महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-160, verse-11

सलिलैकार्णवं तात पुरा सर्वमभूदिदम् ।
निष्प्रकम्पमनाकाशमनिर्देश्यमहीतलम् ॥११॥

11. salilaikārṇavaṁ tāta purā sarvamabhūdidam ,
niṣprakampamanākāśamanirdeśyamahītalam.

11. salilāikārṇavam tāta purā sarvam abhūt idam
niṣprakampam anākāśam anirdeśyam ahītalam

11. tāta,
purā idam sarvam salilāikārṇavam abhūt,
niṣprakampam anākāśam anirdeśyam ahītalam

11. O son (tāta), formerly, all this (creation) was a single, vast ocean (salilāikārṇavam), utterly still, without a sky, and with no discernible ground (ahītalam).

Words meanings summery:

• सलिलाइकार्णवम् (salilāikārṇavam) - Describes the primordial state before creation. (a single ocean of water)

• तात (tāta) - Used as an affectionate address to a younger person (Nakula). (O father, O dear one, O son)

• पुरा (purā) - Referring to the time before creation. (formerly, anciently, in the past)

• सर्वम् (sarvam) - The entire manifest universe. (all, whole, entire)

• अभूत् (abhūt) - was, became, existed

• इदम् (idam) - Refers to the universe/cosmos. (this, here)

• निष्प्रकम्पम् (niṣprakampam) - Describes the static state of the primordial ocean. (motionless, unmoving)

• अनाकाशम् (anākāśam) - Describes the state where even the sky or space (ākāśa) had not yet manifested. (without sky, spaceless)

• अनिर्देश्यम् (anirdeśyam) - So vast and undifferentiated that its 'ground' could not be pointed out. (indiscernible, unmentionable, indefinable)

• अहीतलम् (ahītalam) - Refers to a state where the earth as a distinct entity had not manifested or was not visible. (without ground/earth, groundless)

Words meanings and morphology

सलिलाइकार्णवम् (salilāikārṇavam) - Describes the primordial state before creation. (a single ocean of water)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of salilāikārṇava

salilāikārṇava - one ocean of water

Compound of 'salila' (water), 'eka' (one), and 'arṇava' (ocean). Vriddhi sandhi (a+e=ai) and Dirgha sandhi (a+a=ā) are internal to the compound.

Compound type : karmadhāraya (salila+eka+arṇava)

• salila – water
  noun (neuter)
  Root: sṛ (class 3)
• eka – one, single, unique
  numeral/adjective (masculine)
• arṇava – ocean, sea, flood
  noun (masculine)
  From root 'ṛ' (to go) or 'ṛṇu' (to move).
  Root: ṛ (class 3)

Note: Predicate nominative for 'idam sarvam'.

तात (tāta) - Used as an affectionate address to a younger person (Nakula). (O father, O dear one, O son)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of tāta

tāta - father, dear one (term of endearment, often to a son or junior)

पुरा (purā) - Referring to the time before creation. (formerly, anciently, in the past)

(indeclinable)

Adverb of time.

सर्वम् (sarvam) - The entire manifest universe. (all, whole, entire)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

अभूत् (abhūt) - was, became, existed

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, aorist (Luṅ) of bhū

Aorist (Luṅ)

3rd person singular, active voice. Root 'bhū' with augment 'a-'.

Root: bhū (class 1)

इदम् (idam) - Refers to the universe/cosmos. (this, here)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this (demonstrative pronoun)

Form of 'idam' in neuter singular nominative/accusative.

Note: Subject of 'abhūt'.

निष्प्रकम्पम् (niṣprakampam) - Describes the static state of the primordial ocean. (motionless, unmoving)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of niṣprakampa

niṣprakampa - motionless, unmoving, calm

Compound of 'nis' (negative prefix, changes to 'niṣ' before 'p') and 'prakampa' (shaking, trembling).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (nis+prakampa)

• nis – out, without, negation
  prefix/indeclinable
  Changes to `niṣ` before `p`.
• prakampa – shaking, trembling, vibration
  noun (masculine)
  From 'pra' (prefix) + root 'kamp' (to shake).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: kamp (class 1)

अनाकाशम् (anākāśam) - Describes the state where even the sky or space (ākāśa) had not yet manifested. (without sky, spaceless)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anākāśa

anākāśa - without sky, spaceless

Negative compound with 'an' (before vowel) + 'ākāśa' (sky, space).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (an+ākāśa)

• an – not, without (negative prefix)
  prefix/indeclinable
  Used before vowels.
• ākāśa – sky, space, ether
  noun (masculine)
  From 'ā' (prefix) + root 'kāś' (to shine).
  Prefix: ā
  Root: kāś (class 1)

अनिर्देश्यम् (anirdeśyam) - So vast and undifferentiated that its 'ground' could not be pointed out. (indiscernible, unmentionable, indefinable)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anirdeśya

anirdeśya - indiscernible, unmentionable, indefinable

Gerundive/Future Passive Participle

Negative compound 'an' + 'nirdeśya' (that which can be pointed out). `nirdeśya` from `nir` + root `diś` + suffix `yat`.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (an+nirdeśya)

• an – not, without (negative prefix)
  prefix/indeclinable
  Used before vowels.
• nirdeśya – to be pointed out, describable, definable
  adjective (neuter)
  Gerundive/Future Passive Participle
  From 'nis' (prefix) + root 'diś' (to point out) + suffix 'yat'.
  Prefix: nis
  Root: diś (class 6)

अहीतलम् (ahītalam) - Refers to a state where the earth as a distinct entity had not manifested or was not visible. (without ground/earth, groundless)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ahītala

ahītala - without ground/earth, groundless

Negative compound 'a' + 'hītala' (ground/earth). Assuming 'hītala' refers to a discernible ground.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+hītala)

• a – not, without (negative prefix)
  prefix/indeclinable
  Used before consonants.
• hītala – ground, surface of the earth (less common than bhūtala)
  noun (neuter)