वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-5, chapter-46, verse-48

अहो महत् कर्म कृतं निरर्थकं न राक्षसैर्मन्त्रगतिर्विमृष्टा ।
पुनश्च नास्त्रे विहते ऽस्त्रमन्यत् प्रवर्तते संशयिताः स्म सर्वे ॥४८॥

48. aho mahat karma kṛtaṃ nirarthakaṃ na rākṣasairmantragatirvimṛṣṭā ,
punaśca nāstre vihate'stramanyat pravartate saṃśayitāḥ sma sarve.

48. अहो महत् कर्म कृतं निरर्थकं न
राक्षसैः मन्त्रगतिः विमृष्टा पुनः
च न अस्त्रे विहते अस्त्रं अन्यत्
प्रवर्तते संशयिताः स्म सर्वे

48. अहो महत् निरर्थकं कर्म कृतं राक्षसैः मन्त्रगतिः न विमृष्टा पुनः च अस्त्रे विहते अन्यत् अस्त्रं न प्रवर्तते सर्वे संशयिताः स्म ।

48. Alas! A great action (karma) has been performed in vain. The Rākṣasas did not understand the effectiveness of the sacred utterance (mantra) (that activates the weapon). Moreover, when one weapon (astra) is rendered ineffective, another weapon (astra) cannot be activated (against the same target in the same way). We are all now filled with doubt.

Words meanings summery:

• अहो (अहो) - alas! (alas!, oh!, ah!)

• महत् (महत्) - great (great, large, important)

• कर्म (कर्म) - action (karma) (action, deed, work, fate, ritual)

• कृतं (कृतं) - performed (done, made, performed)

• निरर्थकं (निरर्थकं) - in vain (useless, meaningless, futile, in vain)

• न (न) - not (not, no)

• राक्षसैः (राक्षसैः) - by the Rākṣasas (by the Rākṣasas, by the demons)

• मन्त्रगतिः (मन्त्रगतिः) - the effectiveness of the sacred utterance (mantra) (the course/power of a sacred utterance (mantra); understanding of a mantra)

• विमृष्टा (विमृष्टा) - understood (understood, reflected upon, considered (feminine nominative singular))

• पुनः (पुनः) - moreover (again, furthermore, moreover)

• च (च) - and (and, also, moreover)

• न (न) - not (not, no)

• अस्त्रे (अस्त्रे) - when a weapon (astra) is (in/on a weapon, by a weapon)

• विहते (विहते) - rendered ineffective (destroyed, struck down, rendered ineffective)

• अस्त्रं (अस्त्रं) - weapon (astra) (weapon, missile, magical weapon)

• अन्यत् (अन्यत्) - another (another, other, different)

• प्रवर्तते (प्रवर्तते) - can be activated, functions (proceeds, acts, functions, occurs)

• संशयिताः (संशयिताः) - filled with doubt (doubtful, uncertain, perplexed)

• स्म (स्म) - are (indicating present state of doubt) (particle indicating past tense (with present verbs), or 'are' (with participles))

• सर्वे (सर्वे) - all (of us) (all, everyone)

Words meanings and morphology

अहो (अहो) - alas! (alas!, oh!, ah!)

(indeclinable)

महत् (महत्) - great (great, large, important)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, important, mighty

कर्म (कर्म) - action (karma) (action, deed, work, fate, ritual)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of karma

karma - action, deed, work, ritual action, destiny (karma)

Derived from the root 'kṛ' (to do, make).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

कृतं (कृतं) - performed (done, made, performed)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kṛta

kṛta - done, made, performed, accomplished

Past Passive Participle

Derived from the root 'kṛ' (to do, make).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

निरर्थकं (निरर्थकं) - in vain (useless, meaningless, futile, in vain)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of nirarthaka

nirarthaka - useless, meaningless, futile, in vain

Compound of 'nir-' (without) and 'arthaka' (meaningful, purposeful).

Compound type : bahuvrihi (nis+arthaka)

• nis – without, out, away
  indeclinable
• arthaka – having an object/purpose, profitable, meaningful
  adjective (neuter)
  Derived from 'artha' (meaning, purpose).

न (न) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

राक्षसैः (राक्षसैः) - by the Rākṣasas (by the Rākṣasas, by the demons)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of rākṣasa

rākṣasa - Rākṣasa, demon, evil spirit

मन्त्रगतिः (मन्त्रगतिः) - the effectiveness of the sacred utterance (mantra) (the course/power of a sacred utterance (mantra); understanding of a mantra)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of mantragati

mantragati - the course or effect of a sacred utterance; understanding of a mantra

Compound type : tatpurusha (mantra+gati)

• mantra – sacred utterance, hymn, incantation, counsel, charm (mantra)
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from the root 'man' (to think).
  Root: man (class 4)
• gati – movement, course, going, progress, destiny, effectiveness, understanding
  noun (feminine)
  Derived from the root 'gam' (to go).
  Root: gam (class 1)

विमृष्टा (विमृष्टा) - understood (understood, reflected upon, considered (feminine nominative singular))

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vimṛṣṭa

vimṛṣṭa - considered, reflected upon, understood

Past Passive Participle

Derived from the root 'mṛś' (to touch, reflect) with the prefix 'vi-'.

Prefix: vi

Root: mṛś (class 6)

पुनः (पुनः) - moreover (again, furthermore, moreover)

(indeclinable)

च (च) - and (and, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

न (न) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

अस्त्रे (अस्त्रे) - when a weapon (astra) is (in/on a weapon, by a weapon)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of astra

astra - weapon, missile, projectile, magical weapon

Root: as (class 4)

Note: Used here in a locative absolute construction.

विहते (विहते) - rendered ineffective (destroyed, struck down, rendered ineffective)

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of vihata

vihata - struck, killed, destroyed, impeded, rendered ineffective

Past Passive Participle

Derived from the root 'han' (to strike, kill) with the prefix 'vi-'.

Prefix: vi

Root: han (class 2)

Note: Used here in a locative absolute construction.

अस्त्रं (अस्त्रं) - weapon (astra) (weapon, missile, magical weapon)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of astra

astra - weapon, missile, projectile, magical weapon

From the root 'as' (to throw, cast).

Root: as (class 4)

अन्यत् (अन्यत्) - another (another, other, different)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anya

anya - other, another, different

प्रवर्तते (प्रवर्तते) - can be activated, functions (proceeds, acts, functions, occurs)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, ātmanepada, present (lat) of pravarattate

Derived from the root 'vṛt' (to be, to exist, to turn) with the prefix 'pra-'.

Prefix: pra

Root: vṛt (class 1)

संशयिताः (संशयिताः) - filled with doubt (doubtful, uncertain, perplexed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of saṃśayita

saṁśayita - doubtful, uncertain, perplexed

Past Passive Participle

Derived from the root 'śī' (to lie, to doubt) with the prefix 'sam-'.

Prefix: sam

Root: śī (class 2)

स्म (स्म) - are (indicating present state of doubt) (particle indicating past tense (with present verbs), or 'are' (with participles))

(indeclinable)

सर्वे (सर्वे) - all (of us) (all, everyone)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, complete