महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-247, verse-11

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
कथं पञ्चगुणा बुद्धिः कथं पञ्चेन्द्रिया गुणाः ।
एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व सूक्ष्मज्ञानं पितामह ॥११॥

11. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
kathaṁ pañcaguṇā buddhiḥ kathaṁ pañcendriyā guṇāḥ ,
etanme sarvamācakṣva sūkṣmajñānaṁ pitāmaha.

11. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca katham pañcaguṇā buddhiḥ katham
pañcendriyā guṇāḥ etat me sarvam ācakṣva sūkṣmajñānam pitāmaha

11. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca pitāmaha katham buddhiḥ pañcaguṇā katham
pañcendriyā guṇāḥ etat sarvam sūkṣmajñānam me ācakṣva

11. Yudhishthira said: O Grandfather, how is the intellect (buddhi) endowed with five qualities? And how are the senses (indriya) possessed of five qualities? Please explain all this subtle knowledge to me.

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - The eldest Pandava brother, known for his righteousness. (Yudhishthira)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• कथम् (katham) - how? in what manner?

• पञ्चगुणा (pañcaguṇā) - having five qualities, five-fold quality

• बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) - intellect, understanding

• कथम् (katham) - how? in what manner?

• पञ्चेन्द्रिया (pañcendriyā) - having five senses, five-sensed

• गुणाः (guṇāḥ) - qualities, attributes

• एतत् (etat) - Refers to the whole topic of the questions. (this)

• मे (me) - to me, for me, my

• सर्वम् (sarvam) - all, whole

• आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - explain, relate, tell

• सूक्ष्मज्ञानम् (sūkṣmajñānam) - subtle knowledge, profound wisdom

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - Refers to Bhishma, Yudhishthira's great-uncle and mentor. (O Grandfather)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - The eldest Pandava brother, known for his righteousness. (Yudhishthira)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - steadfast in battle; a proper name, Yudhishthira

From yudhi (in battle) + sthira (firm, steadfast).

Note: Speaker of the verse.

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of √vac

Perfect active

From √vac (to speak), perfect tense form.

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Denotes the action of speaking.

कथम् (katham) - how? in what manner?

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb.

Note: Asks about the nature or manner.

पञ्चगुणा (pañcaguṇā) - having five qualities, five-fold quality

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of pañcaguṇa

pañcaguṇa - having five qualities, consisting of five parts

From pañcan (five) + guṇa (quality).

Compound type : Bahuvrihi (pañcan+guṇa)

• pañcan – five
  numeral
• guṇa – quality, attribute, characteristic
  noun (masculine)

Note: Describes buddhiḥ.

बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) - intellect, understanding

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of buddhi

buddhi - intellect, intelligence, understanding, perception, reason, discernment

From root √budh (to know, understand).

Root: budh (class 1)

Note: Subject of the first question.

कथम् (katham) - how? in what manner?

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb.

Note: Asks about the nature or manner for the second question.

पञ्चेन्द्रिया (pañcendriyā) - having five senses, five-sensed

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of pañcendriya

pañcendriya - having five senses or organs of sense

From pañcan (five) + indriya (sense organ).

Compound type : Bahuvrihi (pañcan+indriya)

• pañcan – five
  numeral
• indriya – sense organ, faculty, power, semen
  noun (neuter)
  From Indra (the deity) or √ind (to be powerful).
  Root: ind (class 1)

Note: Adjective for guṇāḥ.

गुणाः (guṇāḥ) - qualities, attributes

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of guṇa

guṇa - quality, attribute, characteristic, constituent of nature, rope

Note: Subject of the second question.

एतत् (etat) - Refers to the whole topic of the questions. (this)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this here, this near

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Object of ācakṣva.

मे (me) - to me, for me, my

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me, my

First person pronoun.

Note: Indirect object of ācakṣva.

सर्वम् (sarvam) - all, whole

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, complete

Pronominal adjective.

Note: Qualifies etat.

आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - explain, relate, tell

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (lot) of √cakṣ

Imperative active

From ā-√cakṣ (to tell, explain), second person singular imperative.

Prefix: ā

Root: cakṣ (class 2)

Note: A command or request.

सूक्ष्मज्ञानम् (sūkṣmajñānam) - subtle knowledge, profound wisdom

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of sūkṣmajñāna

sūkṣmajñāna - subtle knowledge, profound wisdom

From sūkṣma (subtle) + jñāna (knowledge).

Compound type : Karmadharaya or Tatpurusha (sūkṣma+jñāna)

• sūkṣma – subtle, fine, minute, delicate, profound
  adjective
  From √sūc (to indicate, show) + sma suffix.
  Root: sūc (class 10)
• jñāna – knowledge, wisdom, understanding, consciousness
  noun (neuter)
  From √jñā (to know).
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Describes the type of knowledge Yudhishthira seeks.

पितामह (pitāmaha) - Refers to Bhishma, Yudhishthira's great-uncle and mentor. (O Grandfather)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather, great ancestor, Brahma (the creator god)

From pitṛ (father) + maha (great).

Note: Address to Bhishma.