महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-252, verse-12

विद्म चैवं न वा विद्म शक्यं वा वेदितुं न वा ।
अणीयान्क्षुरधाराया गरीयान्पर्वतादपि ॥१२॥

12. vidma caivaṁ na vā vidma śakyaṁ vā vedituṁ na vā ,
aṇīyānkṣuradhārāyā garīyānparvatādapi.

12. vidma ca evam na vā vidma śakyam vā veditum na
vā aṇīyān kṣuradhārāyāḥ garīyān parvatāt api

12. evam vidma ca na vā vidma śakyam vā veditum na
vā aṇīyān kṣuradhārāyāḥ garīyān parvatāt api

12. We may or may not know it, and it may or may not be possible to know it. (It is) subtler than a razor's edge, and heavier than even a mountain.

Words meanings summery:

• विद्म (vidma) - we know

• च (ca) - and

• एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner

• न (na) - not, no

• वा (vā) - or

• विद्म (vidma) - we know

• शक्यम् (śakyam) - it is possible (possible, capable (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

• वा (vā) - or

• वेदितुम् (veditum) - to know, to understand (infinitive)

• न (na) - not, no

• वा (vā) - or

• अणीयान् (aṇīyān) - subtler, more minute

• क्षुरधारायाः (kṣuradhārāyāḥ) - than a razor's edge

• गरीयान् (garīyān) - heavier, more important

• पर्वतात् (parvatāt) - than a mountain, from a mountain

• अपि (api) - even, also

Words meanings and morphology

विद्म (vidma) - we know

(verb)

1st person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of vid

Present indicative, first person plural

From root vid (class 2) 'to know'

Root: vid (class 2)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Note: Used here to connect two clauses or ideas, 'we know... or we do not know'.

एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

Note: Used as a correlative conjunction.

विद्म (vidma) - we know

(verb)

1st person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of vid

Present indicative, first person plural

From root vid (class 2) 'to know'

Root: vid (class 2)

शक्यम् (śakyam) - it is possible (possible, capable (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śakya

śakya - possible, capable, practicable

Gerundive (karmaṇi prayoga)

Derived from root śak (to be able) with suffix -ya

Root: śak (class 5)

Note: Often used impersonally, 'it is possible'.

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

वेदितुम् (veditum) - to know, to understand (infinitive)

(indeclinable)

Infinitive

Derived from root vid (to know) with suffix -tum

Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Used with `śakyam`.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

अणीयान् (aṇīyān) - subtler, more minute

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aṇu

aṇu - minute, atomic, subtle

Comparative degree

Comparative form of aṇu (minute)

क्षुरधारायाः (kṣuradhārāyāḥ) - than a razor's edge

(noun)

Ablative, feminine, singular of kṣuradhārā

kṣuradhārā - razor's edge

Compound of kṣura (razor) and dhārā (edge)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kṣura+dhārā)

• kṣura – razor, knife
  noun (masculine)
• dhārā – edge, stream, current
  noun (feminine)

Note: Used with comparative `aṇīyān`.

गरीयान् (garīyān) - heavier, more important

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of guru

guru - heavy, important, venerable

Comparative degree

Comparative form of guru (heavy, great)

पर्वतात् (parvatāt) - than a mountain, from a mountain

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of parvata

parvata - mountain, hill

Note: Used with comparative `garīyān`.

अपि (api) - even, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes "even a mountain".