महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-287, verse-38

माता पुत्रः पिता भ्राता भार्या मित्रजनस्तथा ।
अष्टापदपदस्थाने त्वक्षमुद्रेव न्यस्यते ॥३८॥

38. mātā putraḥ pitā bhrātā bhāryā mitrajanastathā ,
aṣṭāpadapadasthāne tvakṣamudreva nyasyate.

38. mātā putraḥ pitā bhrātā bhāryā mitra-janaḥ tathā
aṣṭāpada-pada-sthāne tu akṣa-mudrā iva nyasyate

38. mātā putraḥ pitā bhrātā bhāryā tathā mitra-janaḥ
aṣṭāpada-pada-sthāne tu akṣa-mudrā iva nyasyate

38. Mother, son, father, brother, wife, and friends are all positioned like dice (akṣamudrā) on a chessboard-like board (aṣṭāpada).

Words meanings summery:

• माता (mātā) - mother

• पुत्रः (putraḥ) - son

• पिता (pitā) - father

• भ्राता (bhrātā) - brother

• भार्या (bhāryā) - wife

• मित्र-जनः (mitra-janaḥ) - friends, friendly people

• तथा (tathā) - thus, so, and also

• अष्टापद-पद-स्थाने (aṣṭāpada-pada-sthāne) - on a chessboard-like board (aṣṭāpada) (in the place of the squares of an eight-square board)

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

• अक्ष-मुद्रा (akṣa-mudrā) - die, gaming piece, mark of a die

• इव (iva) - like, as if

• न्यस्यते (nyasyate) - is placed, is positioned

Words meanings and morphology

माता (mātā) - mother

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of mātṛ

mātṛ - mother

पुत्रः (putraḥ) - son

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son, child

पिता (pitā) - father

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pitṛ

pitṛ - father

भ्राता (bhrātā) - brother

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhrātṛ

bhrātṛ - brother

भार्या (bhāryā) - wife

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of bhāryā

bhāryā - wife

gerundive

Feminine of bhārya, which is a gerundive (potential passive participle) from bhṛ (to bear, support), meaning 'to be supported/maintained'.

Root: bhṛ (class 1)

Note: Also seen as a noun directly, but etymologically derived.

मित्र-जनः (mitra-janaḥ) - friends, friendly people

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mitra-jana

mitra-jana - friend-people, assembly of friends

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (mitra+jana)

• mitra – friend, companion
  noun (neuter)
• jana – person, people
  noun (masculine)
  From root jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Could be interpreted as plural (a group of friends).

तथा (tathā) - thus, so, and also

(indeclinable)

अष्टापद-पद-स्थाने (aṣṭāpada-pada-sthāne) - on a chessboard-like board (aṣṭāpada) (in the place of the squares of an eight-square board)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of aṣṭāpada-pada-sthāna

aṣṭāpada-pada-sthāna - place of the squares of an aṣṭāpada (8-square game board)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (aṣṭāpada+pada+sthāna)

• aṣṭāpada – an 8-square board, chessboard, game of dice
  noun (neuter)
  aṣṭā (eight) + pada (foot/square)
• pada – foot, step, square (on a board), mark
  noun (neuter)
  Root: pad (class 4)
• sthāna – place, position, stand
  noun (neuter)
  From root sthā (to stand)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Locative singular.

तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

अक्ष-मुद्रा (akṣa-mudrā) - die, gaming piece, mark of a die

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of akṣa-mudrā

akṣa-mudrā - die (for gaming), gaming piece, mark of a die

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (akṣa+mudrā)

• akṣa – die (for gaming), eye, axle
  noun (masculine)
• mudrā – seal, stamp, impression, coin
  noun (feminine)
  From root mud (to rejoice) or mudr (to stamp)
  Root: mud (class 1)

Note: Nominative singular, subject of comparison.

इव (iva) - like, as if

(indeclinable)

न्यस्यते (nyasyate) - is placed, is positioned

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of nyas

ni + as (to throw). ni is a prefix.

Prefix: ni

Root: as (class 4)

Note: Passive form of nyas.