वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-3, chapter-8, verse-23

क्व च शस्त्रं क्व च वनं क्व च क्षात्रं तपः क्व च ।
व्याविद्धमिदमस्माभिर्देशधर्मस्तु पूज्यताम् ॥२३॥

23. kva ca śastraṃ kva ca vanaṃ kva ca kṣātraṃ tapaḥ kva ca ,
vyāviddhamidamasmābhirdeśadharmastu pūjyatām.

23. kva ca śastram kva ca vanam kva ca kṣātram tapaḥ kva
ca vyāviddham idam asmābhiḥ deśadharmaḥ tu pūjyatām

23. kva ca śastram kva ca vanam kva ca kṣātram tapaḥ ca
kva idam asmābhiḥ vyāviddham tu deśadharmaḥ pūjyatām

23. Where are weapons, and where is the forest? Where is martial (kṣātra) duty, and where is asceticism (tapas)? This is a contradiction caused by us. However, let the natural law (dharma) of this region be respected.

Words meanings summery:

• क्व (kva) - "where is X, where is Y" implying incongruity (where, in what place)

• च (ca) - and, also

• शस्त्रम् (śastram) - weapon, instrument, sword

• क्व (kva) - "where is X, where is Y" implying incongruity (where, in what place)

• च (ca) - and, also

• वनम् (vanam) - forest, wood, grove

• क्व (kva) - "where is X, where is Y" implying incongruity (where, in what place)

• च (ca) - and, also

• क्षात्रम् (kṣātram) - martial duty, the nature of a warrior (relating to Kṣatriyas, martial, valor)

• तपः (tapaḥ) - ascetic practices, spiritual discipline (tapas) (penance, asceticism, heat)

• क्व (kva) - "where is X, where is Y" implying incongruity (where, in what place)

• च (ca) - and, also

• व्याविद्धम् (vyāviddham) - contradictory, inconsistent (confused, contradictory, pierced)

• इदम् (idam) - this situation, this contradiction (this, this (neuter nominative/accusative singular))

• अस्माभिः (asmābhiḥ) - by Rama and Sita (by us)

• देशधर्मः (deśadharmaḥ) - the natural law (dharma) of this region/forest (the law of the country/region, local custom, natural law of the land)

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

• पूज्यताम् (pūjyatām) - let it be respected (let it be honored, let it be worshipped)

Words meanings and morphology

क्व (kva) - "where is X, where is Y" implying incongruity (where, in what place)

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

शस्त्रम् (śastram) - weapon, instrument, sword

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śastra

śastra - weapon, arm, instrument, iron, steel, knife

From root śas (to cut)

Root: śas (class 2)

क्व (kva) - "where is X, where is Y" implying incongruity (where, in what place)

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

वनम् (vanam) - forest, wood, grove

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vana

vana - forest, wood, grove, thicket, water

Root: van (class 1)

क्व (kva) - "where is X, where is Y" implying incongruity (where, in what place)

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

क्षात्रम् (kṣātram) - martial duty, the nature of a warrior (relating to Kṣatriyas, martial, valor)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kṣātra

kṣātra - relating to Kṣatriyas, martial, warlike, valor, royal power

Derived from kṣatra (rule, power, Kṣatriya)

Note: Refers to the specific characteristics or duties of a Kṣatriya.

तपः (tapaḥ) - ascetic practices, spiritual discipline (tapas) (penance, asceticism, heat)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - heat, warmth, penance, asceticism, spiritual austerity (tapas)

From root tap (to heat, to perform austerity)

Root: tap (class 1)

Note: Refers to the spiritual practices of ascetics.

क्व (kva) - "where is X, where is Y" implying incongruity (where, in what place)

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

व्याविद्धम् (vyāviddham) - contradictory, inconsistent (confused, contradictory, pierced)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vyāviddha

vyāviddha - pierced, struck, contradictory, confused, entangled, inappropriate

Past Passive Participle

Formed from root vyadh with upasargas vi- + ā-

Prefixes: vi+ā

Root: vyadh (class 4)

Note: Describes the situation.

इदम् (idam) - this situation, this contradiction (this, this (neuter nominative/accusative singular))

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, it

अस्माभिः (asmābhiḥ) - by Rama and Sita (by us)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we (pronoun)

देशधर्मः (deśadharmaḥ) - the natural law (dharma) of this region/forest (the law of the country/region, local custom, natural law of the land)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of deśadharma

deśadharma - the natural law, intrinsic nature (dharma) of a region/country, local custom

Tatpurusha compound

Compound type : Tatpurusha (deśa+dharma)

• deśa – region, country, place, district
  noun (masculine)
  Root: diś (class 6)
• dharma – natural law, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness, constitution, virtue (dharma)
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)

तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

पूज्यताम् (pūjyatām) - let it be respected (let it be honored, let it be worshipped)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, imperative (loṭ) of pūj

passive imperative

Passive voice, 3rd person singular imperative from root pūj

Root: pūj (class 10)

Note: The passive imperative asks for the dharma to be respected.