कथम् [ katham ] [ kathám ] ind. ( fr. 2. [ ka ] ) , how? in what manner? whence? (e.g. [ katham etat ] , how is that? [ katham idānīm ] , how now? what is now to be done? [ katham mārātmake tvayi viśvāsaḥ ] , how can there be reliance on thee of murderous mind? [ katham utsṛjya tvāṃ gaccheyam ] , how can I go away deserting you? [ katham buddhvā bhaviṣyati sā ] , how will she be when she awakes? [ katham mṛtyuḥ ] , [prabhavati vedavidām ] , whence is it that death has power over those that know the Veda? [ katham avagamyate ] , whence is it inferred?)

sometimes [ katham ] merely introduces an interrogation (e.g. [ katham ātmānaṃ nivedayāmi kathaṃ vātmāpahāraṃ karomi ] , shall I declare myself or shall I withdraw?) [ katham ] is often found in connection with the particles [ iva ] , [ nāma ] , [ nu ] , [ svid ] , which appear to generalize the interrogation (how possibly? how indeed? )

with [ nu ] it is sometimes = [ kimu ] , or [ kutas ] (e.g. [ katkaṃ nu ] , how much more! [ na kathaṃ nu ] , how much less!) [ katham ] is often connected , like [ kim ] , with the particles [ cana ] , [ cid ] , and [ api ] , which give an indefinite sense to the interrogative (e.g. [ kathaṃ cana ] , in any way , some how ; scarcely , with difficulty ; [ na kathaṃ cana ] , in no way at all ; [ kathaṃcit ] , some how or other , by some means or other , in any way , with some difficulty , scarcely , in a moderate degree , a little ; [ na kathaṃcit ] , not at all , in no way whatever ; [ na kathaṃcid na ] , in no way not i.e. most decidedly ; [ yathā kathaṃcit ] , in any way whatsoever ; [ kathaṃcid yadi jīvati ] , it is with difficulty that he lives ; [ katham api ] , some how or other , with some difficulty , scarcely a little ; [ katham api na ] , by no means , not at all) Lit. RV.

according to lexicographers [ katham ] is a particle implying amazement

surprise

pleasure

abuse.