महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-255, verse-10

यजमानो यथात्मानमृत्विजश्च तथा प्रजाः ।
यज्ञात्प्रजा प्रभवति नभसोऽम्भ इवामलम् ॥१०॥

10. yajamāno yathātmānamṛtvijaśca tathā prajāḥ ,
yajñātprajā prabhavati nabhaso'mbha ivāmalam.

10. yajamānaḥ yathā ātmānam ṛtvijaḥ ca tathā prajāḥ |
yajñāt prajā prabhavati nabhasaḥ ambhaḥ iva amalam

10. yajamānaḥ yathā ātmānam ca ṛtvijaḥ (rakṣati/manyate),
tathā prajāḥ (rakṣet/manyeta) yajñāt prajā prabhavati,
nabhasaḥ amalam ambhaḥ iva (prabhavati)

10. Just as the performer of the Vedic ritual (yajamāna) regards his own self (ātman) and the officiating priests (ṛtvij) with care, so should he regard the subjects (prajā). From the Vedic ritual (yajña) are all living beings (prajā) produced, just as pure water descends from the sky.

Words meanings summery:

• यजमानः (yajamānaḥ) - The main patron or performer of the Vedic ritual. (sacrificer, one who performs a yajña)

• यथा (yathā) - Introduces a comparison. (as, just as, in what manner)

• आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - Refers to one's own being or person. (self, soul, spirit)

• ऋत्विजः (ṛtvijaḥ) - The specific priests appointed to perform a Vedic ritual. (priests, officiating priests)

• च (ca) - and, also

• तथा (tathā) - Continues the comparison introduced by 'yathā'. (so, thus, in that manner)

• प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - The inhabitants or subjects under the yajamāna's care. (subjects, progeny, living beings, people)

• यज्ञात् (yajñāt) - The source of living beings. (from yajña, from the Vedic ritual)

• प्रजा (prajā) - All living beings or creation. (subjects, progeny, living beings, people)

• प्रभवति (prabhavati) - The creation or origination of living beings. (arises, proceeds, originates, is produced)

• नभसः (nabhasaḥ) - The origin of water. (from the sky, from the atmosphere)

• अम्भः (ambhaḥ) - Referring to rain or pure water. (water)

• इव (iva) - Introduces the simile. (like, as, as it were)

• अमलम् (amalam) - Describes the water from the sky. (pure, spotless, clean)

Words meanings and morphology

यजमानः (yajamānaḥ) - The main patron or performer of the Vedic ritual. (sacrificer, one who performs a yajña)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yajamāna

yajamāna - sacrificer, patron of a sacrifice

Present Middle Participle

Present participle of √yaj 'to sacrifice' in the middle voice.

Root: yaj (class 1)

यथा (yathā) - Introduces a comparison. (as, just as, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

Adverb of comparison.

आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - Refers to one's own being or person. (self, soul, spirit)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, essence

Accusative singular of 'ātman'.

Note: Object of the implied verb (e.g., 'regards').

ऋत्विजः (ṛtvijaḥ) - The specific priests appointed to perform a Vedic ritual. (priests, officiating priests)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of ṛtvij

ṛtvij - officiating priest, priest who performs sacrifices at the proper season

Accusative plural of 'ṛtvij'.

Note: Object of the implied verb.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

तथा (tathā) - Continues the comparison introduced by 'yathā'. (so, thus, in that manner)

(indeclinable)

Adverb of manner.

प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - The inhabitants or subjects under the yajamāna's care. (subjects, progeny, living beings, people)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, plural of prajā

prajā - progeny, offspring, subjects, people, living beings

From pra + √jan 'to be born'. Accusative plural.

Prefix: pra

Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Can be both Nom. Pl. or Acc. Pl. Here, given parallelism, Acc. Pl. fits.

यज्ञात् (yajñāt) - The source of living beings. (from yajña, from the Vedic ritual)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of yajña

yajña - Vedic ritual, sacrifice, worship

Ablative singular of 'yajña'.

Root: yaj (class 1)

प्रजा (prajā) - All living beings or creation. (subjects, progeny, living beings, people)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of prajā

prajā - progeny, offspring, subjects, people, living beings

From pra + √jan 'to be born'. Nominative singular.

Prefix: pra

Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Refers to the collective body of living beings or creation.

प्रभवति (prabhavati) - The creation or origination of living beings. (arises, proceeds, originates, is produced)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of prabhav

Present active

3rd person singular present active of √bhū with prefix pra.

Prefix: pra

Root: bhū (class 1)

नभसः (nabhasaḥ) - The origin of water. (from the sky, from the atmosphere)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of nabhas

nabhas - sky, atmosphere, cloud, ether

Ablative singular of 'nabhas'.

अम्भः (ambhaḥ) - Referring to rain or pure water. (water)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ambhas

ambhas - water

Nominative singular of 'ambhas'.

Note: Subject of implied verb in simile.

इव (iva) - Introduces the simile. (like, as, as it were)

(indeclinable)

Particle of comparison.

अमलम् (amalam) - Describes the water from the sky. (pure, spotless, clean)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of amala

amala - spotless, pure, clean, stainless

From 'a-' (negation) + 'mala' (dirt).

Compound type : nañ-tatpurusha (a+mala)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• mala – dirt, impurity, stain
  noun (masculine)