महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-327, verse-77

देवा ऊचुः ।
एकपादस्थिते धर्मे यत्रक्वचनगामिनि ।
कथं कर्तव्यमस्माभिर्भगवंस्तद्वदस्व नः ॥७७॥

77. devā ūcuḥ ,
ekapādasthite dharme yatrakvacanagāmini ,
kathaṁ kartavyamasmābhirbhagavaṁstadvadasva naḥ.

77. devāḥ ūcuḥ ekapādasthite dharme yatra kvacana gāmini
katham kartavyam asmābhiḥ bhagavan tat vadasva naḥ

77. devāḥ ūcuḥ: bhagavan,
ekapādasthite dharme yatra kvacana gāmini,
asmābhiḥ katham kartavyam? tat naḥ vadasva.

77. The gods said: 'O Lord, when the natural law (dharma) is diminished, existing on only one part and moving inconsistently from place to place, how should we act? Please tell us that!'

Words meanings summery:

• देवाः (devāḥ) - the gods, divine beings

• ऊचुः (ūcuḥ) - they said, spoke

• एकपादस्थिते (ekapādasthite) - existing on only one part (of its original four) (standing on one foot, existing on one part)

• धर्मे (dharme) - in the state where the natural law (dharma) is diminished to one part (in the natural law, in the constitution, concerning righteousness)

• यत्र (yatra) - where, in which, whenever

• क्वचन (kvacana) - in an inconsistent, erratic manner (wherever, somewhere, anywhere)

• गामिनि (gāmini) - moving inconsistently from place to place, present erratically (going, moving, present)

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• कर्तव्यम् (kartavyam) - what action is appropriate or necessary for us (should be done, ought to be done, duty)

• अस्माभिः (asmābhiḥ) - by us

• भगवन् (bhagavan) - O Lord, O Blessed One

• तत् (tat) - that, that thing

• वदस्व (vadasva) - tell, speak

• नः (naḥ) - to us

Words meanings and morphology

देवाः (devāḥ) - the gods, divine beings

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of deva

deva - god, deity, divine being

ऊचुः (ūcuḥ) - they said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, perfect (liṭ) of vac

perfect tense

3rd person plural perfect active indicative of root vac

Root: vac (class 2)

एकपादस्थिते (ekapādasthite) - existing on only one part (of its original four) (standing on one foot, existing on one part)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of ekapādasthita

ekapādasthita - standing on one foot, having one part remaining

Compound: ekapāda (one-footed) + sthita (standing)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ekapāda+sthita)

• ekapāda – one-footed, having one part
  adjective (masculine)
• sthita – standing, existing, situated
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Past passive participle of root sthā (to stand)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Used in a locative absolute construction, agreeing with dharme.

धर्मे (dharme) - in the state where the natural law (dharma) is diminished to one part (in the natural law, in the constitution, concerning righteousness)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, righteousness, duty, virtue, intrinsic nature

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Part of a locative absolute construction.

यत्र (yatra) - where, in which, whenever

(indeclinable)

क्वचन (kvacana) - in an inconsistent, erratic manner (wherever, somewhere, anywhere)

(indeclinable)

गामिनि (gāmini) - moving inconsistently from place to place, present erratically (going, moving, present)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of gāmin

gāmin - going, moving, leading to, resorting to

agent noun/adjective from root gam

Derived from root gam (to go) with suffix -in

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Used in a locative absolute construction, agreeing with dharme.

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

कर्तव्यम् (kartavyam) - what action is appropriate or necessary for us (should be done, ought to be done, duty)

(gerundive)

Note: Used impersonally in passive construction, 'what is to be done'.

अस्माभिः (asmābhiḥ) - by us

(pronoun)

Instrumental, plural of aham

aham - I, we (1st person pronoun)

Note: Agent of the passive gerundive 'kartavyam'.

भगवन् (bhagavan) - O Lord, O Blessed One

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bhagavat

bhagavat - blessed, fortunate, glorious, divine, Lord

तत् (tat) - that, that thing

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

Note: Object of 'vadasva'.

वदस्व (vadasva) - tell, speak

(verb)

2nd person , singular, middle, imperative (loṭ) of vad

imperative tense

2nd person singular imperative middle voice of root vad

Root: vad (class 1)

नः (naḥ) - to us

(pronoun)

plural of aham

aham - I, we (1st person pronoun)

Note: Here used as dative 'to us'.