महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-80, verse-16

ययातिरुवाच ।
ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णाः सर्वे शृण्वन्तु मे वचः ।
ज्येष्ठं प्रति यथा राज्यं न देयं मे कथंचन ॥१६॥

16. yayātiruvāca ,
brāhmaṇapramukhā varṇāḥ sarve śṛṇvantu me vacaḥ ,
jyeṣṭhaṁ prati yathā rājyaṁ na deyaṁ me kathaṁcana.

16. yayātiḥ uvāca brāhmaṇapramukhāḥ varṇāḥ sarve śṛṇvantu me
vacaḥ jyeṣṭham prati yathā rājyam na deyam me kathaṃcana

16. Yayati said: 'All the varṇas, headed by the Brahmanas, listen to my words, as to why the kingdom should in no way be given by me to the eldest son.'

Words meanings summery:

• ययातिः (yayātiḥ) - King Yayati (Yayati (a king in Hindu mythology))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• ब्राह्मणप्रमुखाः (brāhmaṇapramukhāḥ) - the varṇas led by the Brahmanas (headed by Brahmins, having Brahmins as chief)

• वर्णाः (varṇāḥ) - the social classes (varṇas, castes, classes)

• सर्वे (sarve) - all of you (referring to the varṇas) (all, everyone)

• शृण्वन्तु (śṛṇvantu) - all of you should listen (let them hear, they should listen)

• मे (me) - my (words) (my, to me)

• वचः (vacaḥ) - word, speech

• ज्येष्ठम् (jyeṣṭham) - the eldest son (the eldest, the elder)

• प्रति (prati) - to (the eldest son) (towards, concerning, regarding, to)

• यथा (yathā) - as to how/why (as, just as, how, in what manner, in order that)

• राज्यम् (rājyam) - kingdom, kingship, sovereignty

• न (na) - not, no

• देयम् (deyam) - to be given, should be given

• मे (me) - by Yayati (by me)

• कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - in no way, under no circumstance (with 'na') (in any way, by any means, ever)

Words meanings and morphology

ययातिः (yayātiḥ) - King Yayati (Yayati (a king in Hindu mythology))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yayāti

yayāti - Yayati (a mythical king)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

ब्राह्मणप्रमुखाः (brāhmaṇapramukhāḥ) - the varṇas led by the Brahmanas (headed by Brahmins, having Brahmins as chief)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇapramukha

brāhmaṇapramukha - headed by Brahmins, having Brahmins as chief

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (brāhmaṇa+pramukha)

• brāhmaṇa – Brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class
  noun (masculine)
• pramukha – chief, principal, foremost, headed by
  adjective (masculine)
  Prefix: pra
  Root: mukh

Note: Adjective qualifying 'varṇāḥ'

वर्णाः (varṇāḥ) - the social classes (varṇas, castes, classes)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of varṇa

varṇa - color, class, varṇa, caste, social order

Root: vṛ (class 9)

सर्वे (sarve) - all of you (referring to the varṇas) (all, everyone)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

शृण्वन्तु (śṛṇvantu) - all of you should listen (let them hear, they should listen)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, imperative (loṭ) of śru

Root: śru (class 5)

Note: Plural verb for 'varṇāḥ sarve', implying 'may they (all of you) hear'.

मे (me) - my (words) (my, to me)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Note: Alternative dative/genitive form.

वचः (vacaḥ) - word, speech

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vacas

vacas - word, speech, saying

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Also nominative singular. Here, it is the object of 'śṛṇvantu'.

ज्येष्ठम् (jyeṣṭham) - the eldest son (the eldest, the elder)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of jyeṣṭha

jyeṣṭha - eldest, senior, chief, best

Superlative degree of 'vṛddha' (old)

प्रति (prati) - to (the eldest son) (towards, concerning, regarding, to)

(indeclinable)

Preposition governing accusative

यथा (yathā) - as to how/why (as, just as, how, in what manner, in order that)

(indeclinable)

राज्यम् (rājyam) - kingdom, kingship, sovereignty

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of rājya

rājya - kingdom, sovereignty, reign

Note: Here, nominative as the subject of the passive construction 'na deyam'.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

देयम् (deyam) - to be given, should be given

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of deya

deya - to be given, due, fit to be given

gerundive

Derived from root 'dā' with suffix -ya

Root: dā (class 3)

Note: Qualifies 'rājyam'.

मे (me) - by Yayati (by me)

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Note: Used as agent for gerundive 'deyam', hence effectively instrumental.

कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - in no way, under no circumstance (with 'na') (in any way, by any means, ever)

(indeclinable)

Note: Often used with 'na' for emphasis (not at all, in no way).