वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-6, chapter-70, verse-20

यस्मादर्था विवर्धन्ते येष्वधर्मः प्रतिष्ठितः ।
क्लिश्यन्ते धर्मशीलाश्च तस्मादेतौ निरर्थकौ ॥२०॥

20. yasmādarthā vivardhante yeṣvadharmaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ ,
kliśyante dharmaśīlāśca tasmādetau nirarthakau.

20. yasmāt arthāḥ vivardhante yeṣu adharmaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ
| kliśyante dharmaśīlāḥ ca tasmāt etau nirarthakau

20. yasmāt yeṣu adharmaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ arthāḥ vivardhante ca dharmaśīlāḥ kliśyante,
tasmāt etau nirarthakau

20. Because prosperity increases for those in whom unrighteousness (adharma) is established, and those of righteous conduct suffer, therefore, these two (dharma and adharma, or their effects) are rendered futile.

Words meanings summery:

• यस्मात् (yasmāt) - because, from which, whereby

• अर्थाः (arthāḥ) - prosperity, material gains (wealth, purposes, objects)

• विवर्धन्ते (vivardhante) - they increase, grow abundantly

• येषु (yeṣu) - in whom, among whom, with respect to whom

• अधर्मः (adharmaḥ) - unrighteousness, injustice, vice

• प्रतिष्ठितः (pratiṣṭhitaḥ) - established, fixed, firm, based

• क्लिश्यन्ते (kliśyante) - they suffer, are distressed, are tormented

• धर्मशीलाः (dharmaśīlāḥ) - those of righteous conduct, virtuous ones

• च (ca) - and, also

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

• एतौ (etau) - dharma and adharma (these two)

• निरर्थकौ (nirarthakau) - meaningless, futile, useless

Words meanings and morphology

यस्मात् (yasmāt) - because, from which, whereby

(indeclinable)

Note: Used as a conjunction 'because'

अर्थाः (arthāḥ) - prosperity, material gains (wealth, purposes, objects)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of artha

artha - purpose, object, meaning, wealth, prosperity, material good

विवर्धन्ते (vivardhante) - they increase, grow abundantly

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (lat) of vṛdh

Prefix: vi

Root: vṛdh (class 1)

Note: Root is 'vṛdh' in class 1 with ātmanepada endings

येषु (yeṣu) - in whom, among whom, with respect to whom

(pronoun)

Locative, plural of yad

yad - who, which, what

अधर्मः (adharmaḥ) - unrighteousness, injustice, vice

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of adharma

adharma - unrighteousness, injustice, vice, non-duty

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+dharma)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
• dharma – natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)

प्रतिष्ठितः (pratiṣṭhitaḥ) - established, fixed, firm, based

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pratiṣṭhita

pratiṣṭhita - established, placed, fixed, firm, consecrated

Past Passive Participle

Past Passive Participle of prati-sthā

Prefix: prati

Root: sthā (class 1)

क्लिश्यन्ते (kliśyante) - they suffer, are distressed, are tormented

(verb)

3rd person , plural, passive, present (lat) of kliś

Root: kliś (class 4)

धर्मशीलाः (dharmaśīlāḥ) - those of righteous conduct, virtuous ones

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of dharmaśīla

dharmaśīla - of righteous conduct, virtuous, upright, morally good

Compound type : bahuvrihi (dharma+śīla)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• śīla – habit, custom, character, nature, conduct, virtue
  noun (neuter)
  Root: śīl (class 1)

Note: Used substantively to mean 'righteous people'

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

(indeclinable)

Note: Used as an adverb 'therefore'

एतौ (etau) - dharma and adharma (these two)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of etat

etat - this, these

निरर्थकौ (nirarthakau) - meaningless, futile, useless

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of nirarthaka

nirarthaka - meaningless, useless, vain, futile

Compound type : bahuvrihi (nis+artha+ka)

• nis – without, out, away
  indeclinable
• artha – purpose, meaning, object, use
  noun (masculine)
• ka – diminutive or intensifying suffix, related to 'who/what'
  suffix
  k-suffix, often used to form adjectives