महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-261, verse-41

नौर्नावीव निबद्धा हि स्रोतसा सनिबन्धना ।
ह्रियमाणा कथं विप्र कुबुद्धींस्तारयिष्यति ।
एतद्ब्रवीतु भगवानुपपन्नोऽस्म्यधीहि भोः ॥४१॥

41. naurnāvīva nibaddhā hi srotasā sanibandhanā ,
hriyamāṇā kathaṁ vipra kubuddhīṁstārayiṣyati ,
etadbravītu bhagavānupapanno'smyadhīhi bhoḥ.

41. nauḥ nāvī iva nibaddhā hi srotasā
sanibandhanā | hriyamāṇā katham vipra
kubuddhīn tārayiṣyati | etat bravītu
bhagavān upapannaḥ asmi adhīhi bhoḥ

41. hi nauḥ nāvī iva nibaddhā sanibandhanā
srotasā hriyamāṇā vipra katham
kubuddhīn tārayiṣyati bhagavān etat
bravītu upapannaḥ asmi bhoḥ adhīhi

41. Indeed, a boat tied to another boat, which is itself caught by the current and constrained, how can it, O Brahmana, while being carried away, rescue those of misguided intellect (kubuddhi)? May the revered one please explain this to me. I am now prepared; teach me, O master!

Words meanings summery:

• नौः (nauḥ) - a boat (boat, ship)

• नावी (nāvī) - to another boat (to a boat, in a boat)

• इव (iva) - as if (like, as, as if)

• निबद्धा (nibaddhā) - (a boat) tied (tied, bound, fastened)

• हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, for, because)

• स्रोतसा (srotasā) - by the current (by the current, by the stream)

• सनिबन्धना (sanibandhanā) - (itself) bound/constrained (by the current) (having bonds, bound)

• ह्रियमाणा (hriyamāṇā) - (while itself) being carried away (being carried away, being taken away)

• कथम् (katham) - how?

• विप्र (vipra) - O Brahmana (O Brahmana, O wise one)

• कुबुद्धीन् (kubuddhīn) - those with perverse/misguided intellects (those with bad intellect, misguided)

• तारयिष्यति (tārayiṣyati) - will save/ferry across (will cause to cross, will save, will ferry across)

• एतत् (etat) - this (matter/doubt) (this (neuter nominative/accusative singular))

• ब्रवीतु (bravītu) - may he please explain (may he speak, let him tell)

• भगवान् (bhagavān) - the revered one (teacher) (revered one, divine one)

• उपपन्नः (upapannaḥ) - (I am) prepared (attained, suitable, prepared, equipped)

• अस्मि (asmi) - I am

• अधीहि (adhīhi) - teach (me) (teach, study, learn)

• भोः (bhoḥ) - O (master) (O, hey (vocative particle))

Words meanings and morphology

नौः (nauḥ) - a boat (boat, ship)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of nau

nau - boat, ship

Note: Subject of the sentence.

नावी (nāvī) - to another boat (to a boat, in a boat)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of nau

nau - boat, ship

Note: Can imply 'onto' or 'towards' as well. Here 'tied to'.

इव (iva) - as if (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

Note: Expresses comparison.

निबद्धा (nibaddhā) - (a boat) tied (tied, bound, fastened)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of nibaddha

nibaddha - tied, bound, fastened, constrained

Past Passive Participle

From root bandh (to bind) with prefix ni-.

Prefix: ni

Root: bandh (class 9)

Note: Agrees with 'nauḥ'.

हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, for, because)

(indeclinable)

स्रोतसा (srotasā) - by the current (by the current, by the stream)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of srotas

srotas - current, stream, flow

Root: sru (class 1)

Note: Agent of being carried away.

सनिबन्धना (sanibandhanā) - (itself) bound/constrained (by the current) (having bonds, bound)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of sanibandhana

sanibandhana - having bonds, tied, constrained

Compound: sa- (with) + nibandhana (bond, tie).

Compound type : bahuvrihi (sa+nibandhana)

• sa – with, together with
  prefix
• nibandhana – binding, bond, tie, cause
  noun (neuter)
  From ni-bandh (to bind).
  Prefix: ni
  Root: bandh (class 9)

Note: Agrees with the implied 'nāvī' (the other boat), which is also subject to the current.

ह्रियमाणा (hriyamāṇā) - (while itself) being carried away (being carried away, being taken away)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of hriyamāṇa

hriyamāṇa - being carried, being taken away

Present Passive Participle

From root hṛ (to carry) in passive voice, with śānac suffix.

Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'nauḥ', indicating the state of the subject boat.

कथम् (katham) - how?

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

विप्र (vipra) - O Brahmana (O Brahmana, O wise one)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vipra

vipra - inspired, wise, a Brahmana, priest

Root: vip (class 1)

Note: Addressed to the interlocutor.

कुबुद्धीन् (kubuddhīn) - those with perverse/misguided intellects (those with bad intellect, misguided)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of kubuddhi

kubuddhi - bad intellect, perverse understanding, foolish

Compound type : bahuvrihi (ku+buddhi)

• ku – bad, evil, difficult
  prefix
• buddhi – intellect, understanding, perception
  noun (feminine)
  From root budh (to know).
  Root: budh (class 1)

Note: Object of 'tārayiṣyati'.

तारयिष्यति (tārayiṣyati) - will save/ferry across (will cause to cross, will save, will ferry across)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, future (lṛṭ) of tār

Causative future

Future tense, third person singular, active voice, of causative stem of root tṛ (to cross).

Root: tṛ (class 1)

Note: Refers to the boat.

एतत् (etat) - this (matter/doubt) (this (neuter nominative/accusative singular))

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, that

Note: Object of 'bravītu'.

ब्रवीतु (bravītu) - may he please explain (may he speak, let him tell)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of bru

Imperative mood, third person singular, active voice, of root bru.

Root: bru (class 2)

Note: The request to Bhagavān.

भगवान् (bhagavān) - the revered one (teacher) (revered one, divine one)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhagavat

bhagavat - fortunate, prosperous, venerable, divine, Lord

Possessive adjective from bhaga (fortune) + matup suffix.

Note: Subject of 'bravītu'.

उपपन्नः (upapannaḥ) - (I am) prepared (attained, suitable, prepared, equipped)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of upapanna

upapanna - come near, reached, suitable, fit, prepared, equipped

Past Passive Participle

From root pad (to go) with prefix upa-.

Prefix: upa

Root: pad (class 4)

Note: Predicate to implied 'I am'.

अस्मि (asmi) - I am

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of as

Present tense, first person singular, active voice, of root as.

Root: as (class 2)

Note: The subject 'aham' (I) is implied.

अधीहि (adhīhi) - teach (me) (teach, study, learn)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of adhī

Imperative mood, second person singular, active voice, of root i (to go) with prefix adhi-.

Prefix: adhi

Root: i (class 2)

Note: Direct command to the teacher.

भोः (bhoḥ) - O (master) (O, hey (vocative particle))

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle of address.