महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-51, verse-6

सूत उवाच ।
यथा सूतो लोहिताक्षो महात्मा पौराणिको वेदितवान्पुरस्तात् ।
स राजानं प्राह पृष्टस्तदानीं यथाहुर्विप्रास्तद्वदेतन्नृदेव ॥६॥

6. sūta uvāca ,
yathā sūto lohitākṣo mahātmā; paurāṇiko veditavānpurastāt ,
sa rājānaṁ prāha pṛṣṭastadānīṁ; yathāhurviprāstadvadetannṛdeva.

6. sūtaḥ uvāca | yathā sūtaḥ lohitākṣaḥ
mahātmā paurāṇikaḥ veditavān purastāt
| saḥ rājānam prāha pṛṣṭaḥ tadānīm
yathā āhuḥ viprāḥ tat vadet etat nṛdeva

6. The Sūta said: "Just as Sūta Lohitākṣa, the great-souled narrator of ancient lore, had previously known, so he, when questioned by the king at that time, spoke to him: 'O King, you should narrate this story exactly as the learned Brahmins recount it.'"

Words meanings summery:

• सूतः (sūtaḥ) - The Sūta (referring to the main narrator of this text) (narrator, bard)

• उवाच (uvāca) - he said, he spoke

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as, according to

• सूतः (sūtaḥ) - Sūta Lohitākṣa, a specific narrator mentioned in the narrative (narrator, bard)

• लोहिताक्षः (lohitākṣaḥ) - Name of a Sūta, 'Red-eyed' (red-eyed)

• महात्मा (mahātmā) - the great-souled (Sūta Lohitākṣa) (great-souled, noble, magnanimous)

• पौराणिकः (paurāṇikaḥ) - a narrator of ancient lore (relating to ancient times, a narrator of ancient tales)

• वेदितवान् (veditavān) - had known (having known, one who knew)

• पुरस्तात् (purastāt) - previously, before (before, formerly, previously, in front of)

• सः (saḥ) - he (Sūta Lohitākṣa) (he, that)

• राजानम् (rājānam) - king

• प्राह (prāha) - he spoke, he said

• पृष्टः (pṛṣṭaḥ) - when asked, having been questioned (asked, questioned)

• तदानीम् (tadānīm) - then, at that time

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as, according to

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say (in a general sense, i.e., it is said by them) (they say, they said)

• विप्राः (viprāḥ) - the learned Brahmins (Brahmins, learned ones)

• तत् (tat) - so, thus (that, so, thus)

• वदेत् (vadet) - you should narrate (respectful third person optative used for second person) (he/she/it should speak/narrate)

• एतत् (etat) - this (story or matter) (this)

• नृदेव (nṛdeva) - O king (lord of men, king)

Words meanings and morphology

सूतः (sūtaḥ) - The Sūta (referring to the main narrator of this text) (narrator, bard)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sūta

sūta - charioteer, bard, narrator

From √sū (to impel, to create) or √sū (to produce) + -ta suffix

Root: sū (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - he said, he spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of uvāca

Perfect 3rd singular of √vac

Root: vac (class 2)

यथा (yathā) - as, just as, according to

(indeclinable)

सूतः (sūtaḥ) - Sūta Lohitākṣa, a specific narrator mentioned in the narrative (narrator, bard)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sūta

sūta - charioteer, bard, narrator

From √sū (to impel, to create) or √sū (to produce) + -ta suffix

Root: sū (class 1)

लोहिताक्षः (lohitākṣaḥ) - Name of a Sūta, 'Red-eyed' (red-eyed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of lohitākṣa

lohitākṣa - red-eyed

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (lohita+akṣa)

• lohita – red, reddish
  adjective
• akṣa – eye; die (for gambling); axle
  noun (neuter)

महात्मा (mahātmā) - the great-souled (Sūta Lohitākṣa) (great-souled, noble, magnanimous)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mahātman

mahātman - great-souled, noble, magnanimous

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (mahat+ātman)

• mahat – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence
  noun (masculine)

पौराणिकः (paurāṇikaḥ) - a narrator of ancient lore (relating to ancient times, a narrator of ancient tales)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of paurāṇika

paurāṇika - relating to ancient times or Purāṇas; one who knows/recounts Purāṇas

Derived from 'purāṇa' (ancient tale) with suffix '-ika'

वेदितवान् (veditavān) - had known (having known, one who knew)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of veditavat

veditavat - having known, understood

perfect active participle

Derived from √vid (to know) + -tavat suffix

Root: vid (class 2)

पुरस्तात् (purastāt) - previously, before (before, formerly, previously, in front of)

(indeclinable)

सः (saḥ) - he (Sūta Lohitākṣa) (he, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

राजानम् (rājānam) - king

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

प्राह (prāha) - he spoke, he said

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of prāha

Perfect 3rd singular of √ah or √brū with prefix pra-

Prefix: pra

Root: brū (class 2)

पृष्टः (pṛṣṭaḥ) - when asked, having been questioned (asked, questioned)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pṛṣṭa

pṛṣṭa - asked, questioned

past passive participle

Derived from √prach (to ask)

Root: prach (class 6)

तदानीम् (tadānīm) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

यथा (yathā) - as, just as, according to

(indeclinable)

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say (in a general sense, i.e., it is said by them) (they say, they said)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, perfect (used as present) (lit) of āhuḥ

Perfect 3rd plural of √brū, often used in a present sense

Root: brū (class 2)

विप्राः (viprāḥ) - the learned Brahmins (Brahmins, learned ones)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of vipra

vipra - Brahmin, priest, inspired, wise

तत् (tat) - so, thus (that, so, thus)

(pronoun)

neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Used here adverbially, meaning 'so' or 'thus'.

वदेत् (vadet) - you should narrate (respectful third person optative used for second person) (he/she/it should speak/narrate)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of vad

Root: vad (class 1)

एतत् (etat) - this (story or matter) (this)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, he, she, it

नृदेव (nṛdeva) - O king (lord of men, king)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of nṛdeva

nṛdeva - lord of men, king

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nṛ+deva)

• nṛ – man, male, human being
  noun (masculine)
• deva – god, deity, lord, king
  noun (masculine)