वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-4, chapter-2, verse-16

अहो शाखामृगत्वं ते व्यक्तमेव प्लवंगम ।
लघुचित्ततयात्मानं न स्थापयसि यो मतौ ॥१६॥

16. aho śākhāmṛgatvaṃ te vyaktameva plavaṃgama ,
laghucittatayātmānaṃ na sthāpayasi yo matau.

16. aho śākhāmṛgatvam te vyaktam eva plavaṃgama
laghucittatayā ātmānam na sthāpayasi yaḥ matau

16. aho plavaṃgama te śākhāmṛgatvam vyaktam eva.
yaḥ tvam laghucittatayā matau ātmānam na sthāpayasi

16. Alas, O monkey, your monkey-nature is indeed quite evident, for you, due to your fickle mind, are unable to keep your self (ātman) steady in conviction (mati).

Words meanings summery:

• अहो (aho) - Alas! (Oh! Alas! indeed!)

• शाखामृगत्वम् (śākhāmṛgatvam) - your monkey-nature (monkey-nature, the state of being a monkey)

• ते (te) - your (your, by you (dative/genitive singular))

• व्यक्तम् (vyaktam) - evident (manifest, evident, clear)

• एव (eva) - indeed, truly (indeed, only, certainly, even)

• प्लवंगम (plavaṁgama) - O monkey (addressing Sugrīva) (O monkey, O one who moves by jumping)

• लघुचित्ततया (laghucittatayā) - due to your fickle mind (due to fickle-mindedness, by light-heartedness)

• आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - yourself (oneself, the self (ātman))

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• स्थापयसि (sthāpayasi) - you keep steady (you establish, you cause to stand, you place)

• यः (yaḥ) - for (as a conjunction introducing a reason) (who, which, for)

• मतौ (matau) - in conviction (mati) (in thought, in mind, in opinion, in conviction)

Words meanings and morphology

अहो (aho) - Alas! (Oh! Alas! indeed!)

(indeclinable)

Interjection.

शाखामृगत्वम् (śākhāmṛgatvam) - your monkey-nature (monkey-nature, the state of being a monkey)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śākhāmṛgatva

śākhāmṛgatva - monkey-ness, the state of being a monkey

Compound noun ending with 'tva' (suffix for abstract noun), derived from 'śākhāmṛga' (monkey).

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (śākhāmṛga+tva)

• śākhāmṛga – monkey, literally 'branch-animal'
  noun (masculine)
  Compound: 'śākhā' (branch) + 'mṛga' (animal/deer).
• tva – suffix forming abstract nouns (e.g. -ness, -hood)
  suffix (neuter)
  Abstract noun suffix.

Note: Subject of the implied sentence 'your monkey-nature is evident'.

ते (te) - your (your, by you (dative/genitive singular))

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you (singular)

Enclitic form of genitive/dative singular.

Note: Possessive.

व्यक्तम् (vyaktam) - evident (manifest, evident, clear)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vyakta

vyakta - manifest, clear, distinct, apparent, expressed

Past Passive Participle

From root 'añj' (to anoint, reveal) with prefix 'vi'.

Prefix: vi

Root: añj (class 7)

एव (eva) - indeed, truly (indeed, only, certainly, even)

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

प्लवंगम (plavaṁgama) - O monkey (addressing Sugrīva) (O monkey, O one who moves by jumping)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of plavaṃgama

plavaṁgama - monkey, literally 'one who moves by jumping' ('plava' + 'gam')

Compound noun derived from 'plava' (jump) and root 'gam' (to go).

Compound type : Upapada (plava+gam)

• plava – jump, leap, boat, raft
  noun (masculine)
  From root 'plu' (to float, swim, jump).
  Root: plu (class 1)
• gam – to go, move
  root
  Used as an agent suffix in compounds.
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: An epithet for Sugrīva.

लघुचित्ततया (laghucittatayā) - due to your fickle mind (due to fickle-mindedness, by light-heartedness)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of laghucittatā

laghucittatā - fickleness of mind, light-heartedness, thoughtlessness

Compound noun with 'tā' (suffix for abstract noun), derived from 'laghucitta' (fickle-minded).

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (laghucitta+tā)

• laghucitta – light-minded, fickle, weak-minded
  adjective (masculine/feminine/neuter)
  Compound: 'laghu' (light) + 'citta' (mind).
• tā – suffix forming abstract nouns (e.g. -ness, -hood)
  suffix (feminine)
  Abstract noun suffix.

Note: Indicates cause or reason.

आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - yourself (oneself, the self (ātman))

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, essence (ātman)

Accusative singular of 'ātman'.

Root: an (class 2)

Note: The self (ātman) is not established.

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Particle of negation.

स्थापयसि (sthāpayasi) - you keep steady (you establish, you cause to stand, you place)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, present (Laṭ) of sthā

Causative Present Active

From root 'sthā' (to stand), causative stem 'sthāpay', 2nd person singular.

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: The implied subject is 'tvam' (you).

यः (yaḥ) - for (as a conjunction introducing a reason) (who, which, for)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, who, what

Relative pronoun, nominative singular masculine. Can act as a conjunction.

Note: Functions as a conjunction 'for' or 'because you...'

मतौ (matau) - in conviction (mati) (in thought, in mind, in opinion, in conviction)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of mati

mati - thought, mind, intellect, intention, conviction (mati)

Locative singular of 'mati' (i-stem feminine noun).

Root: man (class 4)

Note: Locative of place/state.