महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-11, verse-11

शकुनिरुवाच ।
चतुष्पदां गौः प्रवरा लोहानां काञ्चनं वरम् ।
शब्दानां प्रवरो मन्त्रो ब्राह्मणो द्विपदां वरः ॥११॥

11. śakuniruvāca ,
catuṣpadāṁ gauḥ pravarā lohānāṁ kāñcanaṁ varam ,
śabdānāṁ pravaro mantro brāhmaṇo dvipadāṁ varaḥ.

11. śakuniḥ uvāca catuṣpadām gauḥ pravarā lohānām kāñcanam
varam śabdānām pravaraḥ mantraḥ brāhmaṇaḥ dvipadām varaḥ

11. śakuniḥ uvāca catuṣpadām gauḥ pravarā lohānām kāñcanam
varam śabdānām mantraḥ pravaraḥ dvipadām brāhmaṇaḥ varaḥ

11. Śakuni said: Among quadrupeds, the cow is preeminent. Among metals, gold is superior. Among utterances, the sacred utterance (mantra) is foremost. Among bipeds, the brahmin is excellent.

Words meanings summery:

• शकुनिः (śakuniḥ) - The name of a specific character, Śakuni, who is speaking. (Śakuni)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• चतुष्पदाम् (catuṣpadām) - of quadrupeds, among four-footed animals

• गौः (gauḥ) - The female bovine, considered sacred. (cow, ox, cattle)

• प्रवरा (pravarā) - Referring to the cow as the most excellent among quadrupeds. (excellent, chief, foremost, preeminent)

• लोहानाम् (lohānām) - of metals, among metals

• काञ्चनम् (kāñcanam) - gold, golden

• वरम् (varam) - Referring to gold as superior among metals. (excellent, best, superior, choice)

• शब्दानाम् (śabdānām) - of sounds, of words, among utterances

• प्रवरः (pravaraḥ) - Referring to the sacred utterance (mantra) as foremost among sounds. (excellent, chief, foremost, preeminent)

• मन्त्रः (mantraḥ) - sacred utterance, hymn, prayer, counsel

• ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - brahmin, a member of the priestly class

• द्विपदाम् (dvipadām) - of bipeds, among two-footed beings

• वरः (varaḥ) - Referring to the brahmin as superior among bipeds. (excellent, best, superior, choice)

Words meanings and morphology

शकुनिः (śakuniḥ) - The name of a specific character, Śakuni, who is speaking. (Śakuni)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śakuni

śakuni - a bird, a kind of hawk or vulture; proper name of a Gandhara prince in the Mahabharata

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

perfect tense

Root 'vac', perfect third person singular active, irreg. 'uvāca'

Root: vac (class 2)

चतुष्पदाम् (catuṣpadām) - of quadrupeds, among four-footed animals

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of catuṣpad

catuṣpad - four-footed, quadruped

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (catur+pad)

• catur – four
  numeral
• pad – foot, leg
  noun (masculine)

गौः (gauḥ) - The female bovine, considered sacred. (cow, ox, cattle)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of go

go - cow, ox, cattle; earth; ray of light

प्रवरा (pravarā) - Referring to the cow as the most excellent among quadrupeds. (excellent, chief, foremost, preeminent)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of pravara

pravara - excellent, chief, best, foremost; a race, lineage

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pra+vara)

• pra – forth, forward, before, very, intensely
  indeclinable
• vara – best, excellent, choice, boon, bridegroom
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vṛ (class 1)

लोहानाम् (lohānām) - of metals, among metals

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of loha

loha - red, reddish; copper, iron, metal in general

काञ्चनम् (kāñcanam) - gold, golden

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kāñcana

kāñcana - golden, made of gold; gold (as a noun)

वरम् (varam) - Referring to gold as superior among metals. (excellent, best, superior, choice)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, choice, boon, bridegroom

Root: vṛ (class 1)

शब्दानाम् (śabdānām) - of sounds, of words, among utterances

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of śabda

śabda - sound, noise, word, utterance

प्रवरः (pravaraḥ) - Referring to the sacred utterance (mantra) as foremost among sounds. (excellent, chief, foremost, preeminent)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pravara

pravara - excellent, chief, best, foremost; a race, lineage

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pra+vara)

• pra – forth, forward, before, very, intensely
  indeclinable
• vara – best, excellent, choice, boon, bridegroom
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vṛ (class 1)

मन्त्रः (mantraḥ) - sacred utterance, hymn, prayer, counsel

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mantra

mantra - sacred utterance, hymn, prayer, charm, spell, secret counsel, deliberation

Root: man (class 4)

ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - brahmin, a member of the priestly class

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a brahmin, member of the priestly class; relating to brahman; sacred text (Brāhmaṇa)

Derived from 'brahman'

द्विपदाम् (dvipadām) - of bipeds, among two-footed beings

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of dvipad

dvipad - two-footed, biped

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dvi+pad)

• dvi – two
  numeral
• pad – foot, leg
  noun (masculine)

वरः (varaḥ) - Referring to the brahmin as superior among bipeds. (excellent, best, superior, choice)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, choice, boon, bridegroom

Root: vṛ (class 1)