वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-6, chapter-40, verse-54

तन्न विश्वसितव्यं वो राक्षसानां रणाजिरे ।
एतेनैवोपमानेन नित्यजिह्मा हि राक्षसाः ॥५४॥

54. tanna viśvasitavyaṃ vo rākṣasānāṃ raṇājire ,
etenaivopamānena nityajihmā hi rākṣasāḥ.

54. tat na viśvasitavyam vaḥ rākṣasānām raṇājire
etena eva upamānena nityajihmāḥ hi rākṣasāḥ

54. tat,
vaḥ rākṣasānām raṇājire na viśvasitavyam.
hi rākṣasāḥ etena eva upamānena nityajihmāḥ.

54. Therefore, you should not trust the rākṣasas on the battlefield. For, by this very standard, rākṣasas are inherently always deceitful.

Words meanings summery:

• तत् (tat) - therefore (that, therefore, so)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• विश्वसितव्यम् (viśvasitavyam) - should be trusted (to be trusted, should be trusted)

• वः (vaḥ) - by you (Rama and Lakshmana) (by you (plural), for you (plural))

• राक्षसानाम् (rākṣasānām) - of the rākṣasas (of rākṣasas, concerning rākṣasas)

• रणाजिरे (raṇājire) - on the battlefield (in the battlefield, in the arena of war)

• एतेन (etena) - by this

• एव (eva) - very (indeed, just, only, certainly)

• उपमानेन (upamānena) - by this very standard (by comparison, by analogy, by example, by standard)

• नित्यजिह्माः (nityajihmāḥ) - inherently always deceitful (always crooked, perpetually dishonest, inherently deceptive)

• हि (hi) - for (indeed, surely, for, because)

• राक्षसाः (rākṣasāḥ) - rākṣasas (demons, rākṣasas)

Words meanings and morphology

तत् (tat) - therefore (that, therefore, so)

(indeclinable)

Note: Acts as a conjunction to introduce the consequence.

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Note: Nullifies the action of viśvasitavyam.

विश्वसितव्यम् (viśvasitavyam) - should be trusted (to be trusted, should be trusted)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of viśvasitavya

viśvasitavya - to be trusted, to be relied upon

Gerundive (Kṛtya)

Derived from root √śvas (2nd class) with prefix vi- + -itavya suffix.

Prefix: vi

Root: śvas (class 2)

Note: Impersonal passive construction.

वः (vaḥ) - by you (Rama and Lakshmana) (by you (plural), for you (plural))

(pronoun)

Instrumental, plural of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you (plural/dual)

Note: Agent of the gerundive.

राक्षसानाम् (rākṣasānām) - of the rākṣasas (of rākṣasas, concerning rākṣasas)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of rākṣasa

rākṣasa - demon, evil spirit, a class of mythical beings

Note: Object of viśvasitavyam when governing a genitive.

रणाजिरे (raṇājire) - on the battlefield (in the battlefield, in the arena of war)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of raṇājira

raṇājira - battlefield, arena of war

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (raṇa+ajira)

• raṇa – battle, war, combat
  noun (masculine)
• ajira – courtyard, arena, open space
  noun (neuter)

Note: Specifies the location.

एतेन (etena) - by this

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

Note: Modifies upamānena.

एव (eva) - very (indeed, just, only, certainly)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes etena upamānena.

उपमानेन (upamānena) - by this very standard (by comparison, by analogy, by example, by standard)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of upamāna

upamāna - comparison, simile, analogy, example, standard

Derived from root √mā (3rd class) with prefix upa-.

Prefix: upa

Root: mā (class 3)

Note: Indicates the means or reason.

नित्यजिह्माः (nityajihmāḥ) - inherently always deceitful (always crooked, perpetually dishonest, inherently deceptive)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nityajihma

nityajihma - always crooked, perpetually dishonest, inherently deceptive

Compound type : karma-dhāraya (nitya+jihma)

• nitya – always, constant, perpetual
  adjective
• jihma – crooked, oblique, dishonest, deceitful
  adjective

Note: Predicate adjective for rākṣasāḥ.

हि (hi) - for (indeed, surely, for, because)

(indeclinable)

Note: Provides reason for the preceding statement.

राक्षसाः (rākṣasāḥ) - rākṣasas (demons, rākṣasas)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of rākṣasa

rākṣasa - demon, evil spirit, a class of mythical beings

Note: Subject of the second clause.

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