महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-321, verse-8

नारायणो हि विश्वात्मा चतुर्मूर्तिः सनातनः ।
धर्मात्मजः संबभूव पितैवं मेऽभ्यभाषत ॥८॥

8. nārāyaṇo hi viśvātmā caturmūrtiḥ sanātanaḥ ,
dharmātmajaḥ saṁbabhūva pitaivaṁ me'bhyabhāṣata.

8. nārāyaṇaḥ hi viśvātmā caturmūrtiḥ sanātanaḥ
dharmaātmajaḥ sambabhūva pitā evam me abhyabhāṣata

8. me pitā evam abhyabhāṣata: nārāyaṇaḥ hi viśvātmā caturmūrtiḥ sanātanaḥ dharmaātmajaḥ sambabhūva.

8. My father told me thus: Nārāyaṇa, the eternal universal self (ātman) with four forms, was born as the son of (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• नारायणः (nārāyaṇaḥ) - Nārāyaṇa

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely

• विश्वात्मा (viśvātmā) - the universal self

• चतुर्मूर्तिः (caturmūrtiḥ) - having four forms

• सनातनः (sanātanaḥ) - eternal, perpetual

• धर्मआत्मजः (dharmaātmajaḥ) - son of (dharma)

• सम्बभूव (sambabhūva) - he was born, he became, he came into being

• पिता (pitā) - father

• एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner

• मे (me) - to me, for me

• अभ्यभाषत (abhyabhāṣata) - he spoke, he said, he addressed

Words meanings and morphology

नारायणः (nārāyaṇaḥ) - Nārāyaṇa

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nārāyaṇa

nārāyaṇa - Nārāyaṇa (name of a divine being, Vishnu)

Note: Subject of the sentence.

हि (hi) - indeed, surely

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic.

विश्वात्मा (viśvātmā) - the universal self

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of viśvātman

viśvātman - universal soul, supreme soul, the self of the universe

Compound type : tatpurusha (viśva+ātman)

• viśva – all, whole, universal
  adjective
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essential nature
  noun (masculine)

Note: Predicate nominative for Nārāyaṇa.

चतुर्मूर्तिः (caturmūrtiḥ) - having four forms

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of caturmūrti

caturmūrti - having four forms or bodies

Compound type : bahuvrihi (catur+mūrti)

• catur – four
  numeral
• mūrti – form, embodiment, manifestation
  noun (feminine)

Note: Predicate nominative for Nārāyaṇa.

सनातनः (sanātanaḥ) - eternal, perpetual

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sanātana

sanātana - eternal, perpetual, ancient, primeval

Note: Predicate nominative for Nārāyaṇa.

धर्मआत्मजः (dharmaātmajaḥ) - son of (dharma)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharmātmaja

dharmātmaja - son of dharma

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+ātmaja)

• dharma – constitution, natural law, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• ātmaja – son, born of oneself
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from ātman + ja (born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Predicate nominative for Nārāyaṇa.

सम्बभूव (sambabhūva) - he was born, he became, he came into being

(verb)

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

Prefix: sam

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Used to describe Nārāyaṇa's birth/manifestation.

पिता (pitā) - father

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pitṛ

pitṛ - father

Note: Subject of `abhyabhāṣata`.

एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner

(indeclinable)

Note: Modifies `abhyabhāṣata`.

मे (me) - to me, for me

(pronoun)

singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Note: Dative case 'to me'.

अभ्यभाषत (abhyabhāṣata) - he spoke, he said, he addressed

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of abhibhāṣ

Prefix: abhi

Root: bhāṣ (class 1)

Note: Implies a past action of speaking.