महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-201, verse-23

अश्विनौ तु मतौ शूद्रौ तपस्युग्रे समाहितौ ।
स्मृतास्त्वङ्गिरसो देवा ब्राह्मणा इति निश्चयः ।
इत्येतत्सर्वदेवानां चातुर्वर्ण्यं प्रकीर्तितम् ॥२३॥

23. aśvinau tu matau śūdrau tapasyugre samāhitau ,
smṛtāstvaṅgiraso devā brāhmaṇā iti niścayaḥ ,
ityetatsarvadevānāṁ cāturvarṇyaṁ prakīrtitam.

23. aśvinau tu matau śūdrau tapasi ugre
samāhitau smṛtāḥ tu aṅgirasaḥ devāḥ
brāhmaṇāḥ iti niścayaḥ iti etat
sarvadevānām cāturvarṇyam prakīrtitam

23. aśvinau tu śūdrau matau ugre tapasi
samāhitau tu aṅgirasaḥ devāḥ brāhmaṇāḥ
smṛtāḥ iti niścayaḥ iti etat
sarvadevānām cāturvarṇyam prakīrtitam

23. The Aśvinau, however, are considered Śūdras, devoted to intense asceticism (tapas). The Aṅgirasas, the gods, are remembered as Brāhmaṇas; this is the firm determination. Thus, this fourfold social order (cāturvarṇya) of all the gods has been proclaimed.

Words meanings summery:

• अश्विनौ (aśvinau) - the Aśvinau

• तु (tu) - but, however

• मतौ (matau) - considered, deemed

• शूद्रौ (śūdrau) - Śūdras (laborer class)

• तपसि (tapasi) - in asceticism, in penance (tapas)

• उग्रे (ugre) - intense, severe, fierce

• समाहितौ (samāhitau) - devoted to (concentrated, composed, engaged in)

• स्मृताः (smṛtāḥ) - remembered, considered

• तु (tu) - and, as for (but, however)

• अङ्गिरसः (aṅgirasaḥ) - the Aṅgirasas

• देवाः (devāḥ) - gods

• ब्राह्मणाः (brāhmaṇāḥ) - Brāhmaṇas (priestly class)

• इति (iti) - thus, so

• निश्चयः (niścayaḥ) - certainty, firm decision, determination

• इति (iti) - thus

• एतत् (etat) - this

• सर्वदेवानाम् (sarvadevānām) - of all gods

• चातुर्वर्ण्यम् (cāturvarṇyam) - four-caste system, fourfold social order (dharma)

• प्रकीर्तितम् (prakīrtitam) - proclaimed, declared, stated

Words meanings and morphology

अश्विनौ (aśvinau) - the Aśvinau

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of aśvin

aśvin - the Aśvins (twin Vedic deities)

Note: Masculine nominative dual of 'aśvin'.

तु (tu) - but, however

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction, indicating a contrast.

मतौ (matau) - considered, deemed

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of mata

mata - thought, considered, deemed, known

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root √man (to think, believe)

Root: man (class 4)

Note: Masculine nominative dual of the past passive participle 'mata', agreeing with 'aśvinau'.

शूद्रौ (śūdrau) - Śūdras (laborer class)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of śūdra

śūdra - member of the fourth or laborer class, Śūdra

Note: Masculine nominative dual of 'śūdra', agreeing with 'aśvinau'.

तपसि (tapasi) - in asceticism, in penance (tapas)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - heat, asceticism, penance, spiritual austerity

Note: Neuter locative singular of 'tapas'.

उग्रे (ugre) - intense, severe, fierce

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of ugra

ugra - fierce, terrible, violent, powerful, intense

Note: Neuter locative singular of 'ugra', agreeing with 'tapasi'.

समाहितौ (samāhitau) - devoted to (concentrated, composed, engaged in)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of samāhita

samāhita - placed together, concentrated, composed, absorbed, engaged in

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root √dhā (to place) with upasargas sam- and ā-

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Masculine nominative dual of the past passive participle 'samāhita', agreeing with 'aśvinau'.

स्मृताः (smṛtāḥ) - remembered, considered

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of smṛta

smṛta - remembered, known, considered, stated

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root √smṛ (to remember)

Root: smṛ (class 1)

Note: Masculine nominative plural of the past passive participle 'smṛta'.

तु (tu) - and, as for (but, however)

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

अङ्गिरसः (aṅgirasaḥ) - the Aṅgirasas

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of aṅgiras

aṅgiras - Aṅgiras (a class of ancient sages, often associated with Agni or divine priests)

Note: Masculine nominative plural of 'aṅgiras'.

देवाः (devāḥ) - gods

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of deva

deva - god, deity, divine being

Note: Masculine nominative plural of 'deva'.

ब्राह्मणाः (brāhmaṇāḥ) - Brāhmaṇas (priestly class)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, member of the priestly class

Note: Masculine nominative plural of 'brāhmaṇa'.

इति (iti) - thus, so

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle introducing or concluding a statement/description.

निश्चयः (niścayaḥ) - certainty, firm decision, determination

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of niścaya

niścaya - certainty, firm decision, determination, ascertainment

From ni-√ci (to gather, ascertain)

Prefix: nis

Root: ci (class 5)

Note: Masculine nominative singular of 'niścaya'.

इति (iti) - thus

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle introducing or concluding a statement/description.

एतत् (etat) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, these

Note: Neuter nominative singular of 'etad', agreeing with 'cāturvarṇyam'.

सर्वदेवानाम् (sarvadevānām) - of all gods

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of sarvadeva

sarvadeva - all gods

Compound type : karma dhāraya (sarva+deva)

• sarva – all, every, whole
  pronoun (masculine)
• deva – god, deity
  noun (masculine)

Note: Masculine genitive plural of 'sarvadeva'.

चातुर्वर्ण्यम् (cāturvarṇyam) - four-caste system, fourfold social order (dharma)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of cāturvarṇya

cāturvarṇya - the system of four social classes or varnas (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra)

Derived from caturvarṇa (four colors/classes)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (catur+varṇa)

• catur – four
  numeral
• varṇa – color, class, social order
  noun (masculine)

Note: Neuter nominative singular of 'cāturvarṇya'.

प्रकीर्तितम् (prakīrtitam) - proclaimed, declared, stated

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of prakīrtita

prakīrtita - proclaimed, declared, spoken of, celebrated

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root √kīrt (to mention, praise) with upasarga pra-

Prefix: pra

Root: kīrt (class 10)

Note: Neuter nominative singular of the past passive participle 'prakīrtita', agreeing with 'cāturvarṇyam'.