महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-38, verse-4

पित्रा पुत्रो वयःस्थोऽपि सततं वाच्य एव तु ।
यथा स्याद्गुणसंयुक्तः प्राप्नुयाच्च महद्यशः ॥४॥

4. pitrā putro vayaḥstho'pi satataṁ vācya eva tu ,
yathā syādguṇasaṁyuktaḥ prāpnuyācca mahadyaśaḥ.

4. pitrā putraḥ vayaḥsthaḥ api satatam vācyaḥ eva tu
yathā syāt guṇasaṃyuktaḥ prāpnuyāt ca mahat yaśaḥ

4. A father should always advise his son, even if the son is grown up, so that he may become endowed with virtues and achieve great fame.

Words meanings summery:

• पित्रा (pitrā) - by a father (by the father)

• पुत्रः (putraḥ) - a son (son)

• वयःस्थः (vayaḥsthaḥ) - grown up (of age, grown up, mature)

• अपि (api) - even if (even, also, too)

• सततम् (satatam) - always (always, constantly)

• वाच्यः (vācyaḥ) - should be advised (to be spoken to, to be advised, to be told)

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly (indeed, certainly, only)

• तु (tu) - indeed, for this purpose (but, yet, indeed)

• यथा (yathā) - so that (as, so that, in order that)

• स्यात् (syāt) - may become (may be, might be, should be)

• गुणसंयुक्तः (guṇasaṁyuktaḥ) - endowed with virtues (endowed with virtues, possessing good qualities)

• प्राप्नुयात् (prāpnuyāt) - may achieve (may obtain, may achieve)

• च (ca) - and

• महत् (mahat) - great (great, large, mighty)

• यशः (yaśaḥ) - fame (fame, glory, renown)

Words meanings and morphology

पित्रा (pitrā) - by a father (by the father)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of pitṛ

pitṛ - father

Note: Agent in the passive construction 'vācyaḥ'.

पुत्रः (putraḥ) - a son (son)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son

Note: Subject of 'vācyaḥ' (passive construction).

वयःस्थः (vayaḥsthaḥ) - grown up (of age, grown up, mature)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vayaḥstha

vayaḥstha - standing in age, of age, grown up, mature

Compound of vayas (age) and stha (standing, from sthā).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vayas+stha)

• vayas – age, period of life
  noun (neuter)
• stha – standing, situated in
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun
  From root sthā (to stand).
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'putraḥ'.

अपि (api) - even if (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

सततम् (satatam) - always (always, constantly)

(indeclinable)

Derived from sa-tata (always extended). Also functions as an adverb.

Compound type : bahuvrīhi/tatpuruṣa (sa+tata)

• sa – with, together with
  indeclinable
• tata – stretched, extended
  adjective (neuter)
  past passive participle
  From root tan (to stretch).
  Root: tan (class 8)

वाच्यः (vācyaḥ) - should be advised (to be spoken to, to be advised, to be told)

(nominal form)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vācya

vācya - to be spoken, to be said, to be advised

gerundive / potential passive participle

From root vac (to speak), with suffix -ya.

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Agrees with 'putraḥ'. Implies a sense of obligation or suitability ('should be advised').

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly (indeed, certainly, only)

(indeclinable)

तु (tu) - indeed, for this purpose (but, yet, indeed)

(indeclinable)

यथा (yathā) - so that (as, so that, in order that)

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces a purpose clause.

स्यात् (syāt) - may become (may be, might be, should be)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

गुणसंयुक्तः (guṇasaṁyuktaḥ) - endowed with virtues (endowed with virtues, possessing good qualities)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of guṇasaṃyukta

guṇasaṁyukta - endowed with good qualities, virtuous

compound of noun and past passive participle

Compound of guṇa (quality, virtue) and saṃyukta (joined, endowed with, from sam-yuj).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (guṇa+saṃyukta)

• guṇa – quality, virtue, good quality
  noun (masculine)
• saṃyukta – joined, connected, endowed with
  adjective (masculine)
  past passive participle
  From sam-yuj (to join together).
  Prefix: sam
  Root: yuj (class 7)

Note: Predicate adjective agreeing with implied subject (putra).

प्राप्नुयात् (prāpnuyāt) - may achieve (may obtain, may achieve)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of prāp

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

महत् (mahat) - great (great, large, mighty)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, mighty, considerable

Note: Agrees with 'yaśaḥ'.

यशः (yaśaḥ) - fame (fame, glory, renown)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of yaśas

yaśas - fame, glory, renown, splendor

Note: Object of 'prāpnuyāt'.