वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-6, chapter-51, verse-10

त्रिषु चैतेषु यच्छ्रेष्ठं श्रुत्वा तन्नावबुध्यते ।
राजा वा राजमात्रो वा व्यर्थं तस्य बहुश्रुतम् ॥१०॥

10. triṣu caiteṣu yacchreṣṭhaṃ śrutvā tannāvabudhyate ,
rājā vā rājamātro vā vyarthaṃ tasya bahuśrutam.

10. triṣu ca eteṣu yat śreṣṭham śrutvā tat na avabudhyate
rājā vā rājamātraḥ vā vyartham tasya bahuśrutam

10. And if a person—whether a king or a king's minister—having heard what is supreme among these three (aims of life), does not comprehend it, then his extensive learning is futile.

Words meanings summery:

• त्रिषु (triṣu) - among these three (dharma, artha, kāma) (in three, among three)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• एतेषु (eteṣu) - among these (three) (in these, among these)

• यत् (yat) - what (is) (which, what, that)

• श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - supreme/best (best, most excellent, supreme)

• श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard (having heard, having listened)

• तत् (tat) - it (the best aim) (that, it)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• अवबुध्यते (avabudhyate) - he understands/comprehends (he understands, he comprehends, he perceives)

• राजा (rājā) - king

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• राजमात्रः (rājamātraḥ) - a king's minister (a king's minister, a mere king (in power only))

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• व्यर्थम् (vyartham) - useless/futile (useless, futile, vain, without purpose)

• तस्य (tasya) - his (his, its, of that)

• बहुश्रुतम् (bahuśrutam) - his extensive learning (much heard, extensively learned, erudition)

Words meanings and morphology

त्रिषु (triṣu) - among these three (dharma, artha, kāma) (in three, among three)

(numeral)

Note: Refers to dharma, artha, kāma

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

एतेषु (eteṣu) - among these (three) (in these, among these)

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, plural of etad

etad - this, these

demonstrative pronoun

Note: Agrees with triṣu

यत् (yat) - what (is) (which, what, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what, that

relative pronoun

Note: Refers to śreṣṭham

श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - supreme/best (best, most excellent, supreme)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, most excellent, supreme, chief

superlative of praśasya (excellent)

Root: praśas

श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard (having heard, having listened)

(indeclinable)

absolutiv (gerund)

formed with suffix -tvā

Root: śru (class 5)

तत् (tat) - it (the best aim) (that, it)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it, he, she

demonstrative pronoun

Note: Refers to yat śreṣṭham

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

negative particle

अवबुध्यते (avabudhyate) - he understands/comprehends (he understands, he comprehends, he perceives)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of avabudh

root budh (class 4) with prefix ava

Prefix: ava

Root: budh (class 4)

राजा (rājā) - king

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

n-stem noun

Root: rāj

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

राजमात्रः (rājamātraḥ) - a king's minister (a king's minister, a mere king (in power only))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājamātra

rājamātra - king's minister, a quasi-king, a king in name only, a mere king

tatpuruṣa compound: rājan (king) + mātra (only/minister)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (rājan+mātra)

• rājan – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)
  n-stem noun
  Root: rāj
• mātra – measure, quantity, only, mere, an adviser/minister (especially in context of 'rājamātra')
  noun (neuter)
  Root: mā (class 2)

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

व्यर्थम् (vyartham) - useless/futile (useless, futile, vain, without purpose)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vyartha

vyartha - useless, vain, without purpose, meaningless

compound vi (without) + artha (purpose)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (vi+artha)

• vi – without, apart, dis-
  indeclinable
  prefix
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth
  noun (masculine)

Note: Predicative use

तस्य (tasya) - his (his, its, of that)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, it, he, she

demonstrative pronoun

Note: Refers to rājā vā rājamātraḥ

बहुश्रुतम् (bahuśrutam) - his extensive learning (much heard, extensively learned, erudition)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of bahuśruta

bahuśruta - much heard, extensively learned, erudite, extensive learning

bahuvrīhi compound: bahu (much) + śruta (heard/learned)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (bahu+śruta)

• bahu – much, many, abundant
  adjective
• śruta – heard, learned, knowledge, scripture
  past passive participle (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  from √śru (to hear)
  Root: śru (class 5)

Note: Acts as the subject of an implied 'is useless'