वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-5, chapter-24, verse-9

चरणेनापि सव्येन न स्पृशेयं निशाचरम् ।
रावणं किं पुनरहं कामयेयं विगर्हितम् ॥९॥

9. caraṇenāpi savyena na spṛśeyaṃ niśācaram ,
rāvaṇaṃ kiṃ punarahaṃ kāmayeyaṃ vigarhitam.

9. caraṇena api savyena na spṛśeyam niśācaram
rāvaṇam kim punaḥ aham kāmayeyam vigarhitam

9. aham savyena api caraṇena niśācaram rāvaṇam na spṛśeyam.
punaḥ kim aham vigarhitam kāmayeyam.

9. I would not even touch that night-wanderer Rāvaṇa with my left foot. How, then, could I possibly desire that despicable being?

Words meanings summery:

• चरणेन (caraṇena) - by foot, with the foot

• अपि (api) - even, also

• सव्येन (savyena) - by the left, with the left (foot)

• न (na) - not

• स्पृशेयम् (spṛśeyam) - I would touch, I should touch

• निशाचरम् (niśācaram) - Rāvaṇa (as a demon) (night-wanderer, demon, goblin)

• रावणम् (rāvaṇam) - Rāvaṇa

• किम् (kim) - how much more, how much less (what, why, how much more)

• पुनः (punaḥ) - then, how then (again, moreover, then)

• अहम् (aham) - I

• कामयेयम् (kāmayeyam) - I would desire, I should wish for, I would love

• विगर्हितम् (vigarhitam) - Rāvaṇa (as a despicable being) (despicable, censured, condemned, reviled)

Words meanings and morphology

चरणेन (caraṇena) - by foot, with the foot

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of caraṇa

caraṇa - foot, leg; movement, course

From root 'car' (to move).

Root: car (class 1)

Note: Instrument for touching.

अपि (api) - even, also

(indeclinable)

Particle.

Note: Emphasizes 'even with the left foot'.

सव्येन (savyena) - by the left, with the left (foot)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of savya

savya - left, left-hand

Note: Qualifies 'caraṇena'. The left is considered inauspicious or impure.

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

Negative particle.

Note: Negates 'spṛśeyam'.

स्पृशेयम् (spṛśeyam) - I would touch, I should touch

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of spṛś

Present Active Optative

Root of class 6, P.

Root: spṛś (class 6)

निशाचरम् (niśācaram) - Rāvaṇa (as a demon) (night-wanderer, demon, goblin)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of niśācara

niśācara - night-wanderer, demon, rakṣasa, ghost

Compound of 'niśā' (night) and 'cara' (moving, wanderer).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (niśā+cara)

• niśā – night
  noun (feminine)
• cara – moving, wandering; one who moves
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun/adjective
  From root 'car' (to move, walk).
  Root: car (class 1)

Note: Object of 'spṛśeyam'.

रावणम् (rāvaṇam) - Rāvaṇa

(proper noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of rāvaṇa

rāvaṇa - Rāvaṇa (the name of the demon king of Lanka)

Means 'causing to cry' or 'shouter'.

Root: ru (class 2)

Note: Object of 'spṛśeyam'.

किम् (kim) - how much more, how much less (what, why, how much more)

(indeclinable)

Interrogative particle or pronoun.

Note: Used in a rhetorical question.

पुनः (punaḥ) - then, how then (again, moreover, then)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

Note: Strengthens the rhetorical question.

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of aham

aham - I, myself

First person singular pronoun.

Note: Subject of 'kāmayeyam'.

कामयेयम् (kāmayeyam) - I would desire, I should wish for, I would love

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of kam

Present Active Optative (denom. from 'kāma')

Denominative verb from 'kāma' (desire). Root of class 10, A.

Root: kam (class 10)

विगर्हितम् (vigarhitam) - Rāvaṇa (as a despicable being) (despicable, censured, condemned, reviled)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of vigarhita

vigarhita - censured, blamed, despicable, contemptible

Past Passive Participle

From 'vi-' (prefix) + root 'garh' (to blame, censure).

Prefix: vi

Root: garh (class 1)

Note: Refers to the implied object of 'kāmayeyam' (Rāvaṇa).

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