वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-7, chapter-34, verse-19

हस्तग्राह्यं तु तं मत्वा पादशब्देन रावणम् ।
पराङ्मुखो ऽपि जग्राह वाली सर्पमिवाण्डजः ॥१९॥

19. hastagrāhyaṃ tu taṃ matvā pādaśabdena rāvaṇam ,
parāṅmukho'pi jagrāha vālī sarpamivāṇḍajaḥ.

19. hastagrāhyam tu tam matvā pādaśabdena rāvaṇam
parāṅmukhaḥ api jagrāha vālī sarpam iva aṇḍajaḥ

19. vālī aṇḍajaḥ sarpam iva rāvaṇam pādaśabdena
tam hastagrāhyam matvā parāṅmukhaḥ api jagrāha

19. But Vāli, perceiving Rāvaṇa by the sound of his footsteps and considering him within arm's reach, seized him even while facing away, just as a bird snatches a snake.

Words meanings summery:

• हस्तग्राह्यम् (hastagrāhyam) - to be seized by hand, within reach, easily graspable

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• तम् (tam) - him, that

• मत्वा (matvā) - having thought, having considered, having known

• पादशब्देन (pādaśabdena) - by the sound of footsteps

• रावणम् (rāvaṇam) - Rāvaṇa (name of the demon king of Lanka)

• पराङ्मुखः (parāṅmukhaḥ) - facing away, with one's back turned

• अपि (api) - even, also, although

• जग्राह (jagrāha) - he seized, he caught, he grasped

• वाली (vālī) - Vali

• सर्पम् (sarpam) - snake, serpent

• इव (iva) - like, as if, as

• अण्डजः (aṇḍajaḥ) - a bird (which preys on snakes) (egg-born (e.g., bird, snake, fish))

Words meanings and morphology

हस्तग्राह्यम् (hastagrāhyam) - to be seized by hand, within reach, easily graspable

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of hastagrāhya

hastagrāhya - to be seized by hand, within reach, easily graspable

Gerundive

From hasta (hand) and √grah (to seize) + -ya (gerundive suffix)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (hasta+grāhya)

• hasta – hand
  noun (masculine)
• grāhya – to be seized, graspable
  adjective (masculine)
  Gerundive
  From √grah (to seize) + -ya (gerundive suffix)
  Root: grah (class 9)

Note: Modifies 'tam' (Rāvaṇa).

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

तम् (tam) - him, that

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to Rāvaṇa.

मत्वा (matvā) - having thought, having considered, having known

(indeclinable)

absolutive

Absolutive of √man (to think)

Root: man (class 4)

Note: Governs 'hastagrāhyam' and 'tam'.

पादशब्देन (pādaśabdena) - by the sound of footsteps

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of pādaśabda

pādaśabda - sound of footsteps, sound of feet

Compound of pāda (foot) and śabda (sound)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pāda+śabda)

• pāda – foot, step, ray, quarter
  noun (masculine)
• śabda – sound, word, voice
  noun (masculine)

Note: Means of perceiving.

रावणम् (rāvaṇam) - Rāvaṇa (name of the demon king of Lanka)

(proper noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of rāvaṇa

rāvaṇa - Rāvaṇa (name of the demon king of Lanka)

Note: Object of 'matvā' and 'jagrāha'.

पराङ्मुखः (parāṅmukhaḥ) - facing away, with one's back turned

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of parāṅmukha

parāṅmukha - facing away, having one's back turned, averted

Compound of parāc (away) and mukha (face)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (parāñc+mukha)

• parāñc – turned away, backward
  adjective (masculine)
• mukha – face, mouth, front
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agreement with vālī.

अपि (api) - even, also, although

(indeclinable)

Note: Indicates concession.

जग्राह (jagrāha) - he seized, he caught, he grasped

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (liṭ) of grah

Root: grah (class 9)

Note: Verb for Vālī.

वाली (vālī) - Vali

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vālin

vālin - Vali (name of a powerful monkey king)

Note: Subject of jagrāha.

सर्पम् (sarpam) - snake, serpent

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of sarpa

sarpa - a snake, serpent

From √sṛp (to creep)

Root: sṛp (class 1)

Note: Object of 'jagrāha' in the simile.

इव (iva) - like, as if, as

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle of comparison.

अण्डजः (aṇḍajaḥ) - a bird (which preys on snakes) (egg-born (e.g., bird, snake, fish))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aṇḍaja

aṇḍaja - egg-born (e.g., bird, snake, fish, insect)

Compound of aṇḍa (egg) and √jan (to be born) + -a suffix

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (aṇḍa+ja)

• aṇḍa – egg
  noun (neuter)
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective (masculine)
  From √jan (to be born) + -a suffix
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Subject of the simile.