वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-7, chapter-84, verse-10

लोभश्चापि न कर्तव्यः स्वल्पो ऽपि धनकाङ्क्षया ।
किं धनेनाश्रमस्थानां फलमूलोपभोगिनाम् ॥१०॥

10. lobhaścāpi na kartavyaḥ svalpo'pi dhanakāṅkṣayā ,
kiṃ dhanenāśramasthānāṃ phalamūlopabhoginām.

10. lobhaḥ ca api na kartavyaḥ su-alpaḥ api dhana-kāṅkṣayā
kim dhanena āśrama-sthānām phala-mūla-upabhoginām

10. lobhaḥ ca api su-alpaḥ api dhana-kāṅkṣayā na kartavyaḥ
āśrama-sthānām phala-mūla-upabhoginām dhanena kim

10. Greed (lobha) should not be indulged, not even a little, out of desire for wealth. What is the use of wealth for those residing in an hermitage (āśrama) who subsist on fruits and roots?

Words meanings summery:

• लोभः (lobhaḥ) - greed (greed, covetousness, desire)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• कर्तव्यः (kartavyaḥ) - should be indulged (lit. 'to be done') (to be done, ought to be done, should be performed)

• सु-अल्पः (su-alpaḥ) - even a little (lobha) (very small, tiny, very little)

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

• धन-काङ्क्षया (dhana-kāṅkṣayā) - out of desire for wealth (by desire for wealth, with a longing for riches)

• किम् (kim) - what is the use? (what?, why?, what use?)

• धनेन (dhanena) - with wealth, of wealth (in the sense "what's the use of wealth?") (by wealth, with wealth)

• आश्रम-स्थानाम् (āśrama-sthānām) - for those residing in an hermitage (āśrama) (of those residing in an hermitage, of those who stay in an āśrama)

• फल-मूल-उपभोगिनाम् (phala-mūla-upabhoginām) - for those who subsist on fruits and roots (of those subsisting on fruits and roots)

Words meanings and morphology

लोभः (lobhaḥ) - greed (greed, covetousness, desire)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of lobha

lobha - greed, covetousness, desire, avarice

from root lubh (to desire)

Root: lubh (class 4)

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

कर्तव्यः (kartavyaḥ) - should be indulged (lit. 'to be done') (to be done, ought to be done, should be performed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kartavya

kartavya - to be done, proper to be done, fit to be done

gerundive (kṛtya)

from root kṛ (to do) with tavya suffix

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Implies an obligation or duty.

सु-अल्पः (su-alpaḥ) - even a little (lobha) (very small, tiny, very little)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of svalpa

svalpa - very little, very small, slight

Compound of su (good, very) and alpa (little)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (implied 'very little') (su+alpa)

• su – good, well, very, excellent
  indeclinable
• alpa – small, little, few, insignificant
  adjective (masculine)

अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

धन-काङ्क्षया (dhana-kāṅkṣayā) - out of desire for wealth (by desire for wealth, with a longing for riches)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of dhanakāṅkṣā

dhanakāṅkṣā - desire for wealth, longing for riches

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dhana+kāṅkṣā)

• dhana – wealth, riches, property, money
  noun (neuter)
• kāṅkṣā – desire, longing, wish, yearning
  noun (feminine)
  from root kāṅkṣ (to desire)
  Root: kāṅkṣ (class 1)

किम् (kim) - what is the use? (what?, why?, what use?)

(indeclinable)

Note: Functions as an interrogative adverb here.

धनेन (dhanena) - with wealth, of wealth (in the sense "what's the use of wealth?") (by wealth, with wealth)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of dhana

dhana - wealth, riches, property, money

आश्रम-स्थानाम् (āśrama-sthānām) - for those residing in an hermitage (āśrama) (of those residing in an hermitage, of those who stay in an āśrama)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of āśramastha

āśramastha - residing in an āśrama, an ascetic, a hermit

Compound āśrama (hermitage) + stha (standing, abiding)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (āśrama+stha)

• āśrama – hermitage, sacred retreat; a stage of life
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: ā
  Root: śram (class 4)
• stha – standing, abiding, dwelling, situated in
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun/suffix
  from root sthā (to stand)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

फल-मूल-उपभोगिनाम् (phala-mūla-upabhoginām) - for those who subsist on fruits and roots (of those subsisting on fruits and roots)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of phalamūlopabhogin

phalamūlopabhogin - one who subsists on fruits and roots

Compound of phala (fruit), mūla (root) and upabhogin (enjoyer, consumer)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (describing the upabhogin) (phala+mūla+upabhogin)

• phala – fruit, result, reward
  noun (neuter)
• mūla – root, origin, basis
  noun (neuter)
• upabhogin – enjoyer, consumer, partaker
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun
  from upasarga upa + root bhuj (to enjoy, consume)
  Prefix: upa
  Root: bhuj (class 7)

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