āgatā) - arrived, come

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of āgata

āgata - arrived, come, approached

Past Passive Participle

From `ā-gam` (to come).

Prefix: ā

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Functions as a predicate, 'you have come'.

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (lot) of brū

Imperative Active

2nd person singular. Irregular root.

Root: brū (class 2)

तत्त्वतः (tattvataḥ) - truly, in truth, in essence

(indeclinable)

Adverb formed from `tattva` (reality, truth) with `tas` suffix.