महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-248, verse-4

अथ चेमे महाप्राज्ञ शेरते हि गतासवः ।
मृता इति च शब्दोऽयं वर्तत्येषु गतासुषु ॥४॥

4. atha ceme mahāprājña śerate hi gatāsavaḥ ,
mṛtā iti ca śabdo'yaṁ vartatyeṣu gatāsuṣu.

4. atha ca ime mahāprājña śerate hi gatāsavaḥ
mṛtāḥ iti ca śabdaḥ ayam vartate eṣu gatāsuṣu

4. atha ca mahāprājña ime hi gatāsavaḥ śerate ca
eṣu gatāsuṣu ayam śabdaḥ mṛtāḥ iti vartate

4. Now, O greatly wise one, these very men indeed lie here, their breaths departed. And so, this word 'dead' is applied to these lifeless ones.

Words meanings summery:

• अथ (atha) - Marks a transition in Yudhishthira's reflection. (now, then, thereupon)

• च (ca) - Connects the clauses. (and, also)

• इमे (ime) - Refers to the fallen kings. (these)

• महाप्राज्ञ (mahāprājña) - Yudhishthira addresses someone, likely Bhima or another companion. (O greatly wise one, O very intelligent one)

• शेरते (śerate) - The kings lie dead. (they lie down, they sleep)

• हि (hi) - Emphasizes the fact of their lying dead. (indeed, surely)

• गतासवः (gatāsavaḥ) - Describing the state of the fallen kings. (lifeless, whose breaths have departed, dead)

• मृताः (mṛtāḥ) - The actual word 'dead' that is applied to them. (dead)

• इति (iti) - Introduces or concludes the quoted word 'mṛtāḥ'. (thus, so, this, (marks a quotation))

• च (ca) - Connects the two parts of the statement. (and, also)

• शब्दः (śabdaḥ) - The word 'dead'. (word, sound)

• अयम् (ayam) - Refers to the word 'dead'. (this)

• वर्तते (vartate) - The word 'dead' is applied or is present. (it exists, it is, it is current, it happens)

• एषु (eṣu) - Refers to the lifeless kings. (among these, in these)

• गतासुषु (gatāsuṣu) - Specifies the group to whom the word 'dead' is applied. (among the lifeless ones, in those whose breaths have departed)

Words meanings and morphology

अथ (atha) - Marks a transition in Yudhishthira's reflection. (now, then, thereupon)

(indeclinable)

Particle indicating commencement, transition, or emphasis.

च (ca) - Connects the clauses. (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

इमे (ime) - Refers to the fallen kings. (these)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of idam

idam - this, these

Demonstrative pronoun.

महाप्राज्ञ (mahāprājña) - Yudhishthira addresses someone, likely Bhima or another companion. (O greatly wise one, O very intelligent one)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of mahāprājña

mahāprājña - greatly wise, very intelligent

Karmadharaya compound: 'mahā' (great) + 'prājña' (wise).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+prājña)

• mahā – great, mighty
  adjective (masculine)
  Feminine stem of 'mahat' used in compound.
• prājña – wise, intelligent, knowing
  adjective (masculine)
  From 'pra' + 'jñā' (to know).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: jñā (class 9)

शेरते (śerate) - The kings lie dead. (they lie down, they sleep)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of śī

Present tense

3rd person plural, Present tense, middle voice (ātmanepada).

Root: śī (class 2)

हि (hi) - Emphasizes the fact of their lying dead. (indeed, surely)

(indeclinable)

Particle used for emphasis or causation.

गतासवः (gatāsavaḥ) - Describing the state of the fallen kings. (lifeless, whose breaths have departed, dead)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of gatāsu

gatāsu - whose life has departed, dead, lifeless

Bahuvrihi compound: 'gata' (gone) + 'asu' (breath, life).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (gata+asu)

• gata – gone, departed, dead
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'gam' (to go).
  Root: gam (class 1)
• asu – breath, life, vital air
  noun (masculine)
  Root: as (class 2)

मृताः (mṛtāḥ) - The actual word 'dead' that is applied to them. (dead)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mṛta

mṛta - dead, deceased, expired

Past Passive Participle

From root 'mṛ' (to die).

Root: mṛ (class 6)

इति (iti) - Introduces or concludes the quoted word 'mṛtāḥ'. (thus, so, this, (marks a quotation))

(indeclinable)

Particle.

च (ca) - Connects the two parts of the statement. (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

शब्दः (śabdaḥ) - The word 'dead'. (word, sound)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śabda

śabda - sound, word, voice, noise

Root: śabd (class 1)

अयम् (ayam) - Refers to the word 'dead'. (this)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, these

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Nominative singular masculine form of 'idam'.

वर्तते (vartate) - The word 'dead' is applied or is present. (it exists, it is, it is current, it happens)

(verb)

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

Present tense

3rd person singular, Present tense, middle voice (ātmanepada).

Root: vṛt (class 1)

एषु (eṣu) - Refers to the lifeless kings. (among these, in these)

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, plural of etad

etad - this, these

Demonstrative pronoun.

गतासुषु (gatāsuṣu) - Specifies the group to whom the word 'dead' is applied. (among the lifeless ones, in those whose breaths have departed)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, plural of gatāsu

gatāsu - whose life has departed, dead, lifeless

Bahuvrihi compound: 'gata' (gone) + 'asu' (breath, life).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (gata+asu)

• gata – gone, departed, dead
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'gam' (to go).
  Root: gam (class 1)
• asu – breath, life, vital air
  noun (masculine)
  Root: as (class 2)