महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-237, verse-1

शुक उवाच ।
वर्तमानस्तथैवात्र वानप्रस्थाश्रमे यथा ।
योक्तव्योऽऽत्मा यथा शक्त्या परं वै काङ्क्षता पदम् ॥१॥

1. śuka uvāca ,
vartamānastathaivātra vānaprasthāśrame yathā ,
yoktavyo''tmā yathā śaktyā paraṁ vai kāṅkṣatā padam.

1. śukaḥ uvāca vartamānaḥ tathā eva atra vānaprasthāśrame
yathā yoktavyaḥ ātmā yathā śaktyā param vai kāṅkṣatā padam

1. śukaḥ uvāca yathā atra
vānaprasthāśrame vartamānaḥ (syāt)
tathā eva param padam kāṅkṣatā
śaktyā yathā ātmā yoktavyaḥ (syāt)

1. Shuka said: Just as one lives in the forest-dweller's hermitage (vānaprasthāśrama), so also here, the self (ātman) should be engaged to the best of one's ability by the one desiring the supreme state.

Words meanings summery:

• शुकः (śukaḥ) - Shuka (proper noun, the speaker) (Shuka (proper name), parrot)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• वर्तमानः (vartamānaḥ) - living (as one does in a stage of life) (being, existing, present, living)

• तथा (tathā) - so (too) (so, thus, in that manner)

• एव (eva) - just (as) (indeed, only, just)

• अत्र (atra) - here (referring to the current context/topic) (here, in this place, in this matter)

• वानप्रस्थाश्रमे (vānaprasthāśrame) - in the forest-dweller's hermitage (vānaprasthāśrama) (in the forest-dweller's hermitage (āśrama))

• यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, according to)

• योक्तव्यः (yoktavyaḥ) - should be engaged (to be engaged, to be yoked, to be connected)

• आत्मा (ātmā) - the self (ātman) (self, soul, spirit, individual essence)

• यथा (yathā) - according to (one's ability) (as, according to)

• शक्त्या (śaktyā) - to the best of one's ability (by strength, by power, by ability)

• परम् (param) - the supreme (state) (supreme, highest, ultimate)

• वै (vai) - indeed (indeed, certainly (emphatic particle))

• काङ्क्षता (kāṅkṣatā) - by one desiring (the supreme state) (by one desiring, by one wishing)

• पदम् (padam) - state (of being, ultimate goal) (state, position, goal, foot)

Words meanings and morphology

शुकः (śukaḥ) - Shuka (proper noun, the speaker) (Shuka (proper name), parrot)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śuka

śuka - parrot; proper name of a sage, son of Vyasa

Note: Subject of `uvāca`.

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

Perfect Tense, 3rd Person Singular

root √vac, perfect tense, 3rd person singular

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Verb for `śukaḥ`.

वर्तमानः (vartamānaḥ) - living (as one does in a stage of life) (being, existing, present, living)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vartamāna

vartamāna - being, existing, present, living

Present Middle Participle

Derived from verb √vṛt (to be, exist) + śānac

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Implies 'one who is living'.

तथा (tathā) - so (too) (so, thus, in that manner)

(indeclinable)

Note: Correlative with `yathā`.

एव (eva) - just (as) (indeed, only, just)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes `tathā`.

अत्र (atra) - here (referring to the current context/topic) (here, in this place, in this matter)

(indeclinable)

Note: Indicates "in this context" or "in this (fourth) āśrama".

वानप्रस्थाश्रमे (vānaprasthāśrame) - in the forest-dweller's hermitage (vānaprasthāśrama) (in the forest-dweller's hermitage (āśrama))

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of vānaprasthāśrama

vānaprasthāśrama - the hermitage/stage of life of a forest-dweller

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vānaprastha+āśrama)

• vānaprastha – forest-dweller, hermit
  noun (masculine)
  From vana (forest) + prastha (staying, going forth)
• āśrama – hermitage, stage of life
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: ā
  Root: śram (class 4)

Note: Locative case, indicating location.

यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, according to)

(indeclinable)

Note: Correlative with `tathā`.

योक्तव्यः (yoktavyaḥ) - should be engaged (to be engaged, to be yoked, to be connected)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yoktavya

yoktavya - to be engaged, to be yoked, to be connected, to be joined

Gerundive (karmaṇi kṛtya)

Derived from verb √yuj (to yoke, join, engage) + tavya

Root: yuj (class 7)

Note: Predicative adjective for `ātmā`.

आत्मा (ātmā) - the self (ātman) (self, soul, spirit, individual essence)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, individual essence, breath

Note: Subject of `yoktavyaḥ`.

यथा (yathā) - according to (one's ability) (as, according to)

(indeclinable)

Note: Modifies `śaktyā`.

शक्त्या (śaktyā) - to the best of one's ability (by strength, by power, by ability)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of śakti

śakti - power, strength, ability, energy, divine feminine power (śakti)

Note: Instrumental indicating means.

परम् (param) - the supreme (state) (supreme, highest, ultimate)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of parama

parama - supreme, highest, ultimate

Superlative of para (other, highest)

Note: Qualifies `padam`.

वै (vai) - indeed (indeed, certainly (emphatic particle))

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic.

काङ्क्षता (kāṅkṣatā) - by one desiring (the supreme state) (by one desiring, by one wishing)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of kāṅkṣat

kāṅkṣat - desiring, wishing, longing for

Present Active Participle

Derived from verb √kāṅkṣ (to desire) + śatṛ

Root: kāṅkṣ (class 1)

Note: Instrumental agent for the gerundive `yoktavyaḥ`.

पदम् (padam) - state (of being, ultimate goal) (state, position, goal, foot)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of pada

pada - foot, step, place, state, position, goal

Note: Object of `kāṅkṣatā`.