महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-338, verse-1

जनमेजय उवाच ।
बहवः पुरुषा ब्रह्मन्नुताहो एक एव तु ।
को ह्यत्र पुरुषः श्रेष्ठः को वा योनिरिहोच्यते ॥१॥

1. janamejaya uvāca ,
bahavaḥ puruṣā brahmannutāho eka eva tu ,
ko hyatra puruṣaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ ko vā yonirihocyate.

1. janamejayaḥ uvāca bahavaḥ puruṣāḥ brahman uta āho ekaḥ eva
tu kaḥ hi atra puruṣaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ kaḥ vā yoniḥ iha ucyate

1. janamejayaḥ uvāca: brahman,
bahavaḥ puruṣāḥ uta āho ekaḥ eva tu (asti)? atra hi kaḥ puruṣaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ? vā iha kaḥ yoniḥ ucyate?

1. Janamejaya said: 'O Brahmin, are there many cosmic persons (puruṣas), or is there indeed just one? Who among them is the supreme (puruṣa)? Or who is declared to be the source here?'

Words meanings summery:

• जनमेजयः (janamejayaḥ) - The king asking the question. (Janamejaya (proper noun))

• उवाच (uvāca) - he said

• बहवः (bahavaḥ) - many

• पुरुषाः (puruṣāḥ) - Refers to the metaphysical concept of a conscious being or principle. (cosmic persons, beings, men)

• ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - Vocative, addressing a Brahmin interlocutor (possibly Vaiśampāyana). (O Brahmin)

• उत (uta) - Introduces an alternative question. (or, moreover, whether)

• आहो (āho) - Used in alternative questions. (or (emphatic), whether)

• एकः (ekaḥ) - one, single

• एव (eva) - Emphatic particle. (only, just, indeed, precisely)

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however, on the other hand

• कः (kaḥ) - Interrogative pronoun asking about identity. (who?)

• हि (hi) - Emphatic particle, or indicating a reason. (indeed, surely, for)

• अत्र (atra) - Refers to the current discussion or context. (here, in this matter)

• पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - cosmic person, being, man

• श्रेष्ठः (śreṣṭhaḥ) - Asks who is the highest among the 'puruṣas'. (best, most excellent, supreme)

• कः (kaḥ) - who?

• वा (vā) - Introduces an alternative question. (or, either)

• योनिः (yoniḥ) - Refers to the ultimate origin or cause of existence. (source, origin, womb)

• इह (iha) - Refers to the current discussion. (here, in this world/context)

• उच्यते (ucyate) - it is said, it is declared, it is called

Words meanings and morphology

जनमेजयः (janamejayaḥ) - The king asking the question. (Janamejaya (proper noun))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of janamejaya

janamejaya - Janamejaya (a legendary Kuru king, son of Parīkṣit)

Note: Subject of 'uvāca'.

उवाच (uvāca) - he said

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

बहवः (bahavaḥ) - many

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of bahu

bahu - much, many, numerous

Note: Agrees with 'puruṣāḥ'.

पुरुषाः (puruṣāḥ) - Refers to the metaphysical concept of a conscious being or principle. (cosmic persons, beings, men)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of puruṣa

puruṣa - man, human being, person, male; the cosmic person, soul (puruṣa)

Note: Subject of an implied verb "are there".

ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - Vocative, addressing a Brahmin interlocutor (possibly Vaiśampāyana). (O Brahmin)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of brahman

brahman - Brahmin (a member of the priestly class); the absolute reality (brahman)

Note: The 'n' ending comes from the vocative singular of 'brahman' (masc).

उत (uta) - Introduces an alternative question. (or, moreover, whether)

(indeclinable)

Note: Pairs with 'āho'.

आहो (āho) - Used in alternative questions. (or (emphatic), whether)

(indeclinable)

Note: Pairs with 'uta'.

एकः (ekaḥ) - one, single

(numeral)

Note: Agrees with implied 'puruṣaḥ'.

एव (eva) - Emphatic particle. (only, just, indeed, precisely)

(indeclinable)

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

कः (kaḥ) - Interrogative pronoun asking about identity. (who?)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which (interrogative pronoun)

Note: Subject of an implied verb "is".

हि (hi) - Emphatic particle, or indicating a reason. (indeed, surely, for)

(indeclinable)

अत्र (atra) - Refers to the current discussion or context. (here, in this matter)

(indeclinable)

पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - cosmic person, being, man

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of puruṣa

puruṣa - man, human being, person, male; the cosmic person, soul (puruṣa)

Note: Subject for 'śreṣṭhaḥ'.

श्रेष्ठः (śreṣṭhaḥ) - Asks who is the highest among the 'puruṣas'. (best, most excellent, supreme)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, most excellent, supreme, chief

Superlative degree of 'praśasya' (praiseworthy).

Note: Predicate adjective for 'puruṣaḥ'.

कः (kaḥ) - who?

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which (interrogative pronoun)

वा (vā) - Introduces an alternative question. (or, either)

(indeclinable)

योनिः (yoniḥ) - Refers to the ultimate origin or cause of existence. (source, origin, womb)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of yoni

yoni - womb, origin, source, place of birth, species

Note: Predicate for 'kaḥ'.

इह (iha) - Refers to the current discussion. (here, in this world/context)

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverbial.

उच्यते (ucyate) - it is said, it is declared, it is called

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present indicative (laṭ) of vac

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Derived from 'vac' (to speak).