वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-5, chapter-4, verse-17

अप्रावृताः काञ्चनराजिवर्णाः काश्चित् परार्ध्यास्तपनीयवर्णाः ।
पुनश्च काश्चिच्छशलक्ष्मवर्णाः कान्तप्रहीणा रुचिराङ्गवर्णाः ॥१७॥

17. aprāvṛtāḥ kāñcanarājivarṇāḥ kāścit parārdhyāstapanīyavarṇāḥ ,
punaśca kāścicchaśalakṣmavarṇāḥ kāntaprahīṇā rucirāṅgavarṇāḥ.

17. aprāvṛtāḥ kāñcanarājivarṇāḥ kāḥ
cit parārdhyāḥ tapanīyavarṇāḥ
punaḥ ca kāḥ cit śaśalakṣmavarṇāḥ
kāntaprahīṇā rucirāṅgavarṇāḥ

17. kāḥ cit aprāvṛtāḥ kāñcanarājivarṇāḥ (āsan).
kāḥ cit parārdhyāḥ tapanīyavarṇāḥ (āsan).
punaḥ ca kāḥ cit kāntaprahīṇāḥ śaśalakṣmavarṇāḥ rucirāṅgavarṇāḥ (āsan).

17. Some women were uncovered and had complexions like streaks of gold. Others had the color of supremely precious refined gold. And still others, separated from their beloveds, had complexions like the moon's mark and displayed beautiful bodily hues.

Words meanings summery:

• अप्रावृताः (aprāvṛtāḥ) - (women) whose bodies were uncovered or not fully clothed (uncovered, unveiled, exposed)

• काञ्चनराजिवर्णाः (kāñcanarājivarṇāḥ) - (women) with skin color resembling golden streaks (having the color of streaks of gold)

• काः (kāḥ) - some (women) (who, what, some (feminine plural))

• चित् (cit) - emphasizes indefiniteness, 'some' (indeed, even, some, any)

• परार्ध्याः (parārdhyāḥ) - (women with) supremely precious (complexions) (supremely precious, extremely valuable)

• तपनीयवर्णाः (tapanīyavarṇāḥ) - (women) with complexions like molten, refined gold (having the color of refined gold (tapanīya))

• पुनः (punaḥ) - and again, indicating another group (again, furthermore, moreover)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• काः (kāḥ) - some (women) (who, what, some (feminine plural))

• चित् (cit) - emphasizes indefiniteness, 'some' (indeed, even, some, any)

• शशलक्ष्मवर्णाः (śaśalakṣmavarṇāḥ) - (women) with complexions like the moon, specifically with its distinctive marks (spots) (having the color of the moon's mark (moon-spot))

• कान्तप्रहीणा (kāntaprahīṇā) - (women) whose beloveds had left them or were absent (abandoned by or separated from a beloved)

• रुचिराङ्गवर्णाः (rucirāṅgavarṇāḥ) - (women) with beautiful bodily hues (having beautiful bodily colors/complexions)

Words meanings and morphology

अप्रावृताः (aprāvṛtāḥ) - (women) whose bodies were uncovered or not fully clothed (uncovered, unveiled, exposed)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of aprāvṛta

aprāvṛta - uncovered, not covered, unveiled

Past Passive Participle

Formed from 'a-' (negation) + 'pra-' (prefix) + '√vṛ' (to cover) + 'kta' (PPP suffix).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+prāvṛta)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
  Negation prefix
• prāvṛta – covered, clothed
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  Formed from pra- + √vṛ (to cover) + kta (PPP suffix).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: vṛ (class 5)

काञ्चनराजिवर्णाः (kāñcanarājivarṇāḥ) - (women) with skin color resembling golden streaks (having the color of streaks of gold)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of kāñcanarājivarṇa

kāñcanarājivarṇa - golden-streak-colored

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (kāñcana+rāji+varṇa)

• kāñcana – golden, made of gold; gold
  adjective (neuter)
  Derived from kañcana (gold).
• rāji – streak, line, row
  noun (feminine)
• varṇa – color, complexion
  noun (masculine)

काः (kāḥ) - some (women) (who, what, some (feminine plural))

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of kim

kim - who, what, which

चित् (cit) - emphasizes indefiniteness, 'some' (indeed, even, some, any)

(indeclinable)

Used with pronouns to form indefinite pronouns.

परार्ध्याः (parārdhyāḥ) - (women with) supremely precious (complexions) (supremely precious, extremely valuable)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of parārdhya

parārdhya - supremely precious, most excellent, chief

Derived from para-ardha (utmost part, extreme value).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (para+ardha)

• para – supreme, highest, ultimate; other
  adjective
• ardha – half, part, portion; value
  noun (masculine/neuter)

तपनीयवर्णाः (tapanīyavarṇāḥ) - (women) with complexions like molten, refined gold (having the color of refined gold (tapanīya))

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of tapanīyavarṇa

tapanīyavarṇa - gold-colored, having the color of refined gold

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (tapanīya+varṇa)

• tapanīya – gold, refined gold (from 'tap' to heat/purify)
  noun (neuter)
  Gerundive/potential participle
  From √tap (to heat, purify) with anīya suffix. Here likely used as a noun meaning 'gold'.
  Root: tap (class 1)
• varṇa – color, complexion
  noun (masculine)

पुनः (punaḥ) - and again, indicating another group (again, furthermore, moreover)

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

काः (kāḥ) - some (women) (who, what, some (feminine plural))

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of kim

kim - who, what, which

चित् (cit) - emphasizes indefiniteness, 'some' (indeed, even, some, any)

(indeclinable)

Used with pronouns to form indefinite pronouns.

शशलक्ष्मवर्णाः (śaśalakṣmavarṇāḥ) - (women) with complexions like the moon, specifically with its distinctive marks (spots) (having the color of the moon's mark (moon-spot))

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of śaśalakṣmavarṇa

śaśalakṣmavarṇa - moon-spot-colored, having the color of the moon

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (śaśa+lakṣman+varṇa)

• śaśa – hare, rabbit
  noun (masculine)
• lakṣman – mark, sign, characteristic
  noun (neuter)
• varṇa – color, complexion
  noun (masculine)

कान्तप्रहीणा (kāntaprahīṇā) - (women) whose beloveds had left them or were absent (abandoned by or separated from a beloved)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of kāntaprahīṇa

kāntaprahīṇa - separated from a beloved

Compound type : tṛtīyā-tatpuruṣa (kānta+prahīṇa)

• kānta – beloved, desired, husband
  noun (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From √kam (to desire) with kta suffix.
  Root: kam (class 1)
• prahīṇa – abandoned, forsaken, lost, deprived of
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  From pra- + √hā (to abandon) with kta suffix.
  Prefix: pra
  Root: hā (class 3)

रुचिराङ्गवर्णाः (rucirāṅgavarṇāḥ) - (women) with beautiful bodily hues (having beautiful bodily colors/complexions)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of rucirāṅgavarṇa

rucirāṅgavarṇa - having beautiful body color, beautiful-limbed and colored

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (rucira+aṅga+varṇa)

• rucira – beautiful, brilliant, charming, pleasing
  adjective
  From √ruc (to shine, be pleasing).
  Root: ruc (class 1)
• aṅga – limb, body, part
  noun (masculine/neuter)
• varṇa – color, complexion
  noun (masculine)

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