वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-4, chapter-57, verse-12

निर्दग्धपक्षो गृध्रो ऽहं गतवीर्यः प्लवंगमाः ।
वाङ्मात्रेण तु रामस्य करिष्ये साह्यमुत्तमम् ॥१२॥

12. nirdagdhapakṣo gṛdhro'haṃ gatavīryaḥ plavaṃgamāḥ ,
vāṅmātreṇa tu rāmasya kariṣye sāhyamuttamam.

12. nirdagdhapakṣaḥ gṛdhraḥ aham gatavīryaḥ plavaṅgamāḥ
vāṅmātreṇa tu rāmasya kariṣye sāhyam uttamam

12. I am a vulture with burnt wings, my strength is gone, O monkeys. Nevertheless, I will offer the best possible help to Rama merely through words.

Words meanings summery:

• निर्दग्धपक्षः (nirdagdhapakṣaḥ) - whose wings are burnt; one with burnt wings

• गृध्रः (gṛdhraḥ) - a vulture

• अहम् (aham) - I

• गतवीर्यः (gatavīryaḥ) - whose strength is gone; deprived of strength

• प्लवङ्गमाः (plavaṅgamāḥ) - O monkeys

• वाङ्मात्रेण (vāṅmātreṇa) - by mere words (by mere words, through words alone)

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

• रामस्य (rāmasya) - of Rama

• करिष्ये (kariṣye) - I will offer (I shall do, I shall perform)

• साह्यम् (sāhyam) - help (help, assistance)

• उत्तमम् (uttamam) - best possible (excellent, best, supreme)

Words meanings and morphology

निर्दग्धपक्षः (nirdagdhapakṣaḥ) - whose wings are burnt; one with burnt wings

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nirdagdhapakṣa

nirdagdhapakṣa - one whose wings are burnt; having burnt wings

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (nis+dagdha+pakṣa)

• nis – out, forth, completely, without
  indeclinable
• dagdha – burnt, consumed by fire
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root √dah (to burn)
  Root: dah (class 1)
• pakṣa – wing, side, party
  noun (masculine)

गृध्रः (gṛdhraḥ) - a vulture

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of gṛdhra

gṛdhra - vulture

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

First person pronoun stem

गतवीर्यः (gatavīryaḥ) - whose strength is gone; deprived of strength

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of gatavīrya

gatavīrya - whose strength is gone, powerless

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (gata+vīrya)

• gata – gone, departed
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root √gam (to go)
  Root: gam (class 1)
• vīrya – strength, power, valor
  noun (neuter)

प्लवङ्गमाः (plavaṅgamāḥ) - O monkeys

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, plural of plavaṅgama

plavaṅgama - monkey (literally, 'goer by leaping')

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (plava+gama)

• plava – a leap, jumping
  noun (masculine)
  From √plu (to float, to swim, to leap)
  Root: plu (class 1)
• gama – going, moving
  adjective/noun (masculine)
  From root √gam (to go)
  Root: gam (class 1)

वाङ्मात्रेण (vāṅmātreṇa) - by mere words (by mere words, through words alone)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of vāṅmātra

vāṅmātra - mere words, only words

Compound type : karmadhāraya (vāc+mātra)

• vāc – voice, speech, word
  noun (feminine)
  Root: vac (class 2)
• mātra – mere, only, measure
  adjective/indeclinable
  suffix -mātra added to express 'only'

Note: The word 'vāc' is often treated as feminine, but in compounds it can take other genders depending on the final member. Here, mātra acts as the principal member.

तु (tu) - nevertheless (but, however, on the other hand)

(indeclinable)

रामस्य (rāmasya) - of Rama

(proper noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of rāma

rāma - Rama (a celebrated epic hero, incarnation of Vishnu)

करिष्ये (kariṣye) - I will offer (I shall do, I shall perform)

(verb)

1st person , singular, middle, future (lṛṭ) of kṛ

Future tense

Future form from √kṛ, Ātmanepada, 1st person singular

Root: kṛ (class 8)

साह्यम् (sāhyam) - help (help, assistance)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of sāhya

sāhya - help, assistance, support

उत्तमम् (uttamam) - best possible (excellent, best, supreme)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of uttama

uttama - highest, best, excellent, supreme

Superlative of 'ud' or 'ucca'

Note: Agrees with 'sāhyam' in gender, number, case.

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