महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-51, verse-21

सूत उवाच ।
आस्तीकेनैवमुक्तस्तु राजा पारिक्षितस्तदा ।
पुनः पुनरुवाचेदमास्तीकं वदतां वरम् ॥२१॥

21. sūta uvāca ,
āstīkenaivamuktastu rājā pārikṣitastadā ,
punaḥ punaruvācedamāstīkaṁ vadatāṁ varam.

21. sūtaḥ uvāca | Āstīkena eva uktaḥ tu rājā pārikṣitaḥ
tadā | punaḥ punaḥ uvāca idam Āstīkam vadatām varam

21. Sūta said: King Parikṣit, having been addressed thus by Āstīka, then repeatedly spoke to Āstīka, the best of speakers.

Words meanings summery:

• सूतः (sūtaḥ) - Sūta (proper name) (charioteer, bard, Sūta (a proper name))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• आस्तीकेन (āstīkena) - by Āstīka

• एव (eva) - thus, indeed (emphasizing the manner of addressing) (only, indeed, just, thus)

• उक्तः (uktaḥ) - addressed (passive past participle) (said, spoken, addressed)

• तु (tu) - however (conjunction, indicating a slight shift or emphasis) (but, however, indeed)

• राजा (rājā) - king

• पारिक्षितः (pārikṣitaḥ) - Parikṣit (referring to King Janamejaya, son of Parikṣit) (son of Parikṣit, name of Janamejaya)

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

• पुनः (punaḥ) - again (again, repeatedly)

• पुनः (punaḥ) - again (in repetition with previous 'punaḥ') (again, repeatedly)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• इदम् (idam) - this (referring to what he said) (this, this one)

• आस्तीकम् (āstīkam) - to Āstīka

• वदताम् (vadatām) - of speakers (of those speaking, among speakers)

• वरम् (varam) - the best, excellent one (best, excellent, boon, chooseable)

Words meanings and morphology

सूतः (sūtaḥ) - Sūta (proper name) (charioteer, bard, Sūta (a proper name))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sūta

sūta - a charioteer, a bard, a class of mixed caste, Sūta (proper name)

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (liṭ) of vac

Root: vac (class 2)

आस्तीकेन (āstīkena) - by Āstīka

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of Āstīka

Āstīka - name of a sage, son of Jaratkāru and Jaratkāru

एव (eva) - thus, indeed (emphasizing the manner of addressing) (only, indeed, just, thus)

(indeclinable)

उक्तः (uktaḥ) - addressed (passive past participle) (said, spoken, addressed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ukta

ukta - said, spoken, declared

past participle

kta suffix

Root: vac (class 2)

तु (tu) - however (conjunction, indicating a slight shift or emphasis) (but, however, indeed)

(indeclinable)

राजा (rājā) - king

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, sovereign, ruler

पारिक्षितः (pārikṣitaḥ) - Parikṣit (referring to King Janamejaya, son of Parikṣit) (son of Parikṣit, name of Janamejaya)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pārikṣita

pārikṣita - descendant of Parikṣit, a patronymic of Janamejaya

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

(indeclinable)

पुनः (punaḥ) - again (again, repeatedly)

(indeclinable)

पुनः (punaḥ) - again (in repetition with previous 'punaḥ') (again, repeatedly)

(indeclinable)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (liṭ) of vac

Root: vac (class 2)

इदम् (idam) - this (referring to what he said) (this, this one)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this one, here

आस्तीकम् (āstīkam) - to Āstīka

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of Āstīka

Āstīka - name of a sage, son of Jaratkāru and Jaratkāru

वदताम् (vadatām) - of speakers (of those speaking, among speakers)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of vadat

vadat - speaking, speaker

present participle

śatṛ suffix

Root: vad (class 1)

वरम् (varam) - the best, excellent one (best, excellent, boon, chooseable)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, choice, boon, bridegroom

Root: vṛ (class 9)

Note: Agrees with Āstīkam, qualifying Āstīka as 'the best'.