महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-85, verse-21

अष्टक उवाच ।
किं स्वित्कृत्वा लभते तात लोकान्मर्त्यः श्रेष्ठांस्तपसा विद्यया वा ।
तन्मे पृष्टः शंस सर्वं यथावच्छुभाँल्लोकान्येन गच्छेत्क्रमेण ॥२१॥

21. aṣṭaka uvāca ,
kiṁ svitkṛtvā labhate tāta lokā;nmartyaḥ śreṣṭhāṁstapasā vidyayā vā ,
tanme pṛṣṭaḥ śaṁsa sarvaṁ yathāva;cchubhāँllokānyena gacchetkrameṇa.

21. aṣṭakaḥ uvāca kim svit kṛtvā labhate
tāta lokān martyaḥ śreṣṭhān tapasā vidyayā
vā tat me pṛṣṭaḥ śaṃsa sarvam yathāvat
śubhān lokān yena gacchet krameṇa

21. Aṣṭaka said: "By what deed, dear father, does a mortal attain superior worlds—is it through spiritual austerity (tapas) or through knowledge? Therefore, since you are asked by me, tell me everything precisely by which one may progressively reach auspicious worlds."

Words meanings summery:

• अष्टकः (aṣṭakaḥ) - Aṣṭaka (proper name)

• उवाच (uvāca) - he said, he spoke

• किम् (kim) - what?, why?

• स्वित् (svit) - Used as an interrogative particle, emphasizing the question. (indeed, perhaps, or)

• कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having done, by doing

• लभते (labhate) - he obtains, he gains

• तात (tāta) - Vocative, addressing an elder or respectful figure. (dear father, dear one)

• लोकान् (lokān) - worlds, realms

• मर्त्यः (martyaḥ) - a mortal, human being

• श्रेष्ठान् (śreṣṭhān) - superior, excellent, best

• तपसा (tapasā) - by (spiritual) austerity, by penance

• विद्यया (vidyayā) - by knowledge, by learning

• वा (vā) - or

• तत् (tat) - therefore, that

• मे (me) - to me, by me

• पृष्टः (pṛṣṭaḥ) - asked, questioned

• शंस (śaṁsa) - tell, declare, explain (imperative)

• सर्वम् (sarvam) - all, whole, everything

• यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, accurately, exactly as it is

• शुभान् (śubhān) - auspicious, good, benevolent

• लोकान् (lokān) - worlds, realms

• येन (yena) - by which, by whom

• गच्छेत् (gacchet) - one may go, he should go

• क्रमेण (krameṇa) - gradually, in order, progressively

Words meanings and morphology

अष्टकः (aṣṭakaḥ) - Aṣṭaka (proper name)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aṣṭaka

aṣṭaka - Aṣṭaka (a proper name, son of Viśvāmitra in some texts)

उवाच (uvāca) - he said, he spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect Active

Root vac, perfect form

Root: vac (class 2)

किम् (kim) - what?, why?

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which (interrogative pronoun/adverb)

Note: Here, functions as an interrogative pronoun 'what'.

स्वित् (svit) - Used as an interrogative particle, emphasizing the question. (indeed, perhaps, or)

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative particle.

कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having done, by doing

(indeclinable)

absolutive

From root kṛ (to do, make) with suffix -tvā

Root: kṛ (class 8)

लभते (labhate) - he obtains, he gains

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of labh

Root: labh (class 1)

तात (tāta) - Vocative, addressing an elder or respectful figure. (dear father, dear one)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of tāta

tāta - father, dear one (term of endearment and respect)

लोकान् (lokān) - worlds, realms

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of loka

loka - world, realm, people, community

मर्त्यः (martyaḥ) - a mortal, human being

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of martya

martya - mortal, human being, man

Root: mṛ (class 1)

श्रेष्ठान् (śreṣṭhān) - superior, excellent, best

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, most excellent, chief, principal, superior

Superlative of praśasya (excellent)

Note: Agrees with 'lokān'.

तपसा (tapasā) - by (spiritual) austerity, by penance

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - heat, spiritual austerity, penance, severe meditation, ascetic practice

Root: tap (class 1)

विद्यया (vidyayā) - by knowledge, by learning

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of vidyā

vidyā - knowledge, learning, science, wisdom

From root vid (to know)

Root: vid (class 2)

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

तत् (tat) - therefore, that

(indeclinable)

Note: Used here as a conjunction or adverb, meaning 'therefore' or 'in that regard'.

मे (me) - to me, by me

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of mad

mad - I, me

Note: Can also be dative. Here indicates the agent of 'pṛṣṭaḥ' ('asked by me').

पृष्टः (pṛṣṭaḥ) - asked, questioned

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pṛṣṭa

pṛṣṭa - asked, questioned, interrogated

Past Passive Participle

From root prac (to ask)

Root: prac (class 6)

Note: Modifies an implied 'you' (tvam), as in 'you, being asked'.

शंस (śaṁsa) - tell, declare, explain (imperative)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of śaṃs

Root: śaṃs (class 1)

सर्वम् (sarvam) - all, whole, everything

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, complete

Note: Acts as a noun here meaning 'everything'.

यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, accurately, exactly as it is

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverbial.

शुभान् (śubhān) - auspicious, good, benevolent

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of śubha

śubha - auspicious, good, beautiful, propitious

Note: Agrees with 'lokān'.

लोकान् (lokān) - worlds, realms

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of loka

loka - world, realm, people, community

येन (yena) - by which, by whom

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what (relative pronoun)

Note: Refers to the means by which one goes ('by which means').

गच्छेत् (gacchet) - one may go, he should go

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of gam

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Expresses possibility or a desirable action.

क्रमेण (krameṇa) - gradually, in order, progressively

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of krama

krama - step, order, succession, progress, method

Root: kram (class 1)

Note: Used adverbially, meaning 'by means of gradual steps'.