वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-6, chapter-70, verse-23

अदृष्टप्रतिकारेण अव्यक्तेनासता सता ।
कथं शक्यं परं प्राप्तुं धर्मेणारिविकर्शन ॥२३॥

23. adṛṣṭapratikāreṇa avyaktenāsatā satā ,
kathaṃ śakyaṃ paraṃ prāptuṃ dharmeṇārivikarśana.

23. adṛṣṭapratikāreṇa avyaktena asatā satā katham
śakyam param prāptum dharmeṇa arivikarśana

23. arivikarśana,
adṛṣṭapratikāreṇa avyaktena asatā satā dharmeṇa param prāptum katham śakyam?

23. O vanquisher of foes, how is it possible to attain the supreme through a principle (dharma) whose effects are unseen, which is unmanifest, and which seems to be both non-existent and existent?

Words meanings summery:

• अदृष्टप्रतिकारेण (adṛṣṭapratikāreṇa) - by a (dharma) whose consequences are not immediately visible or understood (by that which has unseen requital/recompense/consequences)

• अव्यक्तेन (avyaktena) - by that which is not directly evident or discernible (by the unmanifest, by the invisible, by the imperceptible)

• असता (asatā) - by that which appears non-existent or unreal (by the non-existent, by the unreal, by the bad)

• सता (satā) - by that which appears existent or real (by the existent, by the real, by the good)

• कथम् (katham) - in what way is it possible (how, in what manner)

• शक्यम् (śakyam) - is it possible (impersonal construction) (possible, able to be done)

• परम् (param) - the supreme goal or state (supreme, highest, ultimate, excellent)

• प्राप्तुम् (prāptum) - to reach the supreme goal (to attain, to reach, to obtain)

• धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - through adherence to the principle (dharma) being discussed (by (dharma), by law, by intrinsic nature)

• अरिविकर्शन (arivikarśana) - vocative address (O smasher of foes, O vanquisher of enemies)

Words meanings and morphology

अदृष्टप्रतिकारेण (adṛṣṭapratikāreṇa) - by a (dharma) whose consequences are not immediately visible or understood (by that which has unseen requital/recompense/consequences)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of adṛṣṭapratikāra

adṛṣṭapratikāra - unseen requital, invisible retaliation, unseen consequence

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (adṛṣṭa+pratikāra)

• adṛṣṭa – unseen, invisible, unperceived, unknown
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  from root dṛś- with a- privative prefix
  Prefix: a
  Root: dṛś (class 1)
• pratikāra – requital, recompense, retaliation, counteraction, remedy
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: prati
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

अव्यक्तेन (avyaktena) - by that which is not directly evident or discernible (by the unmanifest, by the invisible, by the imperceptible)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of avyakta

avyakta - unmanifest, invisible, imperceptible, indistinct

Past Passive Participle

from root añj- with a- privative prefix and vi- prefix

Prefixes: a+vi

Root: añj (class 7)

Note: It functions as an adjective modifying dharma, taking instrumental case.

असता (asatā) - by that which appears non-existent or unreal (by the non-existent, by the unreal, by the bad)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of asat

asat - non-existent, unreal, bad, false

Present Active Participle (negative)

from root as- (to be) with a- privative prefix

Prefix: a

Root: as (class 2)

Note: It functions as an adjective modifying dharma, taking instrumental case.

सता (satā) - by that which appears existent or real (by the existent, by the real, by the good)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of sat

sat - existent, real, good, true

Present Active Participle

from root as- (to be)

Root: as (class 2)

Note: It functions as an adjective modifying dharma, taking instrumental case.

कथम् (katham) - in what way is it possible (how, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

शक्यम् (śakyam) - is it possible (impersonal construction) (possible, able to be done)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śakya

śakya - possible, practicable, capable, able to be done

Gerundive (Potential Passive Participle)

from root śak- (to be able)

Root: śak (class 5)

Note: Predicative adjective.

परम् (param) - the supreme goal or state (supreme, highest, ultimate, excellent)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, ultimate, excellent, other, distant

Note: Accusative singular neuter, acting as a noun here.

प्राप्तुम् (prāptum) - to reach the supreme goal (to attain, to reach, to obtain)

(infinitive)

धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - through adherence to the principle (dharma) being discussed (by (dharma), by law, by intrinsic nature)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - intrinsic nature, constitution, natural law, righteousness, duty, virtue, religious ordinance

from root dhṛ- (to uphold, to sustain)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

अरिविकर्शन (arivikarśana) - vocative address (O smasher of foes, O vanquisher of enemies)

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of arivikarśana

arivikarśana - smasher of foes, vanquisher of enemies

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ari+vikarśana)

• ari – enemy, foe
  noun (masculine)
• vikarśana – drawing away, wasting, emaciating, tormenting, destroyer
  noun (masculine)
  from root kṛṣ- with vi- prefix
  Prefix: vi
  Root: kṛṣ (class 1)

Note: Refers to an epithet of an individual, likely Arjuna or Yudhishthira.