योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-1, chapter-8, verse-25

कथं तेन प्रकर्तव्यं तेषां रामेण रक्षसाम् ।
मामकैर्बालकैर्ब्रह्मन्मया वा कूटयोधिनाम् ॥ २५ ॥

kathaṃ tena prakartavyaṃ teṣāṃ rāmeṇa rakṣasām ,
māmakairbālakairbrahmanmayā vā kūṭayodhinām 25

25. kathaṃ tena prakartavyam teṣām rāmeṇa rakṣasām
māmakaiḥ bālakaiḥ brahman mayā vā kūṭayodhinām

25. O Brāhmaṇa, how should those rākṣasas, who are treacherous fighters, be dealt with by Rāma, or by my sons, or by me?

Words meanings summery:

• कथं (kathaṁ) - how, in what manner

• तेन (tena) - refers to Rāma (by that, by him)

• प्रकर्तव्यम् (prakartavyam) - should be dealt with, should be acted upon (should be done, ought to be performed, to be dealt with)

• तेषाम् (teṣām) - refers to the rākṣasas (of those, for them)

• रामेण (rāmeṇa) - by Rāma

• रक्षसाम् (rakṣasām) - of rākṣasas, of demons

• मामकैः (māmakaiḥ) - by my sons (by my (ones), by those related to me)

• बालकैः (bālakaiḥ) - by my sons (by the boys, by the children)

• ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - Addressing Viśvāmitra (O Brāhmaṇa, O sage)

• मया (mayā) - by me

• वा (vā) - or

• कूटयोधिनाम् (kūṭayodhinām) - of the treacherous fighters, of those fighting unfairly

Words meanings and morphology

कथं (kathaṁ) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

from kim + thaṃl suffix

तेन (tena) - refers to Rāma (by that, by him)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Agent of the gerundive.

प्रकर्तव्यम् (prakartavyam) - should be dealt with, should be acted upon (should be done, ought to be performed, to be dealt with)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of prakartavya

prakartavya - to be done, to be performed, to be acted upon

gerundive (future passive participle)

formed from pra + root kṛ + suffix tavya

Prefix: pra

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: The agent is in the instrumental case.

तेषाम् (teṣām) - refers to the rākṣasas (of those, for them)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Genitive of interest or belonging.

रामेण (rāmeṇa) - by Rāma

(proper noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of rāma

rāma - Rāma (name of the hero)

Root: ram (class 1)

Note: Agent of the gerundive.

रक्षसाम् (rakṣasām) - of rākṣasas, of demons

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of rakṣas

rakṣas - a demon, an evil spirit, a rākṣasa

Root: rakṣ

Note: Genitive plural for 'rakṣas'.

मामकैः (māmakaiḥ) - by my sons (by my (ones), by those related to me)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of māmaka

māmaka - my, mine, belonging to me

from mam (me) + ka suffix

Note: Agrees with bālakaiḥ.

बालकैः (bālakaiḥ) - by my sons (by the boys, by the children)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of bālaka

bālaka - boy, child, youth

from bala (strength, child) + ka suffix

Note: Agent of the gerundive.

ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - Addressing Viśvāmitra (O Brāhmaṇa, O sage)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of brahman

brahman - Brāhmaṇa (a member of the priestly class), sage, sacred word, the absolute (brahman)

from root bṛh (to grow, swell)

Root: bṛh (class 1)

मया (mayā) - by me

(pronoun)

Instrumental, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

Note: Agent of the gerundive.

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

कूटयोधिनाम् (kūṭayodhinām) - of the treacherous fighters, of those fighting unfairly

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of kūṭayodhin

kūṭayodhin - treacherous fighter, one who fights unfairly

compound of kūṭa (deceit, falsehood) and yodhin (fighter)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kūṭa+yodhin)

• kūṭa – deceit, fraud, falsehood, trick
  noun (neuter)
• yodhin – fighter, warrior
  noun (masculine)
  root yudh + ṇini suffix
  Root: yudh (class 4)

Note: Agrees with rakṣasām.