महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-94, verse-56

एवमुक्तः स पुत्रेण शंतनुः प्रत्यभाषत ।
असंशयं ध्यानपरं यथा मात्थ तथास्म्युत ॥५६॥

56. evamuktaḥ sa putreṇa śaṁtanuḥ pratyabhāṣata ,
asaṁśayaṁ dhyānaparaṁ yathā māttha tathāsmyuta.

56. evam uktaḥ saḥ putreṇa śaṃtanuḥ pratyabhāṣata
asaṃśayam dhyānaparam yathā māttha tathā asmi uta

56. Thus addressed by his son, Śantanu replied, 'Indeed, without doubt, I am absorbed in meditation, just as you perceive.'

Words meanings summery:

• एवम् (evam) - Refers to the preceding words spoken by Devavrata. (thus, in this manner)

• उक्तः (uktaḥ) - Refers to Śantanu being addressed. (spoken, said, addressed)

• सः (saḥ) - Refers to King Śantanu. (he, that)

• पुत्रेण (putreṇa) - By Devavrata. (by the son)

• शंतनुः (śaṁtanuḥ) - The king, father of Devavrata. (Śantanu)

• प्रत्यभाषत (pratyabhāṣata) - replied, spoke in return

• असंशयम् (asaṁśayam) - without doubt, certainly

• ध्यानपरम् (dhyānaparam) - Describes Śantanu's state. (absorbed in meditation, intent on contemplation)

• यथा (yathā) - Introduces a comparison to Devavrata's statement. (as, just as)

• मात्थ (māttha) - Devavrata's perception. (you think, you believe, you say)

• तथास्म्युत (tathāsmyuta) - Śantanu confirming Devavrata's observation. (so I am indeed)

Words meanings and morphology

एवम् (evam) - Refers to the preceding words spoken by Devavrata. (thus, in this manner)

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverb modifying 'uktaḥ'.

उक्तः (uktaḥ) - Refers to Śantanu being addressed. (spoken, said, addressed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ukta

ukta - spoken, said

Past Passive Participle

From √vac (to speak) with suffix -kta

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Modifies 'saḥ' and 'śaṃtanuḥ'.

सः (saḥ) - Refers to King Śantanu. (he, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

पुत्रेण (putreṇa) - By Devavrata. (by the son)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son

Note: Agent in passive construction.

शंतनुः (śaṁtanuḥ) - The king, father of Devavrata. (Śantanu)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śaṃtanu

śaṁtanu - Śantanu (proper name of a king)

Note: Subject of 'pratyabhāṣata'.

प्रत्यभाषत (pratyabhāṣata) - replied, spoke in return

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, past imperfect (laṅ) of pratyabhāṣ

Imperfect 3rd Person Singular

From √bhāṣ (to speak) with upasarga prati and abhi, 1st class, middle voice, imperfect (laṅ)

Prefixes: prati+abhi

Root: bhāṣ (class 1)

Note: Main verb of the sentence.

असंशयम् (asaṁśayam) - without doubt, certainly

(indeclinable)

From 'a-' (negation) + 'saṃśaya' (doubt)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (a+saṃśaya)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negation prefix.
• saṃśaya – doubt, uncertainty
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: sam
  Root: śi (class 7)

Note: Adverb.

ध्यानपरम् (dhyānaparam) - Describes Śantanu's state. (absorbed in meditation, intent on contemplation)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dhyānapara

dhyānapara - devoted to meditation, absorbed in contemplation

Compound type : tatpurusha (dhyāna+para)

• dhyāna – meditation, contemplation
  noun (neuter)
  Root: dhyai (class 1)
• para – intent on, devoted to, supreme, other
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Predicate adjective to 'I am'.

यथा (yathā) - Introduces a comparison to Devavrata's statement. (as, just as)

(indeclinable)

मात्थ (māttha) - Devavrata's perception. (you think, you believe, you say)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, past perfect (liṭ) of man

Perfect 2nd Person Singular

From √man (to think), 4th class, perfect tense (liṭ)

Root: man (class 4)

तथास्म्युत (tathāsmyuta) - Śantanu confirming Devavrata's observation. (so I am indeed)

(indeclinable)

Combination of 'tathā' (so), 'asmi' (I am), and 'uta' (indeed), merged by vowel sandhi (ā + a = ā; i + u = y) into a single phonetic unit.