वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-4, chapter-57, verse-17

सूर्यप्रभेव शैलाग्रे तस्याः कौशेयमुत्तमम् ।
असिते राक्षसे भाति यथा वा तडिदम्बुदे ॥१७॥

17. sūryaprabheva śailāgre tasyāḥ kauśeyamuttamam ,
asite rākṣase bhāti yathā vā taḍidambude.

17. sūryaprabhā iva śailāgre tasyāḥ kauśeyam uttamam
asite rākṣase bhāti yathā vā taḍit ambude

17. tasyāḥ uttamam kauśeyam asite rākṣase bhāti,
yathā sūryaprabhā iva śailāgre,
vā taḍit iva ambude

17. Her excellent silk garment shone on the dark demon, just like the sun's radiance on a mountain peak, or like lightning in a cloud.

Words meanings summery:

• सूर्यप्रभा (sūryaprabhā) - the sun's radiance (sunlight, radiance of the sun)

• इव (iva) - just like (like, as, as if)

• शैलाग्रे (śailāgre) - on a mountain peak

• तस्याः (tasyāḥ) - her (referring to Sita) (of her, her)

• कौशेयम् (kauśeyam) - silk garment (silk garment, silk cloth)

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

• असिते (asite) - on the dark (dark, black, unwhite)

• राक्षसे (rākṣase) - on the demon (Ravana) (demon, monstrous being)

• भाति (bhāti) - shines (shines, appears, seems)

• यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, according to)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either...or)

• तडित् (taḍit) - lightning

• अम्बुदे (ambude) - in a cloud

Words meanings and morphology

सूर्यप्रभा (sūryaprabhā) - the sun's radiance (sunlight, radiance of the sun)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of sūryaprabhā

sūryaprabhā - sun's radiance, sunlight

Compound noun.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sūrya+prabhā)

• sūrya – sun
  noun (masculine)
• prabhā – radiance, light, splendor
  noun (feminine)
  Derived from prefix pra- and root bhā (to shine).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: bhā (class 2)

Note: Part of simile.

इव (iva) - just like (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

Note: Null for gender, number, case, person, tense_mode, lakara, voice for indeclinables.

शैलाग्रे (śailāgre) - on a mountain peak

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of śailāgra

śailāgra - mountain peak

Compound noun.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śaila+agra)

• śaila – mountain, rock
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from śilā (stone).
• agra – tip, peak, front, top
  noun (neuter)

Note: Location for the simile.

तस्याः (tasyāḥ) - her (referring to Sita) (of her, her)

(pronoun)

Genitive, feminine, singular of tad

tad - that, she, he, it (demonstrative pronoun)

Note: Possessive pronoun.

कौशेयम् (kauśeyam) - silk garment (silk garment, silk cloth)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kauśeya

kauśeya - silken, silk garment

Derived from kośa (cocoon) or kośā (silk worm).

Note: Subject of the verb bhāti.

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

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of uttama

uttama - highest, best, excellent, supreme

Superlative form, from ud + tamap.

Note: Qualifies kauśeyam.

असिते (asite) - on the dark (dark, black, unwhite)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of asita

asita - dark, black, not white

Negative of sita (white).

Note: Qualifies rākṣase.

राक्षसे (rākṣase) - on the demon (Ravana) (demon, monstrous being)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of rākṣasa

rākṣasa - demon, monstrous being

Descendant of Rakṣas.

Note: Location where the garment shines.

भाति (bhāti) - shines (shines, appears, seems)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of bhā

Present Indicative

Root bhā (class 2, Parasmaipada), present stem bhā.

Root: bhā (class 2)

Note: Subject is kauśeyam.

यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, according to)

(indeclinable)

Note: Null for gender, number, case, person, tense_mode, lakara, voice for indeclinables.

वा (vā) - or (or, either...or)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Null for gender, number, case, person, tense_mode, lakara, voice for indeclinables.

तडित् (taḍit) - lightning

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of taḍit

taḍit - lightning, thunderbolt

From root taḍ (to strike).

Root: taḍ (class 1)

Note: Subject in the second simile.

अम्बुदे (ambude) - in a cloud

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of ambuda

ambuda - cloud (giver of water)

Compound ambas (water) + da (giver).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ambas+da)

• ambas – water
  noun (neuter)
• da – giver, bestower
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun
  Derived from root dā (to give).
  Root: dā (class 3)

Note: Location for the second simile.

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