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.

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)