महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-272, verse-4

कथं विनिहतो वृत्रः शक्रेण भरतर्षभ ।
धर्मिष्ठो विष्णुभक्तश्च तत्त्वज्ञश्च पदान्वये ॥४॥

4. kathaṁ vinihato vṛtraḥ śakreṇa bharatarṣabha ,
dharmiṣṭho viṣṇubhaktaśca tattvajñaśca padānvaye.

4. katham vinihataḥ vr̥traḥ śakreṇa bharatarṣabha
dharmiṣṭhaḥ viṣṇubhaktaḥ ca tattvajñaḥ ca padānvaye

4. bharatarṣabha katham dharmiṣṭhaḥ viṣṇubhaktaḥ ca
tattvajñaḥ ca padānvaye vr̥traḥ śakreṇa vinihataḥ

4. "O best of Bharatas, how was Vritra struck down by Shakra, when he was so profoundly righteous (dharma), a devoted follower of Vishnu (bhakti), and a true knower of the fundamental reality (tattva) regarding the ultimate state?"

Words meanings summery:

• कथम् (katham) - how, why

• विनिहतः (vinihataḥ) - struck down, killed

• व्र्̥त्रः (vr̥traḥ) - Vritra

• शक्रेण (śakreṇa) - by Shakra (Indra)

• भरतर्षभ (bharatarṣabha) - Used as a vocative for Yudhishthira (O best of Bharatas!)

• धर्मिष्ठः (dharmiṣṭhaḥ) - most righteous, most devoted to natural law (dharma)

• विष्णुभक्तः (viṣṇubhaktaḥ) - devotee of Vishnu

• च (ca) - and

• तत्त्वज्ञः (tattvajñaḥ) - knower of truth/reality

• च (ca) - and

• पदान्वये (padānvaye) - concerning the ultimate state/reality, in the analysis of the steps/parts

Words meanings and morphology

कथम् (katham) - how, why

(indeclinable)

विनिहतः (vinihataḥ) - struck down, killed

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vinihata

vinihata - struck down, slain, destroyed

Past Passive Participle

From √han (to strike, kill) with upasargas vi-ni-

Prefixes: vi+ni

Root: han (class 2)

Note: agreement with Vṛtraḥ

व्र्̥त्रः (vr̥traḥ) - Vritra

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vr̥tra

vr̥tra - Vritra (name of an Asura/demon)

Note: subject of passive verb

शक्रेण (śakreṇa) - by Shakra (Indra)

(proper noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of śakra

śakra - Shakra (an epithet of Indra), powerful

Note: agent of passive verb

भरतर्षभ (bharatarṣabha) - Used as a vocative for Yudhishthira (O best of Bharatas!)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bharatarṣabha

bharatarṣabha - bull/best of Bharatas (epithet for a prominent warrior or king in the Bharata lineage)

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (bharata+r̥ṣabha)

• bharata – descendant of Bharata (name of an ancient king), a Bharata warrior
  proper noun (masculine)
• r̥ṣabha – bull, best, chief
  noun (masculine)

धर्मिष्ठः (dharmiṣṭhaḥ) - most righteous, most devoted to natural law (dharma)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharmiṣṭha

dharmiṣṭha - most righteous, most virtuous, most devoted to dharma

Superlative degree of dharmin (righteous)

Note: agreement with Vṛtraḥ

विष्णुभक्तः (viṣṇubhaktaḥ) - devotee of Vishnu

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of viṣṇubhakta

viṣṇubhakta - devotee of Vishnu, one devoted to Vishnu

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (viṣṇu+bhakta)

• viṣṇu – Vishnu (a principal Hindu deity)
  proper noun (masculine)
• bhakta – devoted, worshipper, devotee
  noun (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From √bhaj (to adore, worship)
  Root: bhaj (class 1)

Note: agreement with Vṛtraḥ

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

तत्त्वज्ञः (tattvajñaḥ) - knower of truth/reality

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tattvajña

tattvajña - knower of truth, acquainted with principles, philosopher

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (tattva+jña)

• tattva – truth, reality, principle, essence
  noun (neuter)
• jña – knower, understanding
  adjective (masculine)
  From √jñā (to know)
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: agreement with Vṛtraḥ

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

पदान्वये (padānvaye) - concerning the ultimate state/reality, in the analysis of the steps/parts

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of padānvaya

padānvaya - connection of words, grammatical construction, context, understanding of fundamental principles or states

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (pada+anvaya)

• pada – step, foot, word, ultimate state/reality
  noun (neuter)
• anvaya – connection, succession, context, systematic exposition
  noun (masculine)
  From anu- + √i (to go)
  Prefix: anu
  Root: i (class 2)