महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-94, verse-8

शंतनुप्रमुखैर्गुप्ते लोके नृपतिभिस्तदा ।
नियमात्सर्ववर्णानां ब्रह्मोत्तरमवर्तत ॥८॥

8. śaṁtanupramukhairgupte loke nṛpatibhistadā ,
niyamātsarvavarṇānāṁ brahmottaramavartata.

8. śantanupamukhaiḥ gupte loke nṛpatibhiḥ tadā
niyamāt sarvavarṇānām brahma uttaram avartata

8. At that time, in the world protected by kings led by Shantanu, the pre-eminence of Brahmins prevailed, in accordance with the prescribed duties of all social classes.

8. כשהעולם היה מוגן אז בידי מלכים ובראשם שַׁנְטַנוּ, שרר בקרב כל המעמדות החברתיים סדר שבו בְּרַהְמִינִים ולימוד וֵדִי עומדים בראש,

Words meanings summery:

• शन्तनुपमुखैः (śantanupamukhaiḥ) - by Shantanu and other prominent ones, by Shantanu and the chiefs

• गुप्ते (gupte) - protected, guarded

• लोके (loke) - in the world, in the realm

• नृपतिभिः (nṛpatibhiḥ) - by kings, by rulers

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• नियमात् (niyamāt) - from rule, from regulation, by law, according to rule

• सर्ववर्णानाम् (sarvavarṇānām) - of all varṇas, of all social classes

• ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahminical order, Brahmins

• उत्तरम् (uttaram) - superior, higher, pre-eminent

• अवर्तत (avartata) - prevailed, existed, happened

Words meanings and morphology

शन्तनुपमुखैः (śantanupamukhaiḥ) - by Shantanu and other prominent ones, by Shantanu and the chiefs

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of śantanupamukha

śantanupamukha - Shantanu and others, chief among whom is Shantanu

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (śantanu+pramukha)

• śantanu – Name of a king, Shantanu
  proper noun (masculine)
  Root: śam (class 4)
• pramukha – chief, principal, foremost, headed by
  adjective (masculine)
  Prefix: pra
  Root: mukh

Note: Refers to kings.

गुप्ते (gupte) - protected, guarded

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of gupta

gupta - protected, guarded, hidden, concealed

Past Passive Participle

From root √gup (to protect) + kta suffix

Root: gup (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'loke'.

लोके (loke) - in the world, in the realm

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, realm, place, people

Root: lok (class 1)

नृपतिभिः (nṛpatibhiḥ) - by kings, by rulers

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of nṛpati

nṛpati - king, ruler, lord of men

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nṛ+pati)

• nṛ – man, person
  noun (masculine)
  Root: nṛ
• pati – master, lord, husband, owner
  noun (masculine)
  Root: pā (class 2)

Note: Agent of protection.

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

From 'tad' (that) + 'dā' suffix

Note: Adverb of time.

नियमात् (niyamāt) - from rule, from regulation, by law, according to rule

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of niyama

niyama - rule, regulation, law, self-restraint, fixed order

Prefix: ni

Root: yam (class 1)

Note: Implies "according to" or "by virtue of" the rules.

सर्ववर्णानाम् (sarvavarṇānām) - of all varṇas, of all social classes

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of sarvavarṇa

sarvavarṇa - all varṇas, all castes/classes

Compound type : karmadhāraya (sarva+varṇa)

• sarva – all, every, whole
  adjective (masculine)
  Root: sṛ
• varṇa – color, class, social class, caste
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vṛ (class 5)

Note: Qualifies 'niyamāt' (regulations for).

ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahminical order, Brahmins

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of brahman

brahman - brahman, sacred word, Veda, Brahmin

From root √bṛh (to grow, expand)

Root: bṛh (class 1)

Note: Subject of 'avartata'.

उत्तरम् (uttaram) - superior, higher, pre-eminent

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of uttara

uttara - upper, higher, later, northern, superior, excellent

Root: ud

Note: Qualifies 'brahma', forming 'brahmottaram' (brahma + uttaram -> brahmo + ttaram -> brahmottaram).

अवर्तत (avartata) - prevailed, existed, happened

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, imperfect (laṅ) of vṛt

Imperfect middle

Imperfect of √vṛt (1Ā) in Ātmanepada, 3rd person singular. The 'a' is an augment for past tense.

Root: vṛt (class 1)

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