महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-312, verse-16

पितुर्वचनमाज्ञाय तमेवार्थं विचिन्तयन् ।
अध्वानं सोऽतिचक्राम खेऽचरः खे चरन्निव ॥१६॥

16. piturvacanamājñāya tamevārthaṁ vicintayan ,
adhvānaṁ so'ticakrāma khe'caraḥ khe caranniva.

16. pituḥ vacanam ājñāya tam eva artham vicintayan
adhvānam saḥ aticakrāma khe acaraḥ khe caran iva

16. pituḥ vacanam ājñāya tam eva artham vicintayan,
saḥ adhvānam aticakrāma,
khe acaraḥ khe caran iva

16. Having understood his father's command and continually pondering that very purpose, he traversed the path as effortlessly as one who, though unmoving, travels through the sky.

Words meanings summery:

• पितुः (pituḥ) - of the father, father's

• वचनम् (vacanam) - word, speech, command

• आज्ञाय (ājñāya) - having understood (having known, having understood, having commanded)

• तम् (tam) - that

• एव (eva) - only, indeed, just

• अर्थम् (artham) - the purpose (of the father's command) (purpose, meaning, object, wealth)

• विचिन्तयन् (vicintayan) - pondering, reflecting, considering

• अध्वानम् (adhvānam) - path, road, journey

• सः (saḥ) - the great sage (he, that)

• अतिचक्राम (aticakrāma) - traversed, passed over, transcended

• खे (khe) - in the sky, in space

• अचरः (acaraḥ) - unmoving, motionless

• खे (khe) - in the sky, in space

• चरन् (caran) - moving, going

• इव (iva) - as if, like

Words meanings and morphology

पितुः (pituḥ) - of the father, father's

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of pitṛ

pitṛ - father

वचनम् (vacanam) - word, speech, command

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vacana

vacana - word, speech, command

Root: vac (class 2)

आज्ञाय (ājñāya) - having understood (having known, having understood, having commanded)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (gerund)

Derived from the root 'jñā' with prefix 'ā' and suffix '-ya'.

Prefix: ā

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Indicates completion of an action before the main verb.

तम् (tam) - that

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the 'purpose' mentioned.

एव (eva) - only, indeed, just

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

अर्थम् (artham) - the purpose (of the father's command) (purpose, meaning, object, wealth)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - purpose, meaning, object, wealth

विचिन्तयन् (vicintayan) - pondering, reflecting, considering

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vicintayat

vicintayat - pondering, reflecting

Present Active Participle

From the causal form of root 'cit' (to perceive) with prefix 'vi'.

Prefix: vi

Root: cit (class 10)

Note: Functions as an adjective modifying the implied subject (the sage).

अध्वानम् (adhvānam) - path, road, journey

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of adhvan

adhvan - path, road, journey

सः (saḥ) - the great sage (he, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Subject of the verb 'aticakrāma'.

अतिचक्राम (aticakrāma) - traversed, passed over, transcended

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (lit) of kram

Perfect tense

Reduplicated perfect, 3rd person singular.

Prefix: ati

Root: kram (class 1)

Note: Prefix 'ati-' implies 'over', 'beyond', 'transcending'.

खे (khe) - in the sky, in space

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kha

kha - sky, space, ether

अचरः (acaraḥ) - unmoving, motionless

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of acara

acara - unmoving, motionless

Negative compound of 'a' (not) and 'cara' (moving).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+cara)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• cara – moving, going
  adjective
  From root 'car' (to move, go).
  Root: car (class 1)

Note: Describes the implied subject (the sage) in the simile.

खे (khe) - in the sky, in space

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kha

kha - sky, space, ether

चरन् (caran) - moving, going

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of carat

carat - moving, going

Present Active Participle

From root 'car' (to move, go).

Root: car (class 1)

Note: Describes the implied subject (the sage) in the simile.

इव (iva) - as if, like

(indeclinable)

Note: Indicates a simile.