Word Meaning
सुनाता
sunātā
Meaning
Makes one hear, tells, recites, or sharply retorts.
Detailed Meaning
A masculine singular imperfect participle form of the causative verb 'sunānā', meaning to tell, recount, or cause to hear. In this couplet, it carries the idiomatic sense of retorting sharply or scolding ('kharī-khoṭī sunānā'). The speaker laments that uttering a single word brings down a barrage of ten reproaches from the beloved's sharp tongue.
Etymology
Derived via Prakrit from Sanskrit 'शृणोति' (śṛṇoti, 'hears'), developed into Hindustani 'sunnā' (to hear) and its causative 'sunānā' (to cause to hear).
Usage
In classical ghazal, 'sunānā' commonly conveys either reciting the tale of one's grief (dāstān sunānā) or receiving bitter rebukes from the beloved.
Examples
He relates the affliction of his heart to everyone.
If I speak once, she retorts ten times.