महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-169, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
अतिक्रामति कालेऽस्मिन्सर्वभूतक्षयावहे ।
किं श्रेयः प्रतिपद्येत तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
atikrāmati kāle'sminsarvabhūtakṣayāvahe ,
kiṁ śreyaḥ pratipadyeta tanme brūhi pitāmaha.

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca | atikrāmati kāle asmin sarvabhūta-kṣayāvahe
| kim śreyaḥ pratipadyeta tat me brūhi pitāmaha

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca.
pitāmaha,
sarvabhūta-kṣayāvahe asmin kāle atikrāmati,
kim śreyaḥ pratipadyeta? tat me brūhi.

1. Yudhiṣṭhira said: O grandfather, in this passing time which brings about the destruction of all beings, what is the supreme good (śreyaḥ) one should pursue? Tell me that.

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira, the speaker (Yudhiṣṭhira (a proper name))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• अतिक्रामति (atikrāmati) - is passing, elapsing (passes, transgresses, elapses)

• काले (kāle) - in this time, as time passes (in time, during time)

• अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this (time) (in this)

• सर्वभूत-क्षयावहे (sarvabhūta-kṣayāvahe) - which brings about the destruction of all beings (causing the destruction of all beings)

• किम् (kim) - what (is) (what?)

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - supreme good, ultimate benefit (śreyaḥ) (good, welfare, ultimate benefit, prosperity)

• प्रतिपद्येत (pratipadyeta) - should one pursue, should one resort to (should one obtain, should one attain, should one resort to)

• तत् (tat) - that (explanation) (that)

• मे (me) - to me (to me, my)

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell (tell, say)

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandfather (addressing Bhīṣma) (grandfather, great father)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira, the speaker (Yudhiṣṭhira (a proper name))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhiṣṭhira (eldest of the Pāṇḍavas, steady in battle)

Compound: yudhi (in battle) + sthira (firm, steady)

Compound type : aluk-tatpuruṣa (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle
  indeclinable
  Locative singular of yudh (battle).
• sthira – firm, steady, stable
  adjective (masculine)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Subject of 'uvāca'.

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

Perfect tense (liṭ) 3rd person singular from root vac.

Root: vac (class 2)

अतिक्रामति (atikrāmati) - is passing, elapsing (passes, transgresses, elapses)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of atikram

Present tense (laṭ) 3rd person singular from ati-kram.

Prefix: ati

Root: kram (class 1)

Note: Used in a locative absolute construction.

काले (kāle) - in this time, as time passes (in time, during time)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of kāla

kāla - time, season, period

Note: Part of a locative absolute construction.

अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this (time) (in this)

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, these

Note: Modifies 'kāle'.

सर्वभूत-क्षयावहे (sarvabhūta-kṣayāvahe) - which brings about the destruction of all beings (causing the destruction of all beings)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of sarvabhūtakṣayāvaha

sarvabhūtakṣayāvaha - bringing about the destruction of all beings

Compound: sarva (all) + bhūta (beings) + kṣaya (destruction) + āvaha (bringing).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sarva+bhūta+kṣaya+āvaha)

• sarva – all, every
  adjective (masculine)
• bhūta – being, creature, element
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  PPP of bhū (to be, become), used nominally.
  Root: bhū (class 1)
• kṣaya – destruction, decay, loss
  noun (masculine)
  Root: kṣi (class 1)
• āvaha – bringing, causing, producing
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from ā-vah (to bring, to convey).
  Prefix: ā
  Root: vah (class 1)

Note: Modifies 'kāle'.

किम् (kim) - what (is) (what?)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Interrogative pronoun, subject.

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - supreme good, ultimate benefit (śreyaḥ) (good, welfare, ultimate benefit, prosperity)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - good, welfare, prosperity, ultimate benefit, better, best

Comparative/superlative of śrī (fortune, prosperity), used as a noun.

Note: Predicate nominative for 'kim'.

प्रतिपद्येत (pratipadyeta) - should one pursue, should one resort to (should one obtain, should one attain, should one resort to)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of pratipad

Optative mood (vidhi-liṅ) 3rd person singular, Ātmanepada, from prati-pad.

Prefix: prati

Root: pad (class 4)

Note: The implied subject is 'one'.

तत् (tat) - that (explanation) (that)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

Note: Object of 'brūhi'.

मे (me) - to me (to me, my)

(pronoun)

singular of aham

aham - I

Note: Dative of interest, "tell to me".

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell (tell, say)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of brū

Imperative mood (loṭ) 2nd person singular from root brū.

Root: brū (class 2)

पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandfather (addressing Bhīṣma) (grandfather, great father)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather, great father

Compound: pitṛ (father) + maha (great).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pitṛ+maha)

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

Note: Addressed to Bhīṣma.