महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-94, verse-16

असुखानामनाथानां तिर्यग्योनिषु वर्तताम् ।
स एव राजा भूतानां सर्वेषामभवत्पिता ॥१६॥

16. asukhānāmanāthānāṁ tiryagyoniṣu vartatām ,
sa eva rājā bhūtānāṁ sarveṣāmabhavatpitā.

16. asukhānām anāthānām tiryagyoniṣu vartatām
saḥ eva rājā bhūtānām sarveṣām abhavat pitā

16. He alone became a father to all beings, including those unhappy and helpless creatures existing in the animal realm.

Words meanings summery:

• असुखानाम् (asukhānām) - of the unhappy, of the suffering

• अनाथानाम् (anāthānām) - of the helpless, of the unprotected, of the orphans

• तिर्यग्योनिषु (tiryagyoniṣu) - in the animal births/species

• वर्तताम् (vartatām) - of those existing, of those dwelling

• सः (saḥ) - referring to King Śaṃtanu (he, that)

• एव (eva) - only, indeed, just, precisely

• राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

• भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings, of creatures

• सर्वेषाम् (sarveṣām) - of all, of everyone

• अभवत् (abhavat) - became, was

• पिता (pitā) - a protective figure like a father (father)

Words meanings and morphology

असुखानाम् (asukhānām) - of the unhappy, of the suffering

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of asukha

asukha - unhappy, miserable, suffering

Negative prefix `a` + `sukha` (happiness).

Compound type : nañ-tatpurusha (a+sukha)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• sukha – happiness, joy, comfort
  noun (neuter)

Note: Adjectival usage, substantivized.

अनाथानाम् (anāthānām) - of the helpless, of the unprotected, of the orphans

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of anātha

anātha - helpless, unprotected, orphan, destitute

Negative prefix `an` + `nātha` (protector, lord).

Compound type : nañ-tatpurusha (an+nātha)

• an – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix, used before vowels.
• nātha – protector, lord, master, refuge
  noun (masculine)
  From root `nāth` (to seek aid).
  Root: nāth (class 1)

Note: Adjectival usage, substantivized.

तिर्यग्योनिषु (tiryagyoniṣu) - in the animal births/species

(noun)

Locative, feminine, plural of tiryagyoni

tiryagyoni - animal species, lower birth

Compound type : tatpurusha (tiryac+yoni)

• tiryac – horizontal, crooked, animal (as in tiryag-yoni)
  adjective (masculine)
• yoni – womb, origin, source, birth, species
  noun (feminine)
  From root `yu` (to join, bind).
  Root: yu (class 2)

वर्तताम् (vartatām) - of those existing, of those dwelling

(participle)

Genitive, masculine, plural of vartamāna

vartamāna - existing, being, dwelling, present

Present Middle Participle

From root `vṛt` (to be, exist) + Present Middle Participle suffix `śānac`.

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Used as an adjective for `asukhānām anāthānām`.

सः (saḥ) - referring to King Śaṃtanu (he, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

एव (eva) - only, indeed, just, precisely

(indeclinable)

राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler, monarch

From root `rāj` (to shine, rule).

Root: rāj (class 1)

भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings, of creatures

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of bhūta

bhūta - being, creature, element, past, happened

Past Passive Participle of `bhū` (to be, become), here substantivized.

Root: bhū (class 1)

सर्वेषाम् (sarveṣām) - of all, of everyone

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

अभवत् (abhavat) - became, was

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of bhū

Imperfect Active Third Person Singular

Augment `a` + root `bhū`.

Root: bhū (class 1)

पिता (pitā) - a protective figure like a father (father)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pitṛ

pitṛ - father, ancestor