महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-258, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
कथं कार्यं परीक्षेत शीघ्रं वाथ चिरेण वा ।
सर्वथा कार्यदुर्गेऽस्मिन्भवान्नः परमो गुरुः ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
kathaṁ kāryaṁ parīkṣeta śīghraṁ vātha cireṇa vā ,
sarvathā kāryadurge'sminbhavānnaḥ paramo guruḥ.

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca katham kāryam parīkṣeta śīghram vā atha
cireṇa vā sarvathā kāryadurge asmin bhavān naḥ paramaḥ guruḥ

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca kāryam katham śīghram vā atha cireṇa vā
parīkṣeta? sarvathā asmin kāryadurge bhavān naḥ paramaḥ guruḥ

1. Yudhishthira said: "How should one examine a task – quickly or, indeed, slowly? In all circumstances, regarding this difficult undertaking (karma), you are our supreme teacher (guru)."

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhishthira

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• कार्यम् (kāryam) - task, duty, action to be done

• परीक्षेत (parīkṣeta) - should examine, should investigate, should observe

• शीघ्रम् (śīghram) - quickly, swiftly

• वा (vā) - or

• अथ (atha) - then, now, indeed, moreover

• चिरेण (cireṇa) - slowly, after a long time, with delay

• वा (vā) - or

• सर्वथा (sarvathā) - in every way, by all means, always

• कार्यदुर्गे (kāryadurge) - in this difficult undertaking (karma) (in the difficult task, in the fortress of action)

• अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this

• भवान् (bhavān) - you (respectful), your honor

• नः (naḥ) - our, to us, for us

• परमः (paramaḥ) - supreme, highest, ultimate

• गुरुः (guruḥ) - teacher, preceptor, spiritual guide

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhishthira

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhishthira (a character in the Mahabharata)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect Active

From root vac, perfect tense, 3rd person singular.

Root: vac (class 2)

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

कार्यम् (kāryam) - task, duty, action to be done

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kārya

kārya - to be done, fit to be done; task, duty, business

Gerundive

Derived from root kṛ (to do) + -ya suffix.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

परीक्षेत (parīkṣeta) - should examine, should investigate, should observe

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (liṅ) of pari-īkṣ

Optative Middle

From root īkṣ (1st conjugation, Atmanepada) with prefix pari, optative mood, 3rd person singular.

Prefix: pari

Root: īkṣ (class 1)

शीघ्रम् (śīghram) - quickly, swiftly

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śīghra

śīghra - quick, swift, fast; quickly (as adverb)

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

अथ (atha) - then, now, indeed, moreover

(indeclinable)

चिरेण (cireṇa) - slowly, after a long time, with delay

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of cira

cira - long (time), lasting; for a long time (as adverb)

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

सर्वथा (sarvathā) - in every way, by all means, always

(indeclinable)

कार्यदुर्गे (kāryadurge) - in this difficult undertaking (karma) (in the difficult task, in the fortress of action)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kāryadurga

kāryadurga - a difficult task, an arduous undertaking, fortress of action

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kārya+durga)

• kārya – to be done, fit to be done; task, duty
  gerundive (neuter)
  Gerundive
  Derived from root kṛ (to do).
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• durga – fortress, stronghold; difficult (to access)
  noun (neuter)

अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this

(pronoun)

Locative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

भवान् (bhavān) - you (respectful), your honor

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhavat

bhavat - you (honorific), your honor

Present Active Participle (Masculine Nominative Singular)

From root bhū (to be, become), present active participle, masculine nominative singular.

Root: bhū (class 1)

नः (naḥ) - our, to us, for us

(pronoun)

Genitive, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

Enclitic form of asmad, plural.

परमः (paramaḥ) - supreme, highest, ultimate

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of parama

parama - highest, supreme, ultimate, excellent

गुरुः (guruḥ) - teacher, preceptor, spiritual guide

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of guru

guru - teacher, preceptor, spiritual guide; heavy, venerable