महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-328, verse-35

नराणामयनं ख्यातमहमेकः सनातनः ।
आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ता आपो वै नरसूनवः ।
अयनं मम तत्पूर्वमतो नारायणो ह्यहम् ॥३५॥

35. narāṇāmayanaṁ khyātamahamekaḥ sanātanaḥ ,
āpo nārā iti proktā āpo vai narasūnavaḥ ,
ayanaṁ mama tatpūrvamato nārāyaṇo hyaham.

35. narāṇām ayanam khyātam aham ekaḥ
sanātanaḥ āpaḥ nārāḥ iti proktāḥ
āpaḥ vai narasūnavaḥ ayanam mama
tat pūrvam ataḥ nārāyaṇaḥ hi aham

35. I am known as the sole eternal abode (ayana) of men (nara). The waters are indeed declared as Nārā, and these waters are verily the offspring of Nara. That was formerly my abode (ayana); therefore, I am Nārāyaṇa.

Words meanings summery:

• नराणाम् (narāṇām) - of men (of men, of human beings)

• अयनम् (ayanam) - abode (abode, path, course, going)

• ख्यातम् (khyātam) - known, famously (known, famous, declared)

• अहम् (aham) - I (Krishna) (I)

• एकः (ekaḥ) - the sole (one, sole, unique)

• सनातनः (sanātanaḥ) - eternal (eternal, perpetual, ancient)

• आपः (āpaḥ) - waters

• नाराः (nārāḥ) - Nārā (referring to waters in this specific etymology) (men (plural), (here, waters))

• इति (iti) - thus, so called (thus, so, so called)

• प्रोक्ताः (proktāḥ) - declared (declared, said, proclaimed)

• आपः (āpaḥ) - waters

• वै (vai) - verily, indeed (indeed, truly, verily)

• नरसूनवः (narasūnavaḥ) - offspring of Nara (sons of Nara, offspring of men)

• अयनम् (ayanam) - abode (abode, path, course, going)

• मम (mama) - my (my, of me)

• तत् (tat) - that (abode/waters) (that (neuter))

• पूर्वम् (pūrvam) - formerly (formerly, previously, before)

• अतः (ataḥ) - therefore (therefore, hence, from this)

• नारायणः (nārāyaṇaḥ) - Nārāyaṇa (a name of Krishna) (Nārāyaṇa (an epithet of Vishnu/Krishna))

• हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, certainly, for)

• अहम् (aham) - I (Krishna) (I)

Words meanings and morphology

नराणाम् (narāṇām) - of men (of men, of human beings)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of nara

nara - man, human being, a male, leader

Root: nṛ (class 1)

अयनम् (ayanam) - abode (abode, path, course, going)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ayana

ayana - going, course, path, abode, refuge, movement

Verbal Noun

From root 'i' (to go) with suffix -ana.

Root: i (class 2)

Note: Predicate nominative.

ख्यातम् (khyātam) - known, famously (known, famous, declared)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of khyāta

khyāta - known, famous, celebrated, declared

Past Passive Participle

From root 'khyā' (to be known, to tell).

Root: khyā (class 2)

अहम् (aham) - I (Krishna) (I)

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of aham

aham - I (first person pronoun)

एकः (ekaḥ) - the sole (one, sole, unique)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of eka

eka - one, a, single, unique, sole, chief

Numeral used as pronoun/adjective.

सनातनः (sanātanaḥ) - eternal (eternal, perpetual, ancient)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sanātana

sanātana - eternal, perpetual, permanent, ancient, primeval

From sanā (always) + tana (suffix).

आपः (āpaḥ) - waters

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of ap

ap - water, waters

Always used in plural (āpaḥ).

नाराः (nārāḥ) - Nārā (referring to waters in this specific etymology) (men (plural), (here, waters))

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of nara

nara - man, human being, a male, leader

Here used metaphorically or for an etymological pun to mean 'waters'.

Root: nṛ (class 1)

Note: Explained as a derivation for Nārāyaṇa.

इति (iti) - thus, so called (thus, so, so called)

(indeclinable)

particle

प्रोक्ताः (proktāḥ) - declared (declared, said, proclaimed)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of prokta

prokta - spoken, declared, said, proclaimed

Past Passive Participle

From pra- (prefix) + root vac (to speak). Irregular formation.

Prefix: pra

Root: vac (class 2)

आपः (āpaḥ) - waters

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of ap

ap - water, waters

Always used in plural (āpaḥ).

वै (vai) - verily, indeed (indeed, truly, verily)

(indeclinable)

particle

नरसूनवः (narasūnavaḥ) - offspring of Nara (sons of Nara, offspring of men)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of narasūnu

narasūnu - son of Nara, offspring of men

Compound of 'nara' (man) and 'sūnu' (son).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nara+sūnu)

• nara – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• sūnu – son, offspring
  noun (masculine)

Note: Predicate nominative for 'āpaḥ'.

अयनम् (ayanam) - abode (abode, path, course, going)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ayana

ayana - going, course, path, abode, refuge, movement

Verbal Noun

From root 'i' (to go) with suffix -ana.

Root: i (class 2)

मम (mama) - my (my, of me)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of aham

aham - I (first person pronoun)

तत् (tat) - that (abode/waters) (that (neuter))

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it (demonstrative pronoun)

पूर्वम् (pūrvam) - formerly (formerly, previously, before)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of pūrva

pūrva - former, prior, earlier, eastern, first

Adverbial accusative.

अतः (ataḥ) - therefore (therefore, hence, from this)

(indeclinable)

An adverb.

नारायणः (nārāyaṇaḥ) - Nārāyaṇa (a name of Krishna) (Nārāyaṇa (an epithet of Vishnu/Krishna))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nārāyaṇa

nārāyaṇa - Nārāyaṇa (an epithet of Vishnu/Krishna); literally 'abode of men (nara)' or 'whose path is the waters (nārā)'

Compound of 'nāra' (men/waters) and 'ayana' (abode).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nāra+ayana)

• nāra – of men, relating to waters
  adjective
  Derived from 'nara' (man) or used for the waters (nārā).
• ayana – abode, path, course
  noun (neuter)
  Verbal Noun
  From root 'i' (to go) with suffix -ana.
  Root: i (class 2)

Note: Predicate nominative for 'aham'.

हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, certainly, for)

(indeclinable)

particle

अहम् (aham) - I (Krishna) (I)

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of aham

aham - I (first person pronoun)