महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-337, verse-8

किमतः पूर्वजं जन्म व्यासस्यामिततेजसः ।
कथयस्वोत्तममते जन्म नारायणोद्भवम् ॥८॥

8. kimataḥ pūrvajaṁ janma vyāsasyāmitatejasaḥ ,
kathayasvottamamate janma nārāyaṇodbhavam.

8. kim ataḥ pūrvajam janma vyāsasya amitatejasaḥ
kathayasva uttamamate janma nārāyaṇodbhavam

8. uttamamate ataḥ vyāsasya amitatejasaḥ pūrvajam
janma kim kathayasva nārāyaṇodbhavam janma

8. O best of intellects, please tell what was the previous birth of Vyasa, who possesses immeasurable splendor. Also, speak of the birth that originated from Narayana.

Words meanings summery:

• किम् (kim) - what (what, why)

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

• पूर्वजम् (pūrvajam) - previous (previous, former, prior)

• जन्म (janma) - birth (birth, existence)

• व्यासस्य (vyāsasya) - of Vyasa

• अमिततेजसः (amitatejasaḥ) - of immeasurable splendor (of immeasurable splendor, of boundless energy)

• कथयस्व (kathayasva) - please tell (please tell, relate)

• उत्तममते (uttamamate) - O best of intellects (O best of intellects, O one with excellent mind)

• जन्म (janma) - birth (birth, existence)

• नारायणोद्भवम् (nārāyaṇodbhavam) - originating from Narayana (originating from Narayana, born from Narayana)

Words meanings and morphology

किम् (kim) - what (what, why)

(interrogative pronoun)

अतः (ataḥ) - therefore, from this, hence

(indeclinable)

पूर्वजम् (pūrvajam) - previous (previous, former, prior)

(adjective)

neuter, singular of pūrvaja

pūrvaja - preceding, prior, former, born before

Note: Agrees with 'janma'.

जन्म (janma) - birth (birth, existence)

(noun)

neuter, singular of janman

janman - birth, origin, existence, life

Root: jan (class 4)

व्यासस्य (vyāsasya) - of Vyasa

(proper noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of vyāsa

vyāsa - Vyasa (a sage, compiler of the Vedas and Puranas)

अमिततेजसः (amitatejasaḥ) - of immeasurable splendor (of immeasurable splendor, of boundless energy)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of amitatejas

amitatejas - of immeasurable splendor/energy

Compound type : bahuvrihi (amita+tejas)

• amita – unmeasured, boundless, infinite
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  derived from root mā (to measure) with negative prefix a
  Prefix: a
  Root: mā (class 2)
• tejas – splendor, energy, sharp point, fire
  noun (neuter)
  Root: tij (class 6)

Note: Agrees with 'vyāsasya'.

कथयस्व (kathayasva) - please tell (please tell, relate)

(verb)

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

causative of kath

Root: kath (class 10)

उत्तममते (uttamamate) - O best of intellects (O best of intellects, O one with excellent mind)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of uttamamati

uttamamati - one with excellent mind/intellect

Compound type : bahuvrihi (uttama+mati)

• uttama – best, highest, excellent
  adjective
• mati – mind, intellect, thought
  noun (feminine)
  Root: man (class 4)

जन्म (janma) - birth (birth, existence)

(noun)

neuter, singular of janman

janman - birth, origin, existence, life

Root: jan (class 4)

नारायणोद्भवम् (nārāyaṇodbhavam) - originating from Narayana (originating from Narayana, born from Narayana)

(adjective)

neuter, singular of nārāyaṇodbhava

nārāyaṇodbhava - originating from Narayana, born from Narayana

Compound type : tatpurusha (nārāyaṇa+udbhava)

• nārāyaṇa – Narayana (a name of Vishnu)
  proper noun (masculine)
• udbhava – origin, birth, production
  noun (masculine)
  from ut-√bhū
  Prefix: ud
  Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'janma'.