वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-4, chapter-17, verse-23

कः क्षत्रियकुले जातः श्रुतवान्नष्टसंशयः ।
धर्मलिङ्ग प्रतिच्छन्नः क्रूरं कर्म समाचरेत् ॥२३॥

23. kaḥ kṣatriyakule jātaḥ śrutavānnaṣṭasaṃśayaḥ ,
dharmaliṅga praticchannaḥ krūraṃ karma samācaret.

23. kaḥ kṣatriyakule jātaḥ śrutavān naṣṭasaṃśayaḥ
dharmaliṅga praticchannaḥ krūram karma samācaret

23. kṣatriyakule jātaḥ śrutavān naṣṭasaṃśayaḥ
dharmaliṅga praticchannaḥ kaḥ krūram karma samācaret?

23. Who, born in a warrior (kṣatriya) family, learned, and free from doubt, would perform a cruel action (karma), while outwardly appearing to embody natural law (dharma)?

Words meanings summery:

• कः (kaḥ) - who (interrogative pronoun) (who, which, what)

• क्षत्रियकुले (kṣatriyakule) - in a warrior (kṣatriya) family (in the kṣatriya family, in the warrior lineage)

• जातः (jātaḥ) - born (born, produced, become)

• श्रुतवान् (śrutavān) - learned (in scriptures/tradition) (learned, possessing knowledge, famous)

• नष्टसंशयः (naṣṭasaṁśayaḥ) - free from doubt (one whose doubts are dispelled, free from doubt)

• धर्मलिङ्ग (dharmaliṅga) - outwardly appearing to embody natural law (dharma) (having the mark of natural law (dharma), appearing righteous, religious sign)

• प्रतिच्छन्नः (praticchannaḥ) - concealed (in appearance) (covered, concealed, disguised, hidden)

• क्रूरम् (krūram) - cruel (cruel, harsh, fierce, dreadful)

• कर्म (karma) - action, deed (action, deed, work, fate (karma))

• समाचरेत् (samācaret) - should perform (should perform, should do, should practice)

Words meanings and morphology

कः (kaḥ) - who (interrogative pronoun) (who, which, what)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Subject of 'samācaret'.

क्षत्रियकुले (kṣatriyakule) - in a warrior (kṣatriya) family (in the kṣatriya family, in the warrior lineage)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kṣatriyakula

kṣatriyakula - kṣatriya family, warrior lineage

Compound of 'kṣatriya' (warrior caste) and 'kula' (family, lineage).

Compound type : tatpurusha (kṣatriya+kula)

• kṣatriya – warrior, member of the kṣatriya caste
  noun (masculine)
• kula – family, lineage, race
  noun (neuter)

Note: Locative of place/context for 'born'.

जातः (jātaḥ) - born (born, produced, become)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of jāta

jāta - born, produced, arisen

Past Passive Participle

Root 'jan' (to be born) with suffix -ta.

Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Agrees with 'kaḥ'.

श्रुतवान् (śrutavān) - learned (in scriptures/tradition) (learned, possessing knowledge, famous)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śrutavat

śrutavat - learned, intelligent, having heard

Past Active Participle

Formed from root 'śru' (to hear) with suffix -vat (ktavatu), indicating possession of action.

Root: śru (class 5)

Note: Agrees with 'kaḥ'.

नष्टसंशयः (naṣṭasaṁśayaḥ) - free from doubt (one whose doubts are dispelled, free from doubt)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of naṣṭasaṃśaya

naṣṭasaṁśaya - one whose doubts are dispelled, free from doubt

Bahuvrīhi compound: 'naṣṭaḥ saṃśayaḥ yasya saḥ' (one whose doubt is dispelled).

Compound type : bahuvrihi (naṣṭa+saṃśaya)

• naṣṭa – lost, destroyed, dispelled
  participle (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'naś' (to perish, to be lost).
  Root: naś (class 4)
• saṃśaya – doubt, uncertainty, suspicion
  noun (masculine)
  Root 'śī' with upasarga 'sam'. From 'sam-śī' (to lie together, to hesitate).
  Prefix: sam
  Root: śī (class 2)

Note: Agrees with 'kaḥ'.

धर्मलिङ्ग (dharmaliṅga) - outwardly appearing to embody natural law (dharma) (having the mark of natural law (dharma), appearing righteous, religious sign)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharmaliṅga

dharmaliṅga - having the mark of natural law (dharma), a religious mark

Bahuvrīhi compound: 'dharmasya liṅgam yasya saḥ' (one whose mark is dharma).

Compound type : bahuvrihi (dharma+liṅga)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• liṅga – mark, sign, characteristic, emblem
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with 'kaḥ'.

प्रतिच्छन्नः (praticchannaḥ) - concealed (in appearance) (covered, concealed, disguised, hidden)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of praticchanna

praticchanna - covered, concealed, disguised, hidden

Past Passive Participle

Root 'chad' (to cover) with upasarga 'prati'. Often used metaphorically for 'disguised'.

Prefix: prati

Root: chad (class 10)

Note: Agrees with 'kaḥ'.

क्रूरम् (krūram) - cruel (cruel, harsh, fierce, dreadful)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of krūra

krūra - cruel, harsh, fierce, dreadful

Root: krū

Note: Agrees with 'karma'.

कर्म (karma) - action, deed (action, deed, work, fate (karma))

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of karma

karma - action, deed, work, effect of actions (karma)

From root 'kṛ' (to do) with suffix -man.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Object of 'samācaret'.

समाचरेत् (samācaret) - should perform (should perform, should do, should practice)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of samācar

Optative Active

Root 'car' (to move, to do) with upasargas 'sam' and 'ā'.

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: car (class 1)

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