वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-5, chapter-17, verse-5

असंवृतायामासीनां धरण्यां संशितव्रताम् ।
छिन्नां प्रपतितां भूमौ शाखामिव वनस्पतेः ।
मलमण्डनदिग्धाङ्गीं मण्डनार्हाममण्डिताम् ॥५॥

5. asaṃvṛtāyāmāsīnāṃ dharaṇyāṃ saṃśitavratām ,
chinnāṃ prapatitāṃ bhūmau śākhāmiva vanaspateḥ ,
malamaṇḍanadigdhāṅgīṃ maṇḍanārhāmamaṇḍitām.

5. asaṃvṛtāyām āsīnām dharaṇyām
saṃśita-vratām chinnām prapatitām bhūmau
śākhām iva vanaspateḥ mala-maṇḍana-digdha-aṅgīm
maṇḍana-arhām amaṇḍitām

5. āsīnām asaṃvṛtāyām dharaṇyām
saṃśitavratām chinnām prapatitām bhūmau
vanaspateḥ śākhām iva
malamaṇḍanadigdhāṅgīm maṇḍanārhām amaṇḍitām

5. He saw her sitting on the uncovered ground, a woman of firm (vrata) vows, like a severed branch that has fallen to the earth from a tree. Her body was smeared with dirt instead of ornaments, though she was worthy of adornment yet remained unadorned.

Words meanings summery:

• असंवृतायाम् (asaṁvṛtāyām) - on the bare ground where Sita was sitting (on the uncovered, on the bare (ground))

• आसीनाम् (āsīnām) - Sita, who was seated (sitting, seated)

• धरण्याम् (dharaṇyām) - the ground on which Sita was sitting (on the earth, on the ground)

• संशित-व्रताम् (saṁśita-vratām) - Sita, who held firm to her (vrata) vows (one of firm vows, one whose vows are sharpened)

• छिन्नाम् (chinnām) - the severed branch in the simile (broken, cut, severed)

• प्रपतिताम् (prapatitām) - the branch that has fallen (fallen down, descended)

• भूमौ (bhūmau) - the location where the branch has fallen (on the ground, on the earth)

• शाखाम् (śākhām) - the object of comparison for Sita (a branch)

• इव (iva) - as if, like, similar to

• वनस्पतेः (vanaspateḥ) - the tree from which the branch fell (of a tree, of a large tree)

• मल-मण्डन-दिग्ध-अङ्गीम् (mala-maṇḍana-digdha-aṅgīm) - Sita, with her limbs disfigured by dirt in place of adornment (whose body was smeared with dirt instead of ornaments)

• मण्डन-अर्हाम् (maṇḍana-arhām) - Sita, who deserved to be adorned (deserving of adornment, worthy of ornament)

• अमण्डिताम् (amaṇḍitām) - Sita, who was not adorned despite her worthiness (unadorned, not decorated)

Words meanings and morphology

असंवृतायाम् (asaṁvṛtāyām) - on the bare ground where Sita was sitting (on the uncovered, on the bare (ground))

(adjective)

Locative, feminine, singular of asaṃvṛtā

asaṁvṛtā - uncovered, bare, unprotected

Negative particle 'a' + saṃvṛta (past passive participle of saṃ-vṛ 'to cover')

Prefixes: sam+vṛ

Root: vṛ (class 5)

Note: Describes the ground

आसीनाम् (āsīnām) - Sita, who was seated (sitting, seated)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of āsīna

āsīna - sitting, seated, staying

past passive participle or irregular present participle

From root ās (to sit); functions as a participle with active meaning. Often considered kta (PPP) form of root ās, especially in Epic Sanskrit with active meaning, or an irregular present participle.

Root: ās (class 2)

Note: Describes Sita's posture

धरण्याम् (dharaṇyām) - the ground on which Sita was sitting (on the earth, on the ground)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of dharaṇī

dharaṇī - earth, ground

Note: Location of sitting

संशित-व्रताम् (saṁśita-vratām) - Sita, who held firm to her (vrata) vows (one of firm vows, one whose vows are sharpened)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of saṃśitavratā

saṁśitavratā - one of firm vows, one whose vows are firmly established/sharpened

Compound type : bahuvrihi (saṃśita+vrata)

• saṃśita – sharpened, firm, resolute
  adjective (masculine)
  past passive participle
  From root śo/śā (to sharpen) with upasarga sam
  Prefix: sam
  Root: śā (class 4)
• vrata – vow, sacred observance, religious practice
  noun (neuter)

Note: Describes Sita

छिन्नाम् (chinnām) - the severed branch in the simile (broken, cut, severed)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of chinna

chinna - cut, broken, severed

past passive participle

From root chid (to cut)

Root: chid (class 7)

Note: Describes the branch

प्रपतिताम् (prapatitām) - the branch that has fallen (fallen down, descended)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of prapatita

prapatita - fallen down, dropped, descended

past passive participle

From root pat (to fall) with upasarga pra

Prefix: pra

Root: pat (class 1)

Note: Describes the branch

भूमौ (bhūmau) - the location where the branch has fallen (on the ground, on the earth)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of bhūmi

bhūmi - earth, ground, land

Note: Location of the fallen branch

शाखाम् (śākhām) - the object of comparison for Sita (a branch)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of śākhā

śākhā - branch, bough, arm

Note: Object of comparison

इव (iva) - as if, like, similar to

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle of comparison

वनस्पतेः (vanaspateḥ) - the tree from which the branch fell (of a tree, of a large tree)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of vanaspati

vanaspati - tree, large tree, lord of the forest

Note: Possessive, indicating origin of the branch

मल-मण्डन-दिग्ध-अङ्गीम् (mala-maṇḍana-digdha-aṅgīm) - Sita, with her limbs disfigured by dirt in place of adornment (whose body was smeared with dirt instead of ornaments)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of malamaṇḍanadigdhāṅgī

malamaṇḍanadigdhāṅgī - whose body is smeared with dirt as if it were an ornament, having limbs smeared with dirt instead of adornment

Compound type : bahuvrihi (mala+maṇḍana+digdha+aṅga)

• mala – dirt, impurity, defilement
  noun (neuter)
• maṇḍana – ornament, adornment
  noun (neuter)
  From root maṇḍ (to adorn)
  Root: maṇḍ (class 10)
• digdha – smeared, anointed
  adjective (masculine)
  past passive participle
  From root dih (to smear)
  Root: dih (class 2)
• aṅga – limb, body
  noun (neuter)

Note: Describes Sita

मण्डन-अर्हाम् (maṇḍana-arhām) - Sita, who deserved to be adorned (deserving of adornment, worthy of ornament)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of maṇḍanārhā

maṇḍanārhā - deserving of adornment

Compound type : tatpurusha (maṇḍana+arha)

• maṇḍana – ornament, adornment
  noun (neuter)
  From root maṇḍ (to adorn)
  Root: maṇḍ (class 10)
• arha – deserving, worthy
  adjective (masculine)
  From root arh (to deserve)
  Root: arh (class 1)

Note: Describes Sita

अमण्डिताम् (amaṇḍitām) - Sita, who was not adorned despite her worthiness (unadorned, not decorated)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of amaṇḍitā

amaṇḍitā - unadorned, not decorated

Negative particle 'a' + maṇḍita (past passive participle of maṇḍ 'to adorn')

Root: maṇḍ (class 10)

Note: Describes Sita