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

निशाचरैस्तुद्यमानो मीनैरिव महातिमिः ।
शार्ङ्गमायम्य गात्राणि राक्षसानां महाहवे ॥७॥

7. niśācaraistudyamāno mīnairiva mahātimiḥ ,
śārṅgamāyamya gātrāṇi rākṣasānāṃ mahāhave.

7. niśācaraiḥ tudyamānaḥ mīnaiḥ iva mahā-timiḥ
śārṅgam āyamya gātrāṇi rākṣasānām mahā-āhave

7. mīnaiḥ iva mahā-timiḥ niśācaraiḥ tudyamānaḥ
śārṅgam āyamya mahā-āhave rākṣasānām gātrāṇi

7. Being tormented by the rākṣasas, just as a great whale is by (smaller) fish, (Viṣṇu) drew his Śārṅga bow, (aiming at) the bodies of the rākṣasas in the great battle.

Words meanings summery:

• निशाचरैः (niśācaraiḥ) - by the rākṣasas (by night-wanderers, by rākṣasas)

• तुद्यमानः (tudyamānaḥ) - being tormented, being pushed, being annoyed

• मीनैः (mīnaiḥ) - by (smaller) fish (by fish, with fish)

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• महा-तिमिः (mahā-timiḥ) - a great whale, a large leviathan

• शार्ङ्गम् (śārṅgam) - Viṣṇu's Śārṅga bow (the Śārṅga bow)

• आयम्य (āyamya) - having drawn (his bow) (having drawn, having stretched, having restrained)

• गात्राणि (gātrāṇi) - bodies (limbs, bodies)

• राक्षसानाम् (rākṣasānām) - of the rākṣasas

• महा-आहवे (mahā-āhave) - in the great battle, in the great war

Words meanings and morphology

निशाचरैः (niśācaraiḥ) - by the rākṣasas (by night-wanderers, by rākṣasas)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of niśācara

niśācara - night-wanderer, rākṣasa, demon

compound of niśā (night) and cara (moving)

Compound type : tatpurusha (niśā+cara)

• niśā – night
  noun (feminine)
• cara – moving, wandering
  adjective (masculine)
  derived from root car (to move)
  Root: car (class 1)

Note: Agents of torment.

तुद्यमानः (tudyamānaḥ) - being tormented, being pushed, being annoyed

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tudyamāna

tudyamāna - being tormented, being pierced

Present Passive Participle

derived from root tud (to torment, push) in passive voice

Root: tud (class 6)

Note: Describes the state of the subject.

मीनैः (mīnaiḥ) - by (smaller) fish (by fish, with fish)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of mīna

mīna - fish

Note: Instruments of torment for the whale.

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

particle of comparison

महा-तिमिः (mahā-timiḥ) - a great whale, a large leviathan

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mahātimi

mahātimi - great whale, leviathan

compound of mahat (great) and timi (whale)

Compound type : karmadharaya (mahat+timi)

• mahat – great, large
  adjective (masculine)
• timi – whale, large fish
  noun (masculine)
  Root: tim

Note: Subject of the simile, compared to Viṣṇu.

शार्ङ्गम् (śārṅgam) - Viṣṇu's Śārṅga bow (the Śārṅga bow)

(proper noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śārṅga

śārṅga - Viṣṇu's bow (named Śārṅga), made of horn

derived from śṛṅga (horn), also the name of Viṣṇu's bow

Note: Object of 'āyamya'.

आयम्य (āyamya) - having drawn (his bow) (having drawn, having stretched, having restrained)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund) with prefix

derived from root yam (to restrain, stretch) with prefix ā

Prefix: ā

Root: yam (class 1)

Note: Connects to the action in the next verse.

गात्राणि (gātrāṇi) - bodies (limbs, bodies)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of gātra

gātra - limb, body

Root: gā (class 3)

Note: Object of the implied action (cutting, piercing).

राक्षसानाम् (rākṣasānām) - of the rākṣasas

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of rākṣasa

rākṣasa - rākṣasa, demon

Note: Possessive, 'bodies of the rākṣasas'.

महा-आहवे (mahā-āhave) - in the great battle, in the great war

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of mahāhava

mahāhava - great battle, great war

compound of mahat (great) and āhava (battle)

Compound type : karmadharaya (mahat+āhava)

• mahat – great, large
  adjective (masculine)
• āhava – battle, war, challenge
  noun (masculine)
  derived from root hu with prefix ā
  Prefix: ā
  Root: hu (class 3)

Note: Setting of the action.