महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-337, verse-39

तमुवाच नतं मूर्ध्ना देवानामादिरव्ययः ।
वेदाख्याने श्रुतिः कार्या त्वया मतिमतां वर ।
तस्मात्कुरु यथाज्ञप्तं मयैतद्वचनं मुने ॥३९॥

39. tamuvāca nataṁ mūrdhnā devānāmādiravyayaḥ ,
vedākhyāne śrutiḥ kāryā tvayā matimatāṁ vara ,
tasmātkuru yathājñaptaṁ mayaitadvacanaṁ mune.

39. tam uvāca natam mūrdhnā devānām ādiḥ
avyayaḥ vedākhyāne śrutiḥ kāryā
tvayā matimatām vara tasmāt kuru
yathājñaptam mayā etat vacanam mune

39. devānām ādiḥ avyayaḥ mūrdhnā natam
tam uvāca matimatām vara tvayā
vedākhyāne śrutiḥ kāryā tasmāt mune
mayā yathājñaptam etat vacanam kuru

39. The primal, imperishable origin of the gods spoke to him, who was bowing his head: 'O best among the intelligent, you must properly establish the Vedic text (śruti) during the exposition of the Vedas. Therefore, O sage (muni), carry out this instruction as I have commanded.'

Words meanings summery:

• तम् (tam) - him (referring to the sage) (him, that)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• नतम् (natam) - bowing (with head) (bowed, bent, humble)

• मूर्ध्ना (mūrdhnā) - with his head (by the head, with the head)

• देवानाम् (devānām) - of the gods

• आदिः (ādiḥ) - the origin (origin, beginning, first)

• अव्ययः (avyayaḥ) - the imperishable one (imperishable, immutable, indeclinable)

• वेदाख्याने (vedākhyāne) - in the exposition of the Vedas (in the explanation of the Vedas, in the narration of the Vedas)

• श्रुतिः (śrutiḥ) - the sacred Vedic text (śruti) (hearing, sacred text, revelation, Vedic tradition)

• कार्या (kāryā) - must be properly established/performed (to be done, to be made, practicable)

• त्वया (tvayā) - by you

• मतिमताम् (matimatām) - of the intelligent ones (of the intelligent, of the wise)

• वर (vara) - O best (vocative address) (O best, O excellent one, boon)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

• कुरु (kuru) - carry out, perform (do, make, perform)

• यथाज्ञप्तम् (yathājñaptam) - as commanded (as commanded, as instructed)

• मया (mayā) - by me

• एतत् (etat) - this (instruction) (this, this one)

• वचनम् (vacanam) - instruction, command (word, speech, instruction)

• मुने (mune) - O sage (muni) (O sage, O ascetic)

Words meanings and morphology

तम् (tam) - him (referring to the sage) (him, that)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Accusative singular masculine of 'tad'.

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of vac

Perfect Tense

Perfect active 3rd person singular of √vac (class 2). Irregular formation.

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Irregular perfect form.

नतम् (natam) - bowing (with head) (bowed, bent, humble)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of nata

nata - bowed, bent, humble

Past Passive Participle

Past Passive Participle of √nam (to bow)

Root: nam (class 1)

Note: Used here as an adjective modifying 'him' (tam).

मूर्ध्ना (mūrdhnā) - with his head (by the head, with the head)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of mūrdhan

mūrdhan - head, top, skull

Note: From 'mūrdhan' (n-stem).

देवानाम् (devānām) - of the gods

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of deva

deva - god, deity, divine

आदिः (ādiḥ) - the origin (origin, beginning, first)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ādi

ādi - beginning, origin, first

Note: Nominative singular of 'ādi'.

अव्ययः (avyayaḥ) - the imperishable one (imperishable, immutable, indeclinable)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of avyaya

avyaya - imperishable, immutable, indeclinable

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+vyaya)

• a – not, un-, without
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• vyaya – expenditure, loss, perishable
  noun (masculine)
  From √vyay (to spend, waste)
  Prefix: vi
  Root: vyay (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'ādiḥ'.

वेदाख्याने (vedākhyāne) - in the exposition of the Vedas (in the explanation of the Vedas, in the narration of the Vedas)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of vedākhyāna

vedākhyāna - narration/explanation of the Vedas

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (veda+ākhyāna)

• veda – knowledge, Veda (sacred texts)
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vid (class 2)
• ākhyāna – narration, story, explanation
  noun (neuter)
  From √khyā (to tell) with prefix ā
  Prefix: ā
  Root: khyā (class 2)

श्रुतिः (śrutiḥ) - the sacred Vedic text (śruti) (hearing, sacred text, revelation, Vedic tradition)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of śruti

śruti - hearing, sacred text, revelation, Vedic tradition

From √śru (to hear)

Root: śru (class 5)

कार्या (kāryā) - must be properly established/performed (to be done, to be made, practicable)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kārya

kārya - to be done, to be made, task, duty

Gerundive

Gerundive of √kṛ (to do, make)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Agrees with 'śrutiḥ'.

त्वया (tvayā) - by you

(pronoun)

Instrumental, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you (pronoun)

Note: Instrumental singular of 'yuṣmad'.

मतिमताम् (matimatām) - of the intelligent ones (of the intelligent, of the wise)

(adjective)

Genitive, plural of matimat

matimat - intelligent, wise, endowed with thought

From 'mati' (intellect) + '-mat' (possessive suffix)

Note: Genitive plural of 'matimat' (t-stem).

वर (vara) - O best (vocative address) (O best, O excellent one, boon)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, boon, suitor

Root: vṛ (class 9)

Note: Used as an appellative.

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

(indeclinable)

Ablative of 'tad' used as an indeclinable adverb.

कुरु (kuru) - carry out, perform (do, make, perform)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of kṛ

Imperative Mood

Imperative active 2nd person singular of √kṛ (class 8)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

यथाज्ञप्तम् (yathājñaptam) - as commanded (as commanded, as instructed)

(indeclinable)

Compound adverb from 'yathā' (as) and 'ājñapta' (commanded)

Compound type : avyayībhāva / karmadhāraya (adverbial) (yathā+ājñapta)

• yathā – as, according to, just as
  indeclinable
• ājñapta – commanded, ordered, instructed
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Past Passive Participle of √jñā (to know) with prefix ā
  Prefix: ā
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Adverbial usage.

मया (mayā) - by me

(pronoun)

Instrumental, singular of asmad

asmad - I (pronoun)

Note: Instrumental singular of 'asmad'.

एतत् (etat) - this (instruction) (this, this one)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

Note: Accusative singular neuter of 'etad'.

वचनम् (vacanam) - instruction, command (word, speech, instruction)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vacana

vacana - word, speech, instruction, saying

From √vac (to speak)

Root: vac (class 2)

मुने (mune) - O sage (muni) (O sage, O ascetic)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of muni

muni - sage, ascetic, contemplative (muni)

Note: Vocative singular of 'muni' (i-stem).