वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-7, chapter-49, verse-8

को नु धर्माश्रयः सूत कर्मण्यस्मिन्यशोहरे ।
मैथिलीं प्रति संप्राप्तः पौरैर्हीनार्थवादिभिः ॥८॥

8. ko nu dharmāśrayaḥ sūta karmaṇyasminyaśohare ,
maithilīṃ prati saṃprāptaḥ paurairhīnārthavādibhiḥ.

8. kaḥ nu dharma-āśrayaḥ sūta karmaṇi asmin yaśaḥ-hare
maithilīm prati sam-prāptaḥ pauraiḥ hīna-artha-vādibhiḥ

8. sūta kaḥ nu dharma-āśrayaḥ asmin yaśaḥ-hare karmaṇi
maithilīm prati hīna-artha-vādibhiḥ pauraiḥ sam-prāptaḥ

8. O charioteer (sūta), what natural law (dharma) supports this act, destructive of reputation, that has befallen Maithilī (Sītā) due to citizens speaking with baseless accusations?

Words meanings summery:

• कः (kaḥ) - what (who, what)

• नु (nu) - indeed (indeed, now, then, perhaps (interrogative/emphatic particle))

• धर्म-आश्रयः (dharma-āśrayaḥ) - natural law (dharma) that supports, moral basis (resort of dharma, basis of righteousness, moral support)

• सूत (sūta) - O charioteer (charioteer, bard, son (of kshatriya by brahmin mother))

• कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - in this act (in the action, deed, work)

• अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this (in this, on this)

• यशः-हरे (yaśaḥ-hare) - destructive of reputation (fame-destroying, taking away reputation)

• मैथिलीम् (maithilīm) - Maithilī (Sītā) (Sītā (daughter of the king of Mithilā))

• प्रति (prati) - concerning, with respect to (towards, against, concerning, with respect to)

• सम्-प्राप्तः (sam-prāptaḥ) - that has befallen, occurred (obtained, reached, occurred, come about)

• पौरैः (pauraiḥ) - by citizens (by the citizens, townsmen)

• हीन-अर्थ-वादिभिः (hīna-artha-vādibhiḥ) - by those speaking with baseless accusations (by those speaking of base or trivial matters, by those speaking unjustly)

Words meanings and morphology

कः (kaḥ) - what (who, what)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'is'.

नु (nu) - indeed (indeed, now, then, perhaps (interrogative/emphatic particle))

(indeclinable)

Note: Adds emphasis or interrogative force.

धर्म-आश्रयः (dharma-āśrayaḥ) - natural law (dharma) that supports, moral basis (resort of dharma, basis of righteousness, moral support)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma-āśraya

dharma-āśraya - support of dharma, basis of righteousness, moral ground, adherent of duty

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+āśraya)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty
  noun (masculine)
• āśraya – support, refuge, resort, basis
  noun (masculine)
  From prefix ā + root śri 'to resort to'.
  Prefix: ā
  Root: śri (class 1)

Note: Predicate nominative for 'kaḥ'.

सूत (sūta) - O charioteer (charioteer, bard, son (of kshatriya by brahmin mother))

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of sūta

sūta - charioteer, bard, son of a kshatriya by a brahmin mother

Note: Addressed by Rāma.

कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - in this act (in the action, deed, work)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of karman

karman - action, deed, work, ritual, fate (karma)

From root kṛ (class 8) 'to do'.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Refers to the act of exiling Sītā.

अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this (in this, on this)

(pronoun)

Locative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, he, she, it

Note: Adjective modifying 'karmaṇi'.

यशः-हरे (yaśaḥ-hare) - destructive of reputation (fame-destroying, taking away reputation)

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of yaśaḥ-hara

yaśaḥ-hara - destroying fame, taking away reputation

Compound: yaśaḥ (fame) + hara (taker, destroyer).

Compound type : tatpurusha (yaśas+hara)

• yaśas – fame, glory, reputation
  noun (neuter)
• hara – taking, carrying, destroying, remover
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun
  From root hṛ (class 1) 'to take, carry'.
  Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Adjective modifying 'karmaṇi'.

मैथिलीम् (maithilīm) - Maithilī (Sītā) (Sītā (daughter of the king of Mithilā))

(proper noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of maithilī

maithilī - princess of Mithilā, Sītā

Derived from Mithilā, capital of Janaka.

Note: Object of the preposition 'prati'.

प्रति (prati) - concerning, with respect to (towards, against, concerning, with respect to)

(indeclinable)

सम्-प्राप्तः (sam-prāptaḥ) - that has befallen, occurred (obtained, reached, occurred, come about)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sam-prāpta

sam-prāpta - obtained, reached, arrived, come about, befallen

Past Passive Participle

From root āp (class 5) 'to obtain' with prefixes sam and pra.

Prefixes: sam+pra

Root: āp (class 5)

Note: Refers to 'karma' (act).

पौरैः (pauraiḥ) - by citizens (by the citizens, townsmen)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of paura

paura - citizen, townsman, inhabitant of a city

Note: Agent for 'sam-prāptaḥ'.

हीन-अर्थ-वादिभिः (hīna-artha-vādibhiḥ) - by those speaking with baseless accusations (by those speaking of base or trivial matters, by those speaking unjustly)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of hīna-artha-vādin

hīna-artha-vādin - one who speaks of mean, low, or insufficient things; one who speaks unjustly or with baseless accusations

Compound: hīna (lowly, deficient) + artha (meaning, purpose) + vādin (speaking).

Compound type : tatpurusha (hīna+artha+vādin)

• hīna – deficient, low, base, abandoned
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  From root hā (class 3) 'to abandon, quit'.
  Root: hā (class 3)
• artha – meaning, purpose, wealth, thing, affair
  noun (masculine)
• vādin – speaking, telling, one who speaks
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun
  From root vad (class 1) 'to speak'.
  Root: vad (class 1)

Note: Adjective modifying 'pauraiḥ'.

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