महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-203, verse-9

ततः पितामहः श्रुत्वा सर्वेषां तद्वचस्तदा ।
मुहूर्तमिव संचिन्त्य कर्तव्यस्य विनिश्चयम् ॥९॥

9. tataḥ pitāmahaḥ śrutvā sarveṣāṁ tadvacastadā ,
muhūrtamiva saṁcintya kartavyasya viniścayam.

9. tataḥ pitāmahaḥ śrutvā sarveṣām tat vacas tadā
muhūrtam iva saṃcintya kartavyasya viniścayam

9. Then, Brahmā (pitāmaha), having heard those words from everyone at that time, reflected for a moment, making a firm decision (viniścayam) about what was to be done.

Words meanings summery:

• ततः (tataḥ) - then, from there

• पितामहः (pitāmahaḥ) - Brahmā

• श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard

• सर्वेषाम् (sarveṣām) - of all the gods and sages (of all)

• तत् (tat) - that

• वचस् (vacas) - the words of the gods and sages (word, speech)

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• मुहूर्तम् (muhūrtam) - for a moment, a short time

• इव (iva) - as, like, as if

• संचिन्त्य (saṁcintya) - having reflected, having pondered

• कर्तव्यस्य (kartavyasya) - of what is to be done, of duty

• विनिश्चयम् (viniścayam) - determination, decision, firm resolve

Words meanings and morphology

ततः (tataḥ) - then, from there

(indeclinable)

पितामहः (pitāmahaḥ) - Brahmā

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather, Brahmā

Nominative singular, masculine.

Note: Subject of the sentence.

श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (gerund)

From root √śru (to hear).

Root: śru (class 5)

सर्वेषाम् (sarveṣām) - of all the gods and sages (of all)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

Genitive plural, masculine/neuter. Here, referring to the devagaṇa and paramarṣayaḥ.

Note: Qualifies 'vacas'.

तत् (tat) - that

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this

Neuter nominative/accusative singular. Here, accusative.

Note: Qualifies 'vacas'.

वचस् (vacas) - the words of the gods and sages (word, speech)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vacas

vacas - word, speech, saying

Neuter nominative/accusative singular. Here, accusative.

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Object of 'śrutvā'.

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

Derived from tad + dā (suffix for time)

मुहूर्तम् (muhūrtam) - for a moment, a short time

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of muhūrta

muhūrta - a moment, a period of 48 minutes, an auspicious time

Accusative singular, neuter, used adverbially to indicate duration.

Note: Used adverbially.

इव (iva) - as, like, as if

(indeclinable)

Note: Softens the preceding word, suggesting "for merely a moment".

संचिन्त्य (saṁcintya) - having reflected, having pondered

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (gerund)

From root √cit (to perceive, think) with upasarga sam, causative stem cintaya. Absolutive form with -ya suffix.

Prefix: sam

Root: cit (class 10)

कर्तव्यस्य (kartavyasya) - of what is to be done, of duty

(adjective)

Genitive, neuter, singular of kartavya

kartavya - to be done, proper to be done, duty

Gerundive (Potential Passive Participle)

From root √kṛ (to do, to make), with suffix -tavya. Genitive singular, neuter.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Qualifies 'viniścayam'.

विनिश्चयम् (viniścayam) - determination, decision, firm resolve

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of viniścaya

viniścaya - ascertainment, determination, firm decision

From √ci (to gather) with upasargas vi and ni, with suffix -aya. Accusative singular, masculine.

Prefixes: vi+ni

Root: ci (class 5)

Note: Object of 'saṃcintya'.