वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-5, chapter-33, verse-16

दुन्दुभिस्वननिर्घोषः स्निग्धवर्णः प्रतापवान् ।
समः समविभक्ताङ्गो वर्णं श्यामं समाश्रितः ॥१६॥

16. dundubhisvananirghoṣaḥ snigdhavarṇaḥ pratāpavān ,
samaḥ samavibhaktāṅgo varṇaṃ śyāmaṃ samāśritaḥ.

16. dundubhisvananirghoṣaḥ snigdhavarṇaḥ pratāpavān
samaḥ samavibhaktāṅgaḥ varṇaṃ śyāmaṃ samāśritaḥ

16. dundubhisvananirghoṣaḥ snigdhavarṇaḥ pratāpavān
samaḥ samavibhaktāṅgaḥ śyāmaṃ varṇaṃ samāśritaḥ

16. He has a voice resounding like a war-drum, a smooth complexion, and is glorious. He is well-proportioned, with evenly distributed limbs, and possesses a dark complexion.

Words meanings summery:

• दुन्दुभिस्वननिर्घोषः (dundubhisvananirghoṣaḥ) - having a voice/sound like a war-drum

• स्निग्धवर्णः (snigdhavarṇaḥ) - with a smooth/lustrous/pleasant complexion

• प्रतापवान् (pratāpavān) - glorious, majestic, powerful

• समः (samaḥ) - even, equal, balanced, well-proportioned

• समविभक्ताङ्गः (samavibhaktāṅgaḥ) - with well-distributed/proportioned limbs

• वर्णं (varṇaṁ) - complexion (color, complexion)

• श्यामं (śyāmaṁ) - dark, dusky, blackish

• समाश्रितः (samāśritaḥ) - endowed with (the dark complexion) (resorted to, taken refuge in, possessed of, endowed with)

Words meanings and morphology

दुन्दुभिस्वननिर्घोषः (dundubhisvananirghoṣaḥ) - having a voice/sound like a war-drum

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dundubhisvananirghoṣa

dundubhisvananirghoṣa - having a sound like the roar of a drum, voice like a war-drum

Bahuvrihi compound: dundubhisvana (drum sound) + nirghoṣa (loud sound, roar).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dundubhi+svana+nirghoṣa)

• dundubhi – war-drum, large drum
  noun (masculine)
• svana – sound, noise, roar
  noun (masculine)
  From root svan (to sound)
  Root: svan (class 1)
• nirghoṣa – loud sound, roar, echo
  noun (masculine)
  From root ghuṣ (to sound) with prefix nir
  Prefix: nir
  Root: ghuṣ (class 1)

Note: This compound describes a person whose voice is like the sound of a drum.

स्निग्धवर्णः (snigdhavarṇaḥ) - with a smooth/lustrous/pleasant complexion

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of snigdhavarṇa

snigdhavarṇa - having a smooth or lustrous complexion/color

Bahuvrihi compound: snigdha (smooth, oily, tender, charming) + varṇa (color, complexion).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (snigdha+varṇa)

• snigdha – smooth, unctuous, tender, loving, charming
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root snih (to be sticky, to love)
  Root: snih (class 4)
• varṇa – color, complexion, caste, letter
  noun (masculine)

Note: Refers to a skin complexion that is pleasing and soft.

प्रतापवान् (pratāpavān) - glorious, majestic, powerful

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pratāpavat

pratāpavat - glorious, majestic, powerful, valiant

Possessive suffix 'matup' added to pratāpa.

From pratāpa (majesty, power) + matup (possessive suffix).

समः (samaḥ) - even, equal, balanced, well-proportioned

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sama

sama - same, equal, even, level, impartial, well-proportioned

Note: Refers to physical symmetry.

समविभक्ताङ्गः (samavibhaktāṅgaḥ) - with well-distributed/proportioned limbs

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of samavibhaktāṅga

samavibhaktāṅga - having evenly proportioned limbs, well-formed in body parts

Bahuvrihi compound: sama (equal, even) + vibhakta (divided, distributed) + aṅga (limb).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (sama+vibhakta+aṅga)

• sama – equal, even, balanced
  adjective (masculine)
• vibhakta – divided, distributed, separated
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root bhaj (to divide) with prefix vi
  Prefix: vi
  Root: bhaj (class 1)
• aṅga – limb, part of the body
  noun (neuter)

Note: Describes a perfectly proportioned physique.

वर्णं (varṇaṁ) - complexion (color, complexion)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of varṇa

varṇa - color, complexion, caste, letter

श्यामं (śyāmaṁ) - dark, dusky, blackish

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of śyāma

śyāma - dark, black, dusky, dark-blue, green (a color between dark and green)

Note: Qualifies 'varṇaṃ'.

समाश्रितः (samāśritaḥ) - endowed with (the dark complexion) (resorted to, taken refuge in, possessed of, endowed with)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of samāśrita

samāśrita - resorted to, attached to, possessing, endowed with

Past Passive Participle

From verb root śri (to lean on, resort to) with prefixes sam and ā.

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: śri (class 1)

Note: In context, it means 'endowed with' or 'possessing' the dark complexion.

Previous Verse Next Verse