वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-7, chapter-25, verse-21

रावणस्त्वब्रवीद्वाक्यं नावगच्छामि किं त्विदम् ।
को वायं यस्त्वयाख्यातो मधुरित्येव नामतः ॥२१॥

21. rāvaṇastvabravīdvākyaṃ nāvagacchāmi kiṃ tvidam ,
ko vāyaṃ yastvayākhyāto madhurityeva nāmataḥ.

21. rāvaṇaḥ tu abravīt vākyaṃ na avagacchāmi kiṃ tu idam
kaḥ vā ayaṃ yaḥ tvayā ākhyātaḥ madhuḥ iti eva nāmataḥ

21. tu rāvaṇaḥ vākyaṃ abravīt: "na kiṃ tu idam avagacchāmi?
vā kaḥ ayaṃ yaḥ tvayā madhuḥ iti eva nāmataḥ ākhyātaḥ?"

21. But Ravana then said, "What is this that I do not understand? Or who is this person named Madhu whom you just mentioned?"

Words meanings summery:

• रावणः (rāvaṇaḥ) - the demon king Ravana (Ravana (proper noun))

• तु (tu) - then, indicating a transition or emphasis (but, however, indeed)

• अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - spoke (in reply to Vibhīṣaṇa) (spoke, said)

• वाक्यं (vākyaṁ) - a statement, words (of his query) (word, speech, statement, sentence)

• न (na) - not (understand) (not, no)

• अवगच्छामि (avagacchāmi) - I comprehend (what you are saying) (I understand, I know)

• किं (kiṁ) - what (is this matter)? (what? why?)

• तु (tu) - indeed, emphasizing the question (but, indeed)

• इदम् (idam) - this (matter or statement you are making) (this)

• कः (kaḥ) - who (is this person)? (who?)

• वा (vā) - or (introducing an alternative question) (or)

• अयं (ayaṁ) - this (person, referring to Madhu) (this (one))

• यः (yaḥ) - who (was mentioned by you) (who, which)

• त्वया (tvayā) - by you (Vibhīṣaṇa) (by you)

• आख्यातः (ākhyātaḥ) - mentioned, spoken of (by you) (named, called, described, told)

• मधुः (madhuḥ) - the demon Madhu, husband of Kumbhīnasī (Madhu (proper noun))

• इति (iti) - indicating 'Madhu' as the name (thus, so, a marker for direct speech or naming)

• एव (eva) - just by name (not with a description of who he is) (only, just, indeed)

• नामतः (nāmataḥ) - by name (alone) (by name, according to name)

Words meanings and morphology

रावणः (rāvaṇaḥ) - the demon king Ravana (Ravana (proper noun))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rāvaṇa

rāvaṇa - Ravana (name of the Rakshasa king of Lanka)

From root √ru (to roar) with suffix -ana. Implies one who makes others roar or scream.

Root: ru (class 2)

Note: Subject of the verb 'abravīt'.

तु (tu) - then, indicating a transition or emphasis (but, however, indeed)

(indeclinable)

An indeclinable particle used to indicate contrast, emphasis, or continuation.

अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - spoke (in reply to Vibhīṣaṇa) (spoke, said)

(verb)

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

From root √brū (class 2), imperfect active, 3rd person singular. Augmented with 'a' for imperfect.

Root: brū (class 2)

Note: Main verb of the first part of the sentence.

वाक्यं (vākyaṁ) - a statement, words (of his query) (word, speech, statement, sentence)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vākya

vākya - speech, word, statement, sentence, assertion

From 'vāc' (speech) + -ya suffix, meaning 'related to speech'.

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Direct object of 'abravīt'.

न (na) - not (understand) (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Negative particle.

Note: Negates the verb 'avagacchāmi'.

अवगच्छामि (avagacchāmi) - I comprehend (what you are saying) (I understand, I know)

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of avagam

From prefix ava- (down, away) + root √gam (to go), class 1, present active, 1st person singular.

Prefix: ava

Root: gam (class 1)

किं (kiṁ) - what (is this matter)? (what? why?)

(interrogative pronoun)

तु (tu) - indeed, emphasizing the question (but, indeed)

(indeclinable)

An indeclinable particle used to indicate contrast, emphasis, or continuation.

इदम् (idam) - this (matter or statement you are making) (this)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, here

Neuter nominative singular form of the demonstrative pronoun 'idam'.

Note: Refers to the subject of the conversation, which Ravana claims not to understand.

कः (kaḥ) - who (is this person)? (who?)

(interrogative pronoun)

Note: Subject of an implied verb 'is'.

वा (vā) - or (introducing an alternative question) (or)

(indeclinable)

An indeclinable particle used to connect alternatives.

अयं (ayaṁ) - this (person, referring to Madhu) (this (one))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

Masculine nominative singular form of the demonstrative pronoun 'idam'.

यः (yaḥ) - who (was mentioned by you) (who, which)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what

Masculine nominative singular form of the relative pronoun 'yad'.

त्वया (tvayā) - by you (Vibhīṣaṇa) (by you)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you (pronoun)

Instrumental singular form of the second-person pronoun 'yuṣmad'.

Note: Indicates the agent of the passive participle 'ākhyātaḥ'.

आख्यातः (ākhyātaḥ) - mentioned, spoken of (by you) (named, called, described, told)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ākhyāta

ākhyāta - told, narrated, named, famous, mentioned

Past Passive Participle

From prefix ā- (to, hither) + root √khyā (to tell, relate) + kta suffix.

Prefix: ā

Root: khyā (class 2)

Note: Describes 'madhuḥ' in the relative clause.

मधुः (madhuḥ) - the demon Madhu, husband of Kumbhīnasī (Madhu (proper noun))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of madhu

madhu - Madhu (proper noun), honey, sweet

Masculine nominative singular form. Refers to the specific demon Madhu.

इति (iti) - indicating 'Madhu' as the name (thus, so, a marker for direct speech or naming)

(indeclinable)

An indeclinable particle.

एव (eva) - just by name (not with a description of who he is) (only, just, indeed)

(indeclinable)

An emphatic particle.

नामतः (nāmataḥ) - by name (alone) (by name, according to name)

(indeclinable)

Formed from 'nāman' (name) + -tas suffix, indicating 'by means of' or 'from the perspective of'.