महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-194, verse-3

प्रजापतिं श्रेष्ठतमं पृथिव्यां देवर्षिसंघप्रवरो महर्षिः ।
बृहस्पतिः प्रश्नमिमं पुराणं पप्रच्छ शिष्योऽथ गुरुं प्रणम्य ॥३॥

3. prajāpatiṁ śreṣṭhatamaṁ pṛthivyāṁ; devarṣisaṁghapravaro maharṣiḥ ,
bṛhaspatiḥ praśnamimaṁ purāṇaṁ; papraccha śiṣyo'tha guruṁ praṇamya.

3. prajāpatim śreṣṭhatamam pṛthivyām
devarṣisaṃghapravaraḥ maharṣiḥ
bṛhaspatiḥ praśnam imam purāṇam
papraccha śiṣyaḥ atha gurum praṇamya

3. atha śiṣyaḥ bṛhaspatiḥ guruṃ praṇamya
devarṣisaṃghapravaraḥ maharṣiḥ
pṛthivyām śreṣṭhatamam prajāpatim
imam purāṇam praśnam papraccha

3. Having bowed down to his guru (teacher), the disciple Brihaspati, who was the great sage and foremost among the assembly of divine sages (devarṣis), then asked Prajāpati—the most excellent being on earth—this ancient question.

Words meanings summery:

• प्रजापतिम् (prajāpatim) - to Manu, the lord of creation (Prajāpati) (to the lord of creation (Prajāpati))

• श्रेष्ठतमम् (śreṣṭhatamam) - (Prajāpati) who is the most excellent (the most excellent, the best)

• पृथिव्याम् (pṛthivyām) - on this earth (on earth, in the world)

• देवर्षिसंघप्रवरः (devarṣisaṁghapravaraḥ) - Brihaspati, who is foremost among the group of divine sages (devarṣis) (foremost among the assembly of divine sages)

• महर्षिः (maharṣiḥ) - Brihaspati, who is a great sage (the great sage (maharṣi))

• बृहस्पतिः (bṛhaspatiḥ) - The disciple Brihaspati (Brihaspati)

• प्रश्नम् (praśnam) - this ancient question (question, inquiry)

• इमम् (imam) - this ancient question (this (masculine accusative singular))

• पुराणम् (purāṇam) - this ancient question (ancient, old, traditional)

• पप्रच्छ (papraccha) - Brihaspati asked (asked, inquired)

• शिष्यः (śiṣyaḥ) - Brihaspati, being the disciple (disciple, student)

• अथ (atha) - then (indicating a sequence of action) (then, now, moreover)

• गुरुम् (gurum) - to his own guru (teacher) (to the guru (teacher), venerable person)

• प्रणम्य (praṇamya) - having respectfully bowed (having bowed down, having saluted)

Words meanings and morphology

प्रजापतिम् (prajāpatim) - to Manu, the lord of creation (Prajāpati) (to the lord of creation (Prajāpati))

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of prajāpati

prajāpati - lord of creatures, progenitor, creator (Prajāpati)

Compound: prajā (offspring) + pati (lord). Masculine i-stem noun.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (prajā+pati)

• prajā – progeny, offspring, people, subjects
  noun (feminine)
• pati – master, lord, husband
  noun (masculine)

श्रेष्ठतमम् (śreṣṭhatamam) - (Prajāpati) who is the most excellent (the most excellent, the best)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of śreṣṭhatama

śreṣṭhatama - most excellent, best, supreme, foremost

Superlative degree of śreṣṭha (excellent).

Root: śrī (class 1)

पृथिव्याम् (pṛthivyām) - on this earth (on earth, in the world)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of pṛthivī

pṛthivī - earth, ground, land

Feminine ī-stem noun.

Root: pṛth

देवर्षिसंघप्रवरः (devarṣisaṁghapravaraḥ) - Brihaspati, who is foremost among the group of divine sages (devarṣis) (foremost among the assembly of divine sages)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of devarṣisaṃghapravara

devarṣisaṁghapravara - chief of the assembly of divine sages

Compound: devarṣi (divine sage) + saṃgha (assembly) + pravara (foremost).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (devarṣi+saṃgha+pravara)

• devarṣi – divine sage (devarṣi)
  noun (masculine)
  Compound: deva (god) + ṛṣi (sage).
• saṃgha – assembly, multitude, community
  noun (masculine)
• pravara – chief, principal, excellent, foremost
  adjective
  From pra-√vṛ (to choose, select).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: vṛ (class 9)

Note: Adjective qualifying Brihaspati.

महर्षिः (maharṣiḥ) - Brihaspati, who is a great sage (the great sage (maharṣi))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of maharṣi

maharṣi - great sage, seer (maharṣi)

Compound: mahā (great) + ṛṣi (sage). Masculine i-stem noun.

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+ṛṣi)

• mahā – great, mighty, large
  adjective
  Stem form of 'mahat', used in compounds.
• ṛṣi – sage, seer, inspired poet
  noun (masculine)

बृहस्पतिः (bṛhaspatiḥ) - The disciple Brihaspati (Brihaspati)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bṛhaspati

bṛhaspati - Brihaspati (preceptor of the gods, lord of prayer)

Compound: bṛhat (great) + pati (lord). Masculine i-stem noun.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (bṛhat+pati)

• bṛhat – great, large, vast
  adjective
  Stem form of 'bṛhat'.
• pati – master, lord, husband
  noun (masculine)

प्रश्नम् (praśnam) - this ancient question (question, inquiry)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of praśna

praśna - question, inquiry, investigation

From pra-√śnā (to ask).

Root: śnā (class 9)

इमम् (imam) - this ancient question (this (masculine accusative singular))

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

Demonstrative pronoun, masculine accusative singular.

पुराणम् (purāṇam) - this ancient question (ancient, old, traditional)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of purāṇa

purāṇa - ancient, old, traditional; also a class of sacred texts (Purāṇa)

From purā (formerly) with suffix -āṇa.

पप्रच्छ (papraccha) - Brihaspati asked (asked, inquired)

(verb)

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

Perfect Tense (Liṭ)

From root √prach (6th class, Parasmaipada). Perfect active 3rd singular.

Root: prach (class 6)

शिष्यः (śiṣyaḥ) - Brihaspati, being the disciple (disciple, student)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śiṣya

śiṣya - pupil, student, disciple, one to be taught

Gerundive / Future Passive Participle

From root √śās (to teach, instruct) with suffix -ya.

Root: śās (class 2)

अथ (atha) - then (indicating a sequence of action) (then, now, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

गुरुम् (gurum) - to his own guru (teacher) (to the guru (teacher), venerable person)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of guru

guru - teacher, spiritual preceptor (guru), venerable person, heavy, weighty

Masculine u-stem noun. Also used as an adjective.

प्रणम्य (praṇamya) - having respectfully bowed (having bowed down, having saluted)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

From root √nam (1st class, Parasmaipada) with prefix pra-. Absolutive suffix -ya.

Prefix: pra

Root: nam (class 1)