वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-4, chapter-9, verse-23

निग्रहे ऽपि समर्थस्य तं पापं प्रति राघव ।
न प्रावर्तत मे बुद्धिर्भ्रातृगौरवयन्त्रिता ॥२३॥

23. nigrahe'pi samarthasya taṃ pāpaṃ prati rāghava ,
na prāvartata me buddhirbhrātṛgauravayantritā.

23. nigrahe api samarthasya tam pāpam prati rāghava
na prāvartata me buddhiḥ bhrātṛgauravayantritā

23. rāghava api tam pāpam prati nigrahe samarthasya
me buddhiḥ bhrātṛgauravayantritā na prāvartata

23. O Rāghava, though I was capable of restraining that wrongdoer, my intellect (buddhi) did not engage in it, being constrained by my profound respect for my brother.

Words meanings summery:

• निग्रहे (nigrahe) - In the act of punishing Vāli. (in restraining, in punishing, in controlling)

• अपि (api) - Emphasizes the capability ('even if capable'). (even, also, though)

• समर्थस्य (samarthasya) - Sugrīva was capable of punishing Vāli. (of one capable, of the able one)

• तम् (tam) - Refers to Vāli. (that, him)

• पापम् (pāpam) - Referring to Vāli, who acted wrongly against Sugrīva. (sinful one, wicked person, sin)

• प्रति (prati) - Against that sinful one (Vāli). (towards, concerning, against)

• राघव (rāghava) - Sugrīva addressing Rāma. (O Rāghava, descendant of Raghu)

• न (na) - Negates the verb prāvartata. (not, no)

• प्रावर्तत (prāvartata) - Sugrīva's intellect did not engage in punishing Vāli. (did not proceed, did not engage, did not act)

• मे (me) - Refers to Sugrīva's intellect. (my, of me)

• बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) - Sugrīva's mental faculty (buddhi). (intellect, mind, understanding)

• भ्रातृगौरवयन्त्रिता (bhrātṛgauravayantritā) - Sugrīva's intellect was held back by his great respect for his brother Vāli. (constrained by respect for a brother)

Words meanings and morphology

निग्रहे (nigrahe) - In the act of punishing Vāli. (in restraining, in punishing, in controlling)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of nigraha

nigraha - restraint, control, punishment, suppression

From ni-grah (to seize, restrain).

Prefix: ni

Root: grah (class 9)

Note: Refers to the sphere of action.

अपि (api) - Emphasizes the capability ('even if capable'). (even, also, though)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes the following word or phrase.

समर्थस्य (samarthasya) - Sugrīva was capable of punishing Vāli. (of one capable, of the able one)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of samartha

samartha - capable, able, competent, suitable

From sam-artha (having meaning, capable).

Prefix: sam

Root: arth (class 10)

Note: Qualifies me (of me, the speaker, Sugrīva).

तम् (tam) - Refers to Vāli. (that, him)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Object of the implied verb governed by prati, referring to Vāli.

पापम् (pāpam) - Referring to Vāli, who acted wrongly against Sugrīva. (sinful one, wicked person, sin)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pāpa

pāpa - evil, wicked, sinful; sin, vice, wrong

Note: Qualifies tam (that sinful one).

प्रति (prati) - Against that sinful one (Vāli). (towards, concerning, against)

(indeclinable)

Often functions as a preposition governing the accusative case.

Note: Functions prepositionally with accusative.

राघव (rāghava) - Sugrīva addressing Rāma. (O Rāghava, descendant of Raghu)

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rāghava

rāghava - descendant of Raghu, a patronymic often referring to Rāma

Patronymic derived from Raghu.

Note: Term of address for Rāma.

न (na) - Negates the verb prāvartata. (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle of negation.

प्रावर्तत (prāvartata) - Sugrīva's intellect did not engage in punishing Vāli. (did not proceed, did not engage, did not act)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle (ātmanepada), imperfect (laṅ) of pra-vṛt

Imperfect (laṅ) third person singular

Root vṛt (to turn, to be) with upasarga pra- (forth, forward). Often in Ātmanepada.

Prefix: pra

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: The subject is buddhiḥ.

मे (me) - Refers to Sugrīva's intellect. (my, of me)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me, my, us

Note: Possessive, connected to buddhiḥ.

बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) - Sugrīva's mental faculty (buddhi). (intellect, mind, understanding)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of buddhi

buddhi - intellect, mind, understanding, perception

From root budh (to know, perceive).

Root: budh (class 1)

Note: Subject of na prāvartata. It is also qualified by bhrātṛgauravayantritā.

भ्रातृगौरवयन्त्रिता (bhrātṛgauravayantritā) - Sugrīva's intellect was held back by his great respect for his brother Vāli. (constrained by respect for a brother)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of bhrātṛgauravayantrita

bhrātṛgauravayantrita - constrained by respect for a brother

Past Passive Participle (for yantrita part)

Tatpuruṣa compound: bhrātṛgaurava (respect for brother) + yantrita (constrained). yantrita is PPP of yam (to restrain).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (bhrātṛgaurava+yantrita)

• bhrātṛgaurava – respect for a brother, honor for a brother
  noun (neuter)
  Tatpuruṣa compound: bhrātṛ (brother) + gaurava (respect, honor).
• yantrita – restrained, controlled, constrained, bound
  adjective (feminine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root yam (to restrain, control) with -ta suffix.
  Root: yam (class 1)

Note: Qualifies buddhiḥ.

Previous Verse Next Verse