महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-48, verse-1

शौनक उवाच ।
सर्पसत्रे तदा राज्ञः पाण्डवेयस्य धीमतः ।
जनमेजयस्य के त्वासन्नृत्विजः परमर्षयः ॥१॥

1. śaunaka uvāca ,
sarpasatre tadā rājñaḥ pāṇḍaveyasya dhīmataḥ ,
janamejayasya ke tvāsannṛtvijaḥ paramarṣayaḥ.

1. śaunaka uvāca sarpasatre tadā rājñaḥ pāṇḍaveyasya
dhīmataḥ janamejayasya ke tu āsan ṛtvijaḥ paramarṣayaḥ

1. Śaunaka said: "Then, at the serpent sacrifice of the wise King Janamejaya, the son of Pāṇḍu, who, among the great sages, were the officiating priests?"

1. שַׁאוּנַקַה אמר, באותו טקס נחשים של המלך הנבון ג׳ַנַמֵג׳ַיַה, בן שושלת פָּאנְדוּ, מי היו כוהני הטקס, גדולי החוזים?

Words meanings summery:

• शौनक (śaunaka) - Śaunaka (the speaker) (Śaunaka (name of a sage))

• उवाच (uvāca) - he said (he said, spoke)

• सर्पसत्रे (sarpasatre) - in the great serpent-sacrificial ceremony (in the serpent sacrifice)

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that particular time (then, at that time)

• राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of the king (Janamejaya) (of the king)

• पाण्डवेयस्य (pāṇḍaveyasya) - of Pāṇḍu's son (Janamejaya) (of the son of Pāṇḍu)

• धीमतः (dhīmataḥ) - of the wise/intelligent (Janamejaya) (of the intelligent, of the wise)

• जनमेजयस्य (janamejayasya) - of Janamejaya (proper name) (of Janamejaya)

• के (ke) - who? (who? which?)

• तु (tu) - indeed (emphasizing the question) (but, on the other hand, indeed)

• आसन् (āsan) - they were (the priests) (they were)

• ऋत्विजः (ṛtvijaḥ) - the officiating priests (priests, sacrificers)

• परमर्षयः (paramarṣayaḥ) - the great sages (who served as priests) (great sages, supreme rishis)

Words meanings and morphology

शौनक (śaunaka) - Śaunaka (the speaker) (Śaunaka (name of a sage))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śaunaka

śaunaka - descendant of Śunaka, a sage, a family name

Proper noun.

उवाच (uvāca) - he said (he said, spoke)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (lit) of vac

perfect tense (lit)

3rd person singular perfect active. Root undergoes reduplication uva-.

Root: √vac (class 2)

सर्पसत्रे (sarpasatre) - in the great serpent-sacrificial ceremony (in the serpent sacrifice)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of sarpasatra

sarpasatra - a serpent-sacrifice, a particular sacrifice to appease serpents

Compound sarpa (serpent) + satra (sacrifice).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sarpa+satra)

• sarpa – serpent, snake
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun
  From √sṛp (to creep, glide).
  Root: √sṛp (class 1)
• satra – sacrifice, sacrificial session, assembly
  noun (neuter)
  action noun
  From √san (to gain) or √sad (to sit).
  Root: √san (class 8)

Note: The context for the previous verses.

तदा (tadā) - then, at that particular time (then, at that time)

(indeclinable)

From tad (that) + dā (time suffix).

राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of the king (Janamejaya) (of the king)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler, prince

n-stem masculine noun.

Root: √rāj (class 1)

Note: Qualifies Janamejaya.

पाण्डवेयस्य (pāṇḍaveyasya) - of Pāṇḍu's son (Janamejaya) (of the son of Pāṇḍu)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of pāṇḍaveya

pāṇḍaveya - son of Pāṇḍu, descendant of Pāṇḍu

patronymic

From pāṇḍu + eya suffix.

Note: Refers to Janamejaya, who is a descendant of Pāṇḍu's line.

धीमतः (dhīmataḥ) - of the wise/intelligent (Janamejaya) (of the intelligent, of the wise)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of dhīmat

dhīmat - intelligent, wise, thoughtful, sagacious

possesses dhī (intellect)

From dhī (intellect) + mat suffix.

Note: Qualifies Janamejaya.

जनमेजयस्य (janamejayasya) - of Janamejaya (proper name) (of Janamejaya)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of janamejaya

janamejaya - Janamejaya (a king, son of Parikṣit, grandson of Abhimanyu)

Proper noun. a-stem.

Note: The king performing the sacrifice.

के (ke) - who? (who? which?)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kim

kim - what, who, which, why

Interrogative pronoun.

Note: Asks about the identity of the priests.

तु (tu) - indeed (emphasizing the question) (but, on the other hand, indeed)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

आसन् (āsan) - they were (the priests) (they were)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of as

imperfect tense (laṅ)

3rd person plural imperfect active.

Root: √as (class 2)

ऋत्विजः (ṛtvijaḥ) - the officiating priests (priests, sacrificers)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ṛtvij

ṛtvij - priest, sacrificer, one who officiates at a sacrifice

agent noun

From ṛtu (season, proper time) + √yaj (to sacrifice) -> ṛtuyaj -> ṛtvij.

Compound type : upapada-tatpuruṣa (ṛtu+yaj)

• ṛtu – season, fixed time, proper time for sacrifice
  noun (masculine/neuter)
  u-stem masculine/neuter noun.
• yaj – sacrificing, worshipping
  verb_base
  root
  √yaj
  Root: √yaj (class 1)

Note: Subject of āsan.

परमर्षयः (paramarṣayaḥ) - the great sages (who served as priests) (great sages, supreme rishis)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of paramarṣi

paramarṣi - a great sage, a supreme rishi

Compound parama (supreme) + ṛṣi (sage).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (parama+ṛṣi)

• parama – supreme, highest, excellent, principal
  adjective (masculine/feminine/neuter)
  superlative
  Superlative of para (other, distant).
• ṛṣi – sage, seer, inspired poet
  noun (masculine)
  i-stem masculine noun.
  Root: √ṛṣ (class 1)

Note: Refers to the priests.

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