वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-6, chapter-46, verse-49

न शेकुः समवस्थातुं निहते वाहिनीपतौ ।
सेतुबन्धं समासाद्य विशीर्णं सलिलं यथा ॥४९॥

49. na śekuḥ samavasthātuṃ nihate vāhinīpatau ,
setubandhaṃ samāsādya viśīrṇaṃ salilaṃ yathā.

49. na śekuḥ samavasthātum nihate vāhinīpatau
setubandham samāsādya viśīrṇam salilam yathā

49. vāhinīpatau nihate samavasthātum na śekuḥ
yathā salilam viśīrṇam setubandham samāsādya

49. They were unable to stand firm when their army commander was killed, just as water disperses after flowing over a broken dam.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• शेकुः (śekuḥ) - they (the demon army) were able (they were able)

• समवस्थातुम् (samavasthātum) - to hold their ground in battle (to stand firm, to remain, to hold one's ground)

• निहते (nihate) - when the army commander was killed (when killed, when struck down, destroyed)

• वाहिनीपतौ (vāhinīpatau) - when the army commander was killed (in locative absolute construction) (in the army commander, on the leader of the host)

• सेतुबन्धम् (setubandham) - a broken dam or embankment (a dam, a bridge)

• समासाद्य (samāsādya) - having encountered or flowed over a broken dam (having reached, having approached, having obtained)

• विशीर्णम् (viśīrṇam) - dispersed (referring to the water) (broken, shattered, dispersed)

• सलिलम् (salilam) - water

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, like

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

शेकुः (śekuḥ) - they (the demon army) were able (they were able)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, past perfect (Lit) of śak

Perfect Active

Perfect 3rd person plural of √śak (5th class)

Root: śak (class 5)

समवस्थातुम् (samavasthātum) - to hold their ground in battle (to stand firm, to remain, to hold one's ground)

(verb)

active, infinitive (tumun) of samavasthā

Infinitive

Infinitive form of verb √sthā with prefixes sam- and ava-

Prefixes: sam+ava

Root: sthā (class 1)

निहते (nihate) - when the army commander was killed (when killed, when struck down, destroyed)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of nihata

nihata - killed, struck down, destroyed

Past Passive Participle

PPP of √han with prefix ni-

Prefix: ni

Root: han (class 2)

Note: Used in a locative absolute construction.

वाहिनीपतौ (vāhinīpatau) - when the army commander was killed (in locative absolute construction) (in the army commander, on the leader of the host)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of vāhinīpati

vāhinīpati - commander of an army, general

Compound type : tatpurusha (vāhinī+pati)

• vāhinī – army, host
  noun (feminine)
• pati – lord, master, chief, husband
  noun (masculine)

Note: Used in a locative absolute construction.

सेतुबन्धम् (setubandham) - a broken dam or embankment (a dam, a bridge)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of setubandha

setubandha - dam, embankment, bridge

Compound type : tatpurusha (setu+bandha)

• setu – bridge, dam, embankment
  noun (masculine)
• bandha – binding, tie, dam, connection
  noun (masculine)
  Root: bandh (class 9)

Note: Object of the gerund 'samāsādya'.

समासाद्य (samāsādya) - having encountered or flowed over a broken dam (having reached, having approached, having obtained)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

Absolutive form of √sad with prefixes sam- and ā-

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: sad (class 1)

विशीर्णम् (viśīrṇam) - dispersed (referring to the water) (broken, shattered, dispersed)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of viśīrṇa

viśīrṇa - broken, shattered, scattered, decayed

Past Passive Participle

PPP of √śṛ with prefix vi-

Prefix: vi

Root: śṛ (class 9)

Note: Agrees with 'salilam'.

सलिलम् (salilam) - water

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of salila

salila - water

Note: Subject of the simile.

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, like

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle introducing a simile.