महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-331, verse-17

कियन्तं कालमवसत्काः कथाः पृष्टवांश्च सः ।
श्वेतद्वीपादुपावृत्ते तस्मिन्वा सुमहात्मनि ॥१७॥

17. kiyantaṁ kālamavasatkāḥ kathāḥ pṛṣṭavāṁśca saḥ ,
śvetadvīpādupāvṛtte tasminvā sumahātmani.

17. kiyantam kālam avasat kāḥ kathāḥ pṛṣṭavān ca saḥ
śveta-dvīpāt upāvṛtte tasmin vā su-mahā-ātmani

17. saḥ kiyantam kālam avasat ca kāḥ kathāḥ pṛṣṭavān? vā,
śveta-dvīpāt upāvṛtte tasmin su-mahā-ātmani

17. For how long did he reside there, and what stories did he inquire about? Or, what occurred when that great-souled (mahā-ātman) being returned from Śvetadvīpa?

Words meanings summery:

• कियन्तम् (kiyantam) - how much, how long

• कालम् (kālam) - time, for a period

• अवसत् (avasat) - Narada resided (he resided, he dwelt)

• काः (kāḥ) - what, which (feminine plural)

• कथाः (kathāḥ) - stories, narratives, topics of discussion

• पृष्टवान् (pṛṣṭavān) - Narada inquired about (he asked, he inquired)

• च (ca) - and

• सः (saḥ) - Narada (he)

• श्वेत-द्वीपात् (śveta-dvīpāt) - from Śvetadvīpa

• उपावृत्ते (upāvṛtte) - when he had returned (having returned, on his return)

• तस्मिन् (tasmin) - concerning Narada (in him, concerning him)

• वा (vā) - or, alternatively

• सु-महा-आत्मनि (su-mahā-ātmani) - concerning that exalted (ātman) being, Narada (in the great-souled one, concerning the very great (mahā-ātman) one)

Words meanings and morphology

कियन्तम् (kiyantam) - how much, how long

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of kiyat

kiyat - how much, how many, of what size

Interrogative adjective.

कालम् (kālam) - time, for a period

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of kāla

kāla - time, period, destiny

Root: kal (class 10)

अवसत् (avasat) - Narada resided (he resided, he dwelt)

(verb)

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

Imperfect (laṅ), from root vas (to dwell).

Root: vas (class 1)

काः (kāḥ) - what, which (feminine plural)

(pronoun)

feminine, plural of kim

kim - what, who, which

Interrogative pronoun/adjective.

कथाः (kathāḥ) - stories, narratives, topics of discussion

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, plural of kathā

kathā - story, tale, narrative, discourse

From root kath (to tell, relate).

Root: kath (class 10)

पृष्टवान् (pṛṣṭavān) - Narada inquired about (he asked, he inquired)

(adjective (participle))

Note: Refers to Narada.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

सः (saḥ) - Narada (he)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Subject of 'avasat' and 'pṛṣṭavān'.

श्वेत-द्वीपात् (śveta-dvīpāt) - from Śvetadvīpa

(proper noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of śveta-dvīpa

śveta-dvīpa - White Island, a mythical land often associated with Viṣṇu.

Compound type : karma-dhāraya (śveta+dvīpa)

• śveta – white, pure, clean
  adjective
  Root: śvit (class 1)
• dvīpa – island, continent
  noun (masculine)

Note: Source of return for the great-souled one.

उपावृत्ते (upāvṛtte) - when he had returned (having returned, on his return)

(adjective (participle))

Note: Agrees with 'tasmin' and 'su-mahā-ātmani'.

तस्मिन् (tasmin) - concerning Narada (in him, concerning him)

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

वा (vā) - or, alternatively

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

सु-महा-आत्मनि (su-mahā-ātmani) - concerning that exalted (ātman) being, Narada (in the great-souled one, concerning the very great (mahā-ātman) one)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of su-mahā-ātman

su-mahā-ātman - very great-souled, highly noble, of great (ātman)

Bahuvrīhi compound, with 'su' prefix for emphasis.

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (su+mahat+ātman)

• su – good, well, excellent, very
  indeclinable (prefix)
• mahat – great, mighty, large
  adjective
  Stem is mahā in compounds.
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essential nature (ātman)
  noun (masculine)
  Root: an (class 2)

Note: Part of a locative absolute construction, describing Narada.