वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-7, chapter-10, verse-1

अथाब्रवीद्द्विजं रामः कथं ते भ्रातरो वने ।
कीदृशं तु तदा ब्रह्मंस्तपश्चेरुर्महाव्रताः ॥१॥

1. athābravīddvijaṃ rāmaḥ kathaṃ te bhrātaro vane ,
kīdṛśaṃ tu tadā brahmaṃstapaścerurmahāvratāḥ.

1. atha abravīt dvijam rāmaḥ katham te bhrātaraḥ vane
kīdṛśam tu tadā brahman tapas ceruḥ mahāvratāḥ

1. ramaḥ atha dvijam abravīt te bhrātaraḥ vane katham
tadā brahman mahāvratāḥ tu kīdṛśam tapas ceruḥ

1. Then Rama asked the brahmin, 'How were your brothers in the forest? And what kind of spiritual discipline (tapas) did those with great vows perform then, O brahmin?'

Words meanings summery:

• अथ (atha) - then (then, now, therefore, moreover)

• अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - he asked (he spoke, he said)

• द्विजम् (dvijam) - to the brahmin (the twice-born, a brahmin, a bird, a snake, a tooth)

• रामः (rāmaḥ) - Rama (Rama (a proper name))

• कथम् (katham) - how (how?, in what manner?, what?)

• ते (te) - your (your, to you, by you)

• भ्रातरः (bhrātaraḥ) - brothers

• वने (vane) - in the forest (in the forest, in the woods)

• कीदृशम् (kīdṛśam) - what kind of (of what kind, of what sort, how)

• तु (tu) - and (but, on the other hand, indeed, then)

• तदा (tadā) - then (then, at that time)

• ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O brahmin (O brahmin, O holy man)

• तपस् (tapas) - spiritual discipline (tapas) (austerity, spiritual discipline, penance)

• चेरुः (ceruḥ) - did perform (they performed, they practiced, they walked)

• महाव्रताः (mahāvratāḥ) - those with great vows (those of great vows, great ascetics)

Words meanings and morphology

अथ (atha) - then (then, now, therefore, moreover)

(indeclinable)

अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - he asked (he spoke, he said)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of brū

Imperfect Tense, Parasmaipada

Root `brū` (2nd class), prefixed with augment `a-` for imperfect.

Root: brū (class 2)

द्विजम् (dvijam) - to the brahmin (the twice-born, a brahmin, a bird, a snake, a tooth)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dvija

dvija - twice-born, brahmin, bird, snake, tooth

Derived from `dvi` (twice) and `jan` (born).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dvi+ja)

• dvi – two, twice
  numeral
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective
  From root `jan` (to be born).
  Root: jan (class 4)

रामः (rāmaḥ) - Rama (Rama (a proper name))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rāma

rāma - Rama (the son of Dasharatha, hero of Ramayana)

कथम् (katham) - how (how?, in what manner?, what?)

(indeclinable)

ते (te) - your (your, to you, by you)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you (pronoun)

भ्रातरः (bhrātaraḥ) - brothers

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of bhrātṛ

bhrātṛ - brother

वने (vane) - in the forest (in the forest, in the woods)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of vana

vana - forest, wood, grove

कीदृशम् (kīdṛśam) - what kind of (of what kind, of what sort, how)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kīdṛśa

kīdṛśa - of what sort, what kind of

Note: Agrees with `tapas`.

तु (tu) - and (but, on the other hand, indeed, then)

(indeclinable)

तदा (tadā) - then (then, at that time)

(indeclinable)

ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O brahmin (O brahmin, O holy man)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of brahman

brahman - a brahmin, a priest, the Absolute (brahman)

Note: Used as an address.

तपस् (tapas) - spiritual discipline (tapas) (austerity, spiritual discipline, penance)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - austerity, penance, spiritual discipline, heat

Root: tap (class 1)

चेरुः (ceruḥ) - did perform (they performed, they practiced, they walked)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, past perfect (lit) of car

Perfect Tense, Parasmaipada

Root `car` (1st class), reduplicated for perfect tense.

Root: car (class 1)

महाव्रताः (mahāvratāḥ) - those with great vows (those of great vows, great ascetics)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mahāvrata

mahāvrata - one who has great vows, a great ascetic

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (mahā+vrata)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• vrata – vow, sacred observance, religious practice
  noun (neuter)