महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-178, verse-3

श्रितो मूर्धानमग्निस्तु शरीरं परिपालयन् ।
प्राणो मूर्धनि चाग्नौ च वर्तमानो विचेष्टते ॥३॥

3. śrito mūrdhānamagnistu śarīraṁ paripālayan ,
prāṇo mūrdhani cāgnau ca vartamāno viceṣṭate.

3. śritaḥ mūrdhānam agniḥ tu śarīraṃ paripālayan |
prāṇaḥ mūrdhani ca agnau ca vartamānaḥ viceṣṭate

3. tu agniḥ mūrdhānam śritaḥ śarīraṃ paripālayan ca
prāṇaḥ mūrdhani agnau ca vartamānaḥ viceṣṭate

3. Indeed, fire (agni), residing in the head and protecting the body, and the vital breath (prāṇa), existing in both the head and in the fire, moves and performs various functions.

Words meanings summery:

• श्रितः (śritaḥ) - residing (in the head) (resorted to, dependent, dwelling, residing)

• मूर्धानम् (mūrdhānam) - the head (head, summit, top)

• अग्निः (agniḥ) - fire (referring to the internal heat/metabolism) (fire, Agni (god of fire), digestive fire)

• तु (tu) - indeed, for emphasis or slight contrast (but, indeed, on the other hand)

• शरीरं (śarīraṁ) - the body (body, physical form)

• परिपालयन् (paripālayan) - protecting (the body) (protecting, maintaining, nourishing)

• प्राणः (prāṇaḥ) - the vital breath (prāṇa) (vital breath, life-force, air, spirit, a specific vāyu)

• मूर्धनि (mūrdhani) - in the head (in the head, on the top)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• अग्नौ (agnau) - in the fire (metabolic principle) (in the fire, on the fire)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• वर्तमानः (vartamānaḥ) - existing, functioning (being, existing, present, functioning)

• विचेष्टते (viceṣṭate) - moves and performs various functions (acts specially, makes various movements, strives, struggles)

Words meanings and morphology

श्रितः (śritaḥ) - residing (in the head) (resorted to, dependent, dwelling, residing)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śrita

śrita - resorted to, dependent, resting on, residing, attached to

Past Passive Participle

From root √śri (to resort to, lean on) + suffix -ta. Masculine nominative singular.

Root: śri (class 1)

Note: Often used adjectivally to mean 'dwelling in' or 'located in'.

मूर्धानम् (mūrdhānam) - the head (head, summit, top)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mūrdhan

mūrdhan - head, skull, summit, top, chief, forehead

N-stem declension.

Note: Governed by śritaḥ (residing *in* the head, accusative often indicates destination/location).

अग्निः (agniḥ) - fire (referring to the internal heat/metabolism) (fire, Agni (god of fire), digestive fire)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of agni

agni - fire, digestive fire, heat, Agni (deity)

Note: Subject of the first clause.

तु (tu) - indeed, for emphasis or slight contrast (but, indeed, on the other hand)

(indeclinable)

Particle expressing contrast or emphasis.

शरीरं (śarīraṁ) - the body (body, physical form)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śarīra

śarīra - body, physical frame, material form

From root √śṛ (to break, decay) implying the perishable nature of the body.

Root: śṛ (class 9)

Note: Object of paripālayan.

परिपालयन् (paripālayan) - protecting (the body) (protecting, maintaining, nourishing)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of paripāla

paripāla - to protect, guard, preserve, maintain, rule

Present Active Participle

Formed from prefix pari + root √pā (to protect) + suffix -an for present active participle. Nominative singular masculine.

Prefix: pari

Root: pā (class 2)

Note: Functions adjectivally, describing the nominative subject agniḥ.

प्राणः (prāṇaḥ) - the vital breath (prāṇa) (vital breath, life-force, air, spirit, a specific vāyu)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of prāṇa

prāṇa - breath, life-force, vital air, respiration, spirit, the prāṇa vāyu (one of the five principal vital airs)

From pra + root √an (to breathe).

Prefix: pra

Root: an (class 2)

Note: Subject of the second clause.

मूर्धनि (mūrdhani) - in the head (in the head, on the top)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of mūrdhan

mūrdhan - head, skull, summit, top, chief, forehead

N-stem declension.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

अग्नौ (agnau) - in the fire (metabolic principle) (in the fire, on the fire)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of agni

agni - fire, digestive fire, heat, Agni (deity)

Note: Refers to the principle of fire, perhaps in specific energy centers or its metabolic activity.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

वर्तमानः (vartamānaḥ) - existing, functioning (being, existing, present, functioning)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vartamāna

vartamāna - being, existing, present, current, functioning, moving

Present Middle Participle

From root √vṛt (to turn, exist, be) + suffix -māna for present middle participle. Nominative singular masculine.

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Functions adjectivally, describing the nominative subject prāṇaḥ.

विचेष्टते (viceṣṭate) - moves and performs various functions (acts specially, makes various movements, strives, struggles)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of viceṣṭ

Present Middle

Root √ceṣṭ (Gana 1) with prefix vi. Present tense, Middle voice, 3rd person, singular.

Prefix: vi

Root: ceṣṭ (class 1)

Note: The verb for both agniḥ and prāṇaḥ.