महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-285, verse-1

जनक उवाच ।
वर्णो विशेषवर्णानां महर्षे केन जायते ।
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं तद्ब्रूहि वदतां वर ॥१॥

1. janaka uvāca ,
varṇo viśeṣavarṇānāṁ maharṣe kena jāyate ,
etadicchāmyahaṁ śrotuṁ tadbrūhi vadatāṁ vara.

1. janakaḥ uvāca varṇaḥ viśeṣavarṇānām maharṣe kena
jāyate etat icchāmi aham śrotum tat brūhi vadatām vara

1. maharṣe vadatām vara kena viśeṣavarṇānām varṇaḥ
jāyate aham etat śrotum icchāmi tat brūhi

1. Janaka said: "O great sage, by what is the social class (varṇa) of those with distinct social statuses determined? I wish to hear this; therefore, please tell me, O best of speakers."

Words meanings summery:

• जनकः (janakaḥ) - King Janaka (Janaka (name of a king))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• वर्णः (varṇaḥ) - social class (varṇa) (color, caste, social class, quality, letter)

• विशेषवर्णानाम् (viśeṣavarṇānām) - of those with distinct social statuses (of distinct classes, of specific social statuses)

• महर्षे (maharṣe) - O great sage

• केन (kena) - by what (means) (by what, by whom)

• जायते (jāyate) - is determined (is born, arises, comes into being)

• एतत् (etat) - this (matter) (this)

• इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish (I wish, I desire)

• अहम् (aham) - I

• श्रोतुम् (śrotum) - to hear

• तत् (tat) - that (matter) (that, therefore)

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell (tell, say)

• वदताम् (vadatām) - of speakers (of speakers, of those who speak)

• वर (vara) - O best (best, excellent, boon, choice)

Words meanings and morphology

जनकः (janakaḥ) - King Janaka (Janaka (name of a king))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of janaka

janaka - Janaka (proper name)

Root: jan (class 4)

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

Perfect active

Irregular perfect of root vac

Root: vac (class 2)

वर्णः (varṇaḥ) - social class (varṇa) (color, caste, social class, quality, letter)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of varṇa

varṇa - color, caste, social class, quality, letter

Root: vṛ (class 9)

विशेषवर्णानाम् (viśeṣavarṇānām) - of those with distinct social statuses (of distinct classes, of specific social statuses)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of viśeṣavarṇa

viśeṣavarṇa - distinct class, specific social status

Compound type : karmadhāraya (viśeṣa+varṇa)

• viśeṣa – distinction, specific, particular
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: vi
  Root: śiṣ (class 7)
• varṇa – color, caste, social class, quality, letter
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vṛ (class 9)

महर्षे (maharṣe) - O great sage

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of maharṣi

maharṣi - great sage

Compound type : karmadhāraya (maha+ṛṣi)

• maha – great
  adjective
• ṛṣi – sage, seer
  noun (masculine)
  Root: ṛṣ (class 1)

केन (kena) - by what (means) (by what, by whom)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, who, which

Note: Used here in its neuter form as an adverbial instrumental meaning 'by what means'.

जायते (jāyate) - is determined (is born, arises, comes into being)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (lat) of jan

Present middle

Present tense, 3rd person singular, middle voice of root jan (4th class, jan-ya -> jāya)

Root: jan (class 4)

एतत् (etat) - this (matter) (this)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, that

इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish (I wish, I desire)

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (lat) of iṣ

Present active

Present tense, 1st person singular, active voice of root iṣ (class 6)

Root: iṣ (class 6)

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of aham

aham - I

श्रोतुम् (śrotum) - to hear

(indeclinable)

Infinitive

Infinitive form of root śru

Root: śru (class 5)

तत् (tat) - that (matter) (that, therefore)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell (tell, say)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (lot) of brū

Imperative active

Imperative, 2nd person singular, active voice of root brū

Root: brū (class 2)

वदताम् (vadatām) - of speakers (of speakers, of those who speak)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of vadat

vadat - speaking, speaker

Present Active Participle

Present active participle of root vad. Used as a noun.

Root: vad (class 1)

वर (vara) - O best (best, excellent, boon, choice)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, boon, choice

Root: vṛ (class 9)