महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-58, verse-3

वैशंपायन उवाच ।
रहस्यं खल्विदं राजन्देवानामिति नः श्रुतम् ।
तत्तु ते कथयिष्यामि नमस्कृत्वा स्वयंभुवे ॥३॥

3. vaiśaṁpāyana uvāca ,
rahasyaṁ khalvidaṁ rājandevānāmiti naḥ śrutam ,
tattu te kathayiṣyāmi namaskṛtvā svayaṁbhuve.

3. vaiśaṃpāyanaḥ uvāca rahasyam khalu idam rājan devānām iti
naḥ śrutam tat tu te kathayiṣyāmi namaskṛtvā svayaṃbhuve

3. Vaiśampāyana said: 'O King, this is indeed a secret concerning the gods, as we have heard. However, I will recount it to you after offering obeisance to Svayambhu (Brahma).'

Words meanings summery:

• वैशंपायनः (vaiśaṁpāyanaḥ) - Vaiśampāyana (proper name)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• रहस्यम् (rahasyam) - secret, mystery

• खलु (khalu) - indeed, certainly

• इदम् (idam) - this

• राजन् (rājan) - O king

• देवानाम् (devānām) - of the gods

• इति (iti) - thus (thus, so)

• नः (naḥ) - by us (by us, to us)

• श्रुतम् (śrutam) - it has been heard (heard)

• तत् (tat) - that (secret) (that)

• तु (tu) - but, however

• ते (te) - to you, for you

• कथयिष्यामि (kathayiṣyāmi) - I shall tell, I shall narrate

• नमस्कृत्वा (namaskṛtvā) - after offering obeisance (having bowed, after saluting)

• स्वयंभुवे (svayaṁbhuve) - to Svayambhu (Brahma) (to Svayambhu (the self-born))

Words meanings and morphology

वैशंपायनः (vaiśaṁpāyanaḥ) - Vaiśampāyana (proper name)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vaiśaṃpāyana

vaiśaṁpāyana - Vaiśampāyana (name of a sage, pupil of Vyāsa)

Note: Speaker of the verse.

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

रहस्यम् (rahasyam) - secret, mystery

(noun)

neuter, singular of rahasya

rahasya - secret, mystery, private matter

from rahas (seclusion, secret)

Note: Predicate nominative for 'idam'.

खलु (khalu) - indeed, certainly

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

इदम् (idam) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, he, she, it (very near speaker)

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'is'.

राजन् (rājan) - O king

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Note: Addressing Janamejaya.

देवानाम् (devānām) - of the gods

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of deva

deva - god, deity

Note: Qualifies rahasyam.

इति (iti) - thus (thus, so)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects 'secret of the gods' with 'we have heard'.

नः (naḥ) - by us (by us, to us)

(pronoun)

plural of asmad

asmad - I, me, we, us

Note: Here used as instrumental plural 'by us'.

श्रुतम् (śrutam) - it has been heard (heard)

(participle)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śruta

śruta - heard, listened, revealed

past passive participle

from root śru (to hear)

Root: śru (class 5)

Note: Impersonal construction ('it was heard').

तत् (tat) - that (secret) (that)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers back to 'rahasyam'.

तु (tu) - but, however

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces a contrast or a new sentence.

ते (te) - to you, for you

(pronoun)

singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

Note: Recipient of the narration.

कथयिष्यामि (kathayiṣyāmi) - I shall tell, I shall narrate

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, future (lṛṭ) of kathay

causative/denominal

denominal from kathā (story), or causative from kath

Root: kath (class 10)

Note: Main verb of the second clause.

नमस्कृत्वा (namaskṛtvā) - after offering obeisance (having bowed, after saluting)

(indeclinable participle)

Note: Expresses an action completed before the main verb.

स्वयंभुवे (svayaṁbhuve) - to Svayambhu (Brahma) (to Svayambhu (the self-born))

(noun)

Dative, masculine, singular of svayaṃbhū

svayaṁbhū - the self-existent, self-born (an epithet of Brahma)

svayam (self) + bhū (being, born)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (svayam+bhū)

• svayam – self, personally, spontaneously
  indeclinable
• bhū – being, existence, born, arising
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun
  from root bhū
  Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Object of namaskṛtvā.