वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-5, chapter-20, verse-1

सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा परुषं राक्षसाधिपः ।
प्रत्युवाच ततः सीतां विप्रियं प्रियदर्शनाम् ॥१॥

1. sītāyā vacanaṃ śrutvā paruṣaṃ rākṣasādhipaḥ ,
pratyuvāca tataḥ sītāṃ vipriyaṃ priyadarśanām.

1. sītāyā vacanam śrutvā paruṣam rākṣasādhipaḥ
pratyuvāca tataḥ sītām vipriyam priyadarśanām

1. rākṣasādhipaḥ sītāyā vacanam paruṣam śrutvā
tataḥ priyadarśanām sītām vipriyam pratyuvāca

1. Having heard Sita's harsh words, the lord of rākṣasas (Rāvaṇa) then spoke in reply to Sita, who was lovely to behold, with disagreeable words.

Words meanings summery:

• सीताया (sītāyā) - of Sita

• वचनम् (vacanam) - words (Sita's speech) (word, speech, saying)

• श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard, after hearing

• परुषम् (paruṣam) - harsh (describing Sita's words) (harsh, rough, cruel, severe)

• राक्षसाधिपः (rākṣasādhipaḥ) - Rāvaṇa (lord of rākṣasas)

• प्रत्युवाच (pratyuvāca) - replied, spoke in return

• ततः (tataḥ) - then (then, thereafter, from there)

• सीताम् (sītām) - to Sita

• विप्रियम् (vipriyam) - disagreeable words/speech (implied) (disagreeable, unpleasant; an unpleasant thing)

• प्रियदर्शनाम् (priyadarśanām) - (Sita) who was lovely to behold (lovely to behold, beautiful)

Words meanings and morphology

सीताया (sītāyā) - of Sita

(proper noun)

Genitive, feminine, singular of sītā

sītā - Sita (wife of Rama, daughter of Janaka)

Note: Genitive singular ending `āyā` or `āyāḥ` are both valid for feminine nouns ending in `ā`.

वचनम् (vacanam) - words (Sita's speech) (word, speech, saying)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vacana

vacana - word, speech, saying, utterance

action noun

From root vac (to speak) + ana suffix

Root: vac (class 2)

श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard, after hearing

(indeclinable)

absolutive (gerund)

From root śru (to hear) + ktvā suffix

Root: śru (class 5)

परुषम् (paruṣam) - harsh (describing Sita's words) (harsh, rough, cruel, severe)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of paruṣa

paruṣa - harsh, rough, cruel, severe, unkind

Note: Qualifies `vacanam`.

राक्षसाधिपः (rākṣasādhipaḥ) - Rāvaṇa (lord of rākṣasas)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rākṣasādhipa

rākṣasādhipa - lord of rākṣasas

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (rākṣasa+adhipa)

• rākṣasa – demon, rākṣasa
  noun (masculine)
• adhipa – ruler, lord, chief
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: adhi
  Root: pā (class 1)

Note: Refers to Rāvaṇa.

प्रत्युवाच (pratyuvāca) - replied, spoke in return

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (liṭ) of prativac

Perfect

From root vac (to speak) with prefix prati, perfect tense, 3rd person singular.

Prefix: prati

Root: vac (class 2)

ततः (tataḥ) - then (then, thereafter, from there)

(indeclinable)

सीताम् (sītām) - to Sita

(proper noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of sītā

sītā - Sita (wife of Rama)

विप्रियम् (vipriyam) - disagreeable words/speech (implied) (disagreeable, unpleasant; an unpleasant thing)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vipriya

vipriya - disagreeable, unpleasant, hostile; an unpleasant thing

Compound of vi (negative prefix) + priya (dear, pleasing)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (vi+priya)

• vi – apart, asunder, away, negative prefix
  indeclinable
• priya – dear, beloved, pleasing
  adjective

Note: Qualifies an implied `vacanam` or `bhāṣitam` (spoken word), or functions adverbially.

प्रियदर्शनाम् (priyadarśanām) - (Sita) who was lovely to behold (lovely to behold, beautiful)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of priyadarśana

priyadarśana - lovely to behold, beautiful, pleasing to the sight

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (priya+darśana)

• priya – dear, beloved, pleasing
  adjective
• darśana – sight, seeing, appearance
  noun (neuter)
  action noun
  From root dṛś (to see) + ana suffix
  Root: dṛś (class 1)

Note: Qualifies `sītām`.