वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-7, chapter-68, verse-1

पुरा त्रेतायुगे ह्यासीदरण्यं बहुविस्तरम् ।
समन्ताद् योजनशतं निर्मृगं पक्षिवर्जितम् ॥१॥

1. purā tretāyuge hyāsīdaraṇyaṃ bahuvistaram ,
samantād yojanaśataṃ nirmṛgaṃ pakṣivarjitam.

1. purā tretāyuge hi āsīt araṇyam bahuvistaram
samantāt yojanaśatam nirmṛgam pakṣivarjitam

1. purā tretāyuge hi bahuvistaram araṇyam āsīt.
samantāt yojanaśatam nirmṛgam pakṣivarjitam.

1. Long ago, in the Tretā age (tretāyuga), there was indeed a very extensive forest. All around, for a hundred yojanas, it was devoid of animals and bereft of birds.

Words meanings summery:

• पुरा (purā) - long ago (formerly, anciently, long ago)

• त्रेतायुगे (tretāyuge) - in the Tretā age (tretāyuga) (in the Tretā age)

• हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, surely, for, because)

• आसीत् (āsīt) - there was (there was, it was, he/she/it existed)

• अरण्यम् (araṇyam) - a forest (forest, wilderness)

• बहुविस्तरम् (bahuvistaram) - very extensive (very extensive, wide-spreading, vast)

• समन्तात् (samantāt) - all around (all around, on all sides, completely)

• योजनशतम् (yojanaśatam) - a hundred yojanas (a hundred yojanas, a distance of one hundred yojanas)

• निर्मृगम् (nirmṛgam) - devoid of animals (devoid of animals, without deer)

• पक्षिवर्जितम् (pakṣivarjitam) - bereft of birds (devoid of birds, without birds)

Words meanings and morphology

पुरा (purā) - long ago (formerly, anciently, long ago)

(indeclinable)

त्रेतायुगे (tretāyuge) - in the Tretā age (tretāyuga) (in the Tretā age)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of tretāyuga

tretāyuga - the Tretā age (the second of the four yugas)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tretā+yuga)

• tretā – the second of the four yugas, a triplet
  noun (feminine)
• yuga – age, era, period, yoke
  noun (masculine)

Note: Indicates the time when the event occurred.

हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, surely, for, because)

(indeclinable)

आसीत् (āsīt) - there was (there was, it was, he/she/it existed)

(verb)

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

imperfect active

from root √as (to be)

Root: as (class 2)

अरण्यम् (araṇyam) - a forest (forest, wilderness)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of araṇya

araṇya - forest, wilderness, desert, remote place

बहुविस्तरम् (bahuvistaram) - very extensive (very extensive, wide-spreading, vast)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of bahuvistara

bahuvistara - very extensive, of great extent, widespread

Compound type : karmadhāraya (bahu+vistara)

• bahu – many, much, numerous
  adjective
• vistara – extension, expanse, breadth, detail
  noun (masculine)

समन्तात् (samantāt) - all around (all around, on all sides, completely)

(indeclinable)

from samanta (all-sided) + tā/tāt suffix

योजनशतम् (yojanaśatam) - a hundred yojanas (a hundred yojanas, a distance of one hundred yojanas)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yojanaśata

yojanaśata - a hundred yojanas (a yojana is a measure of distance, approx. 8-15 km)

Compound type : dvigu (yojana+śata)

• yojana – a measure of distance (approx. 8-15 km), yoking, union
  noun (neuter)
• śata – hundred
  noun (neuter)

Note: Functions as a measure of extent for the forest.

निर्मृगम् (nirmṛgam) - devoid of animals (devoid of animals, without deer)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of nirmṛga

nirmṛga - without deer, without animals

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (nis+mṛga)

• nis – out, without, away from
  indeclinable
• mṛga – deer, wild animal, beast
  noun (masculine)

पक्षिवर्जितम् (pakṣivarjitam) - bereft of birds (devoid of birds, without birds)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pakṣivarjita

pakṣivarjita - devoid of birds, abandoned by birds

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pakṣin+varjita)

• pakṣin – bird, winged creature
  noun (masculine)
• varjita – abandoned, avoided, excluded, devoid of
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  from root √vṛj (to abandon, to avoid)
  Root: vṛj (class 10)

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