वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-4, chapter-29, verse-24

नीलोत्पलदलश्यामः श्यामीकृत्वा दिशो दश ।
विमदा इव मातङ्गाः शान्तवेगाः पयोधराः ॥२४॥

24. nīlotpaladalaśyāmaḥ śyāmīkṛtvā diśo daśa ,
vimadā iva mātaṅgāḥ śāntavegāḥ payodharāḥ.

24. nīlotpaladalaśyāmaḥ śyāmīkṛtvā diśaḥ daśa
vimadāḥ iva mātaṅgāḥ śāntavegāḥ payodharāḥ

24. nīlotpaladalaśyāmaḥ daśa diśaḥ śyāmīkṛtvā
vimadāḥ mātaṅgāḥ iva śāntavegāḥ payodharāḥ

24. The clouds (payodharāḥ), dark like the petal of a blue lotus, having darkened the ten directions, appear like elephants (mātaṅgāḥ) devoid of ichor, with their force calmed.

Words meanings summery:

• नीलोत्पलदलश्यामः (nīlotpaladalaśyāmaḥ) - dark like the petal of a blue lotus

• श्यामीकृत्वा (śyāmīkṛtvā) - having darkened (having made dark, having blackened)

• दिशः (diśaḥ) - the directions (directions, quarters of the sky)

• दश (daśa) - ten

• विमदाः (vimadāḥ) - devoid of ichor (devoid of ichor, free from passion/intoxication)

• इव (iva) - like (like, as, as if)

• मातङ्गाः (mātaṅgāḥ) - elephants

• शान्तवेगाः (śāntavegāḥ) - with their force calmed (with calmed speed/impetus/force)

• पयोधराः (payodharāḥ) - clouds (clouds (lit. 'water-bearers'), breasts)

Words meanings and morphology

नीलोत्पलदलश्यामः (nīlotpaladalaśyāmaḥ) - dark like the petal of a blue lotus

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nīlotpaladalaśyāma

nīlotpaladalaśyāma - dark like the petal of a blue lotus

Compound type : karmadharaya (nīla+utpala+dala+śyāma)

• nīla – blue, dark blue
  adjective (masculine)
  Root: nīl (class 1)
• utpala – lotus, blue lotus
  noun (neuter)
  Root: pad (class 4)
• dala – petal, leaf, fragment
  noun (neuter)
  Root: dal (class 1)
• śyāma – dark, black, dark blue
  adjective (masculine)
  Root: śyām (class 1)

Note: Agrees with an implied singular noun describing the color or the collective form of the clouds.

श्यामीकृत्वा (śyāmīkṛtvā) - having darkened (having made dark, having blackened)

(indeclinable)

absolutive

From `śyāmī-` (making dark) + `√kṛ` (to do) + `ktvā` suffix. `Cvi` formation.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

दिशः (diśaḥ) - the directions (directions, quarters of the sky)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, plural of diś

diś - direction, quarter of the sky

Root: diś (class 6)

Note: Object of `śyāmīkṛtvā`.

दश (daśa) - ten

(numeral)

Note: Qualifies `diśaḥ`.

विमदाः (vimadāḥ) - devoid of ichor (devoid of ichor, free from passion/intoxication)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of vimada

vimada - free from ichor (of an elephant), devoid of passion/arrogance/intoxication

From `vi-` (without) + `mada` (ichor, intoxication).

Compound type : bahuvrihi (vi+mada)

• vi – without, prefix indicating separation
  indeclinable
• mada – ichor, intoxication, pride, passion
  noun (masculine)
  Root: mad (class 4)

Note: Qualifies `payodharāḥ` by analogy to `mātaṅgāḥ`.

इव (iva) - like (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

मातङ्गाः (mātaṅgāḥ) - elephants

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mātaṅga

mātaṅga - elephant (especially one of noble breed)

Derived from `mātaṅga` (a specific type of elephant or region), or related to `mata` (ichor).

Note: Part of the simile: 'like elephants'.

शान्तवेगाः (śāntavegāḥ) - with their force calmed (with calmed speed/impetus/force)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śāntavega

śāntavega - having calmed speed, with subdued impetus

Compound type : bahuvrihi (śānta+vega)

• śānta – calmed, quieted, peaceful
  adjective (masculine)
  past passive participle
  From root `√śam` (to be calm) + `kta` suffix.
  Root: śam (class 4)
• vega – speed, force, impetus, current
  noun (masculine)
  From root `√vij` (to move rapidly) + `ghañ` suffix.
  Root: vij (class 3)

Note: Qualifies `payodharāḥ`.

पयोधराः (payodharāḥ) - clouds (clouds (lit. 'water-bearers'), breasts)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of payodhara

payodhara - cloud (water-bearer), breast

From `payas` (water) + `dhara` (bearing). Compound of two nouns.

Compound type : tatpurusha (payas+dhara)

• payas – water, milk
  noun (neuter)
• dhara – bearing, holding
  adjective (masculine)
  From root `√dhṛ` (to bear).
  Root: dhṛ (class 3)

Note: Subject of the sentence.