महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-120, verse-19

निगूढबुद्धिर्धीरः स्याद्वक्तव्ये वक्ष्यते तथा ।
संनिकृष्टां कथां प्राज्ञो यदि बुद्ध्या बृहस्पतिः ।
स्वभावमेष्यते तप्तं कृष्णायसमिवोदके ॥१९॥

19. nigūḍhabuddhirdhīraḥ syādvaktavye vakṣyate tathā ,
saṁnikṛṣṭāṁ kathāṁ prājño yadi buddhyā bṛhaspatiḥ ,
svabhāvameṣyate taptaṁ kṛṣṇāyasamivodake.

19. nigūḍhabuddhiḥ dhīraḥ syāt vaktavye
vakṣyate tathā saṃnikṛṣṭām kathām
prājñaḥ yadi buddhyā bṛhaspatiḥ svabhāvam
eṣyate taptam kṛṣṇāyasam iva udake

19. (puruṣaḥ) nigūḍhabuddhiḥ dhīraḥ syāt
vaktavye tathā vakṣyate yadi buddhyā
bṛhaspatiḥ prājñaḥ saṃnikṛṣṭām kathām eṣyate
svabhāvam taptam kṛṣṇāyasam iva udake

19. One should be subtle-minded and steadfast. What is to be stated should be expressed appropriately. If a wise person, whose intellect is like (that of) Brihaspati, examines a relevant subject, he will grasp its intrinsic nature (svabhāva), just as heated black iron (reveals its essence) when plunged into water.

Words meanings summery:

• निगूढबुद्धिः (nigūḍhabuddhiḥ) - subtle-minded, having hidden intellect

• धीरः (dhīraḥ) - steadfast, resolute, sagacious, calm

• स्यात् (syāt) - one should be, may be

• वक्तव्ये (vaktavye) - concerning what is to be said, in the matter of speech

• वक्ष्यते (vakṣyate) - it will be said, one will speak

• तथा (tathā) - thus, so, in that manner

• संनिकृष्टाम् (saṁnikṛṣṭām) - relevant, nearby, closely related (story/subject)

• कथाम् (kathām) - story, narrative, subject, discussion

• प्राज्ञः (prājñaḥ) - wise person, intelligent

• यदि (yadi) - if, whether

• बुद्ध्या (buddhyā) - by intellect, by wisdom, by understanding

• बृहस्पतिः (bṛhaspatiḥ) - Brihaspati (guru of the gods), a very wise person

• स्वभावम् (svabhāvam) - one's intrinsic nature (svabhāva), own disposition

• एष्यते (eṣyate) - will attain, will go to, will reach

• तप्तम् (taptam) - heated, hot, ardent

• कृष्णायसम् (kṛṣṇāyasam) - black iron, steel

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• उदके (udake) - in water

Words meanings and morphology

निगूढबुद्धिः (nigūḍhabuddhiḥ) - subtle-minded, having hidden intellect

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nigūḍhabuddhi

nigūḍhabuddhi - having a hidden/subtle intellect, discerning

Compound type : bahuvrihi (nigūḍha+buddhi)

• nigūḍha – hidden, concealed, secret
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Prefix: ni
  Root: guh
• buddhi – intellect, understanding, wisdom
  noun (feminine)

धीरः (dhīraḥ) - steadfast, resolute, sagacious, calm

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhīra

dhīra - firm, steadfast, resolute, wise, patient

स्यात् (syāt) - one should be, may be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

वक्तव्ये (vaktavye) - concerning what is to be said, in the matter of speech

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of vaktavya

vaktavya - to be spoken, what should be said, proper to be spoken

Gerundive

Root: vac (class 2)

वक्ष्यते (vakṣyate) - it will be said, one will speak

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, future (lṛṭ) of vac

Root: vac (class 2)

तथा (tathā) - thus, so, in that manner

(indeclinable)

संनिकृष्टाम् (saṁnikṛṣṭām) - relevant, nearby, closely related (story/subject)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of saṃnikṛṣṭa

saṁnikṛṣṭa - near, close, relevant, approached

Past Passive Participle

Prefixes: sam+ni

Root: kṛṣ (class 6)

कथाम् (kathām) - story, narrative, subject, discussion

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of kathā

kathā - story, tale, narrative, discourse

प्राज्ञः (prājñaḥ) - wise person, intelligent

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of prājña

prājña - wise, intelligent, knowing

यदि (yadi) - if, whether

(indeclinable)

बुद्ध्या (buddhyā) - by intellect, by wisdom, by understanding

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of buddhi

buddhi - intellect, understanding, wisdom

बृहस्पतिः (bṛhaspatiḥ) - Brihaspati (guru of the gods), a very wise person

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bṛhaspati

bṛhaspati - lord of prayer, preceptor of the gods, a highly intelligent person

स्वभावम् (svabhāvam) - one's intrinsic nature (svabhāva), own disposition

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of svabhāva

svabhāva - own being, inherent nature, disposition, intrinsic nature (svabhāva)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sva+bhāva)

• sva – own, one's own
  pronoun (masculine)
• bhāva – being, state, nature, disposition
  noun (masculine)

एष्यते (eṣyate) - will attain, will go to, will reach

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, future (lṛṭ) of i

Root: i (class 2)

तप्तम् (taptam) - heated, hot, ardent

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tapta

tapta - heated, hot, burned, tormented

Past Passive Participle

Root: tap (class 1)

कृष्णायसम् (kṛṣṇāyasam) - black iron, steel

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kṛṣṇāyasa

kṛṣṇāyasa - black iron, steel

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kṛṣṇa+ayasa)

• kṛṣṇa – black, dark
  adjective (masculine)
• ayasa – iron, metal
  noun (neuter)

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

उदके (udake) - in water

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of udaka

udaka - water