महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-160, verse-1

वैशंपायन उवाच ।
कथान्तरमथासाद्य खड्गयुद्धविशारदः ।
नकुलः शरतल्पस्थमिदमाह पितामहम् ॥१॥

1. vaiśaṁpāyana uvāca ,
kathāntaramathāsādya khaḍgayuddhaviśāradaḥ ,
nakulaḥ śaratalpasthamidamāha pitāmaham.

1. vaiśampāyana uvāca kathāntaram atha āsādya
khaḍgayuddhaviśāradaḥ nakulaḥ śaratalpastham idam āha pitāmaham

1. vaiśampāyana uvāca atha khaḍgayuddhaviśāradaḥ nakulaḥ
kathāntaram āsādya śaratalpastham pitāmaham idam āha

1. Vaiśampāyana said: Then, finding a pause in the discussion, Nakula, who was expert in sword-fighting, spoke these words to his grandfather (Bhishma), who lay on a bed of arrows.

Words meanings summery:

• वैशम्पायन (vaiśampāyana) - Vaiśampāyana, the narrator of this section of the Mahabharata (Vaiśampāyana (a sage, narrator of the Mahabharata))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke (referring to Vaiśampāyana) (said, spoke)

• कथान्तरम् (kathāntaram) - an interval or pause in the narrative/discussion (interval in a story, another story, another topic)

• अथ (atha) - then, thereupon (indicating sequence) (then, now, moreover)

• आसाद्य (āsādya) - having found or obtained (an interval) (having reached, having obtained, having approached)

• खड्गयुद्धविशारदः (khaḍgayuddhaviśāradaḥ) - Nakula, who was very skilled in the art of sword-fighting (expert in sword-fighting)

• नकुलः (nakulaḥ) - Nakula, one of the Pandava brothers (Nakula (one of the Pandavas))

• शरतल्पस्थम् (śaratalpastham) - (Bhishma) who was lying on the bed of arrows (situated on a bed of arrows)

• इदम् (idam) - these (words) (this, these)

• आह (āha) - spoke (the following words) (said, spoke)

• पितामहम् (pitāmaham) - to his grandfather, Bhishma (grandfather)

Words meanings and morphology

वैशम्पायन (vaiśampāyana) - Vaiśampāyana, the narrator of this section of the Mahabharata (Vaiśampāyana (a sage, narrator of the Mahabharata))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vaiśampāyana

vaiśampāyana - Vaiśampāyana (a sage, narrator)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke (referring to Vaiśampāyana) (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

perfect tense, 3rd person singular

From root 'vac', perfect tense (Lit), 3rd person singular, active voice. Reduplicated root 'vac' becomes 'uvāc-'.

Root: vac (class 2)

कथान्तरम् (kathāntaram) - an interval or pause in the narrative/discussion (interval in a story, another story, another topic)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kathāntara

kathāntara - interval of a story, another story

Compound type : tatpurusha (kathā+antara)

• kathā – story, narrative, talk
  noun (feminine)
• antara – interval, interior, difference, other
  noun (neuter)

अथ (atha) - then, thereupon (indicating sequence) (then, now, moreover)

(indeclinable)

आसाद्य (āsādya) - having found or obtained (an interval) (having reached, having obtained, having approached)

(indeclinable)

absolutive / gerund

From root 'sad' (to sit, approach) with upasarga 'ā'. Absolutive suffix '-ya'.

Prefix: ā

Root: sad (class 1)

खड्गयुद्धविशारदः (khaḍgayuddhaviśāradaḥ) - Nakula, who was very skilled in the art of sword-fighting (expert in sword-fighting)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of khaḍgayuddhaviśārada

khaḍgayuddhaviśārada - expert in sword-fighting

Compound type : tatpurusha (khaḍga+yuddha+viśārada)

• khaḍga – sword
  noun (masculine)
• yuddha – fight, battle, warfare
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'yudh' (to fight), ppp 'yuddha'. Used as a noun.
  Root: yudh (class 4)
• viśārada – skilled, expert, clever
  adjective (masculine)
  Prefix: vi

Note: Agrees with 'nakulaḥ'.

नकुलः (nakulaḥ) - Nakula, one of the Pandava brothers (Nakula (one of the Pandavas))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nakula

nakula - Nakula (proper name), mongoose

शरतल्पस्थम् (śaratalpastham) - (Bhishma) who was lying on the bed of arrows (situated on a bed of arrows)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of śaratalpastha

śaratalpastha - lying on a bed of arrows

Compound type : tatpurusha (śara+talpa+stha)

• śara – arrow
  noun (masculine)
• talpa – bed, couch
  noun (masculine)
• stha – standing, situated, abiding
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun/nominal derivative
  From root 'sthā' (to stand).
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'pitāmaham'.

इदम् (idam) - these (words) (this, these)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, these

Pronoun 'idam' in neuter singular accusative, referring to the speech that follows.

आह (āha) - spoke (the following words) (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

perfect tense, 3rd person singular

Irregular perfect tense form, 3rd person singular, active voice. Root 'ah'.

Root: ah (class 2)

Note: Often used parenthetically for 'said'.

पितामहम् (pitāmaham) - to his grandfather, Bhishma (grandfather)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather, great father

Compound type : tatpurusha (pitā+maha)

• pitā – father
  noun (masculine)
• maha – great, large, important
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Refers to Bhishma.