महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-76, verse-23

देवयान्युवाच ।
कथमाशीविषात्सर्पाज्ज्वलनात्सर्वतोमुखात् ।
दुराधर्षतरो विप्र इत्यात्थ पुरुषर्षभ ॥२३॥

23. devayānyuvāca ,
kathamāśīviṣātsarpājjvalanātsarvatomukhāt ,
durādharṣataro vipra ityāttha puruṣarṣabha.

23. devayānī uvāca katham āśīviṣāt sarpāt jvalanāt
sarvatomukhāt durādharṣataraḥ vipraḥ iti āttha puruṣarṣabha

23. Devayani said: "O best among men, how is it, O Brahmin, that you declare someone to be more formidable than a venomous serpent or an all-consuming fire?"

Words meanings summery:

• देवयानी (devayānī) - Daughter of Shukracharya (Devayani)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• कथम् (katham) - how, why

• आशीविषात् (āśīviṣāt) - from a venomous snake, than a poisonous snake

• सर्पात् (sarpāt) - from a snake, than a snake

• ज्वलनात् (jvalanāt) - from a fire, than a fire

• सर्वतोमुखात् (sarvatomukhāt) - describing fire (from an all-devouring, than one with mouths in all directions)

• दुराधर्षतरः (durādharṣataraḥ) - more irresistible, more difficult to overcome, more formidable

• विप्रः (vipraḥ) - The Brahmin (Shukra) being discussed by Yayati and Devayani (Brahmin, learned person)

• इति (iti) - Introduces the reported speech or thought (thus, in this manner, that)

• आत्थ (āttha) - you say, you speak

• पुरुषर्षभ (puruṣarṣabha) - Addressing King Yayati (O best among men, O foremost of men)

Words meanings and morphology

देवयानी (devayānī) - Daughter of Shukracharya (Devayani)

(proper noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of devayānī

devayānī - Devayani (proper noun)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect Active

Root 'vac' (2nd class), Perfect tense, 3rd person singular

Root: vac (class 2)

कथम् (katham) - how, why

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb

आशीविषात् (āśīviṣāt) - from a venomous snake, than a poisonous snake

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of āśīviṣa

āśīviṣa - a venomous snake, a serpent whose poison is in its fangs ('āśī')

Compound type : bahuvrihi (āśī+viṣa)

• āśī – fang, serpent's tooth
  noun (feminine)
• viṣa – poison, venom
  noun (neuter)

Note: Used in comparison 'than'

सर्पात् (sarpāt) - from a snake, than a snake

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of sarpa

sarpa - snake, serpent

Root: sṛp (class 1)

Note: Used in comparison 'than'

ज्वलनात् (jvalanāt) - from a fire, than a fire

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of jvalana

jvalana - burning, blazing, fire

Derived from root 'jval' (to burn, blaze)

Root: jval (class 1)

Note: Used in comparison 'than'

सर्वतोमुखात् (sarvatomukhāt) - describing fire (from an all-devouring, than one with mouths in all directions)

(adjective)

Ablative, masculine, singular of sarvatomukha

sarvatomukha - having faces or mouths in all directions, all-devouring, omnipresent

Compound type : bahuvrihi (sarvatas+mukha)

• sarvatas – from all sides, everywhere
  indeclinable
• mukha – face, mouth, opening
  noun (neuter)

Note: Qualifies 'jvalanāt'.

दुराधर्षतरः (durādharṣataraḥ) - more irresistible, more difficult to overcome, more formidable

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of durādharṣa

durādharṣa - irresistible, difficult to overcome, unassailable

Comparative degree of 'durādharṣa'

Compound type : prepositional compound (dur+ādharṣa)

• dur – bad, difficult, ill
  indeclinable
• ādharṣa – assault, attack, assailing
  noun (masculine)
  From root dhṛṣ with prefix ā
  Prefix: ā
  Root: dhṛṣ (class 5)

Note: Comparative form.

विप्रः (vipraḥ) - The Brahmin (Shukra) being discussed by Yayati and Devayani (Brahmin, learned person)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vipra

vipra - a Brahmin, a priest, inspired, wise, learned

Root: vip (class 1)

Note: Refers to Shukracharya or a Brahmin in general.

इति (iti) - Introduces the reported speech or thought (thus, in this manner, that)

(indeclinable)

आत्थ (āttha) - you say, you speak

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of ah

Perfect Active

Root 'ah' (irregular perfect), 2nd person singular

Root: ah (class 2)

Note: Equivalent to 'bravīṣi' (present tense) in meaning in classical Sanskrit, but formally perfect.

पुरुषर्षभ (puruṣarṣabha) - Addressing King Yayati (O best among men, O foremost of men)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of puruṣarṣabha

puruṣarṣabha - best among men, foremost of men (like a bull among men)

Compound type : tatpurusha (puruṣa+ṛṣabha)

• puruṣa – man, person, male
  noun (masculine)
• ṛṣabha – bull, best, excellent
  noun (masculine)