महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-342, verse-8

भीष्म उवाच ।
सोऽतिथिर्वचनं तस्य श्रुत्वा धर्माभिलाषिणः ।
प्रोवाच वचनं श्लक्ष्णं प्राज्ञो मधुरया गिरा ॥८॥

8. bhīṣma uvāca ,
so'tithirvacanaṁ tasya śrutvā dharmābhilāṣiṇaḥ ,
provāca vacanaṁ ślakṣṇaṁ prājño madhurayā girā.

8. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca saḥ atithiḥ vacanam tasya śrutvā dharmābhilāṣiṇaḥ
provāca vacanam ślakṣṇam prājñaḥ madhurayā girā

8. Bhishma said: That wise guest, having heard the words of the one who desired righteousness (dharma), spoke gentle words in a sweet voice.

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• सः (saḥ) - he, that

• अतिथिः (atithiḥ) - guest, stranger

• वचनम् (vacanam) - word, speech, statement

• तस्य (tasya) - of him, his

• श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard

• धर्माभिलाषिणः (dharmābhilāṣiṇaḥ) - of the one desiring righteousness/natural law

• प्रोवाच (provāca) - spoke forth, declared

• वचनम् (vacanam) - word, speech, statement

• श्लक्ष्णम् (ślakṣṇam) - gentle (words) (gentle, soft, smooth, bland)

• प्राज्ञः (prājñaḥ) - The wise guest (wise, discerning, intelligent person)

• मधुरया (madhurayā) - with a sweet voice (with sweet, by means of a sweet (feminine))

• गिरा (girā) - with voice, by speech

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhishma (a proper name, particularly referring to the grand-uncle of the Pandavas and Kauravas)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

perfect (liṭ)

Root vac (to speak) in perfect tense, 3rd person singular, active voice.

Root: vac (class 2)

सः (saḥ) - he, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

अतिथिः (atithiḥ) - guest, stranger

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of atithi

atithi - guest, stranger

वचनम् (vacanam) - word, speech, statement

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vacana

vacana - word, speech, statement

Root: vac (class 2)

तस्य (tasya) - of him, his

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard

(indeclinable)

absolutive (gerund)

Derived from root śru (to hear) with the suffix -tvā.

Root: śru (class 5)

धर्माभिलाषिणः (dharmābhilāṣiṇaḥ) - of the one desiring righteousness/natural law

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of dharmābhilāṣin

dharmābhilāṣin - one desiring dharma, desiring righteousness, desiring natural law

Compound of dharma and abhilāṣin (desiring).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dharma+abhilāṣin)

• dharma – righteousness, natural law, constitution, duty, intrinsic nature
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• abhilāṣin – desiring, wishing, longing for
  adjective (masculine)
  present active participle
  From root lāṣ (to desire) with prefix abhi-.
  Prefix: abhi
  Root: lāṣ (class 1)

प्रोवाच (provāca) - spoke forth, declared

(verb)

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

perfect (liṭ)

Root vac (to speak) with prefix pra- in perfect tense, 3rd person singular, active voice.

Prefix: pra

Root: vac (class 2)

वचनम् (vacanam) - word, speech, statement

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vacana

vacana - word, speech, statement

Root: vac (class 2)

श्लक्ष्णम् (ślakṣṇam) - gentle (words) (gentle, soft, smooth, bland)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of ślakṣṇa

ślakṣṇa - gentle, soft, smooth, bland, polished

Note: Modifies 'vacanam'.

प्राज्ञः (prājñaḥ) - The wise guest (wise, discerning, intelligent person)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of prājña

prājña - wise, discerning, intelligent, a wise person

From pra-jñā (to know well).

Prefix: pra

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Refers to 'atithiḥ'.

मधुरया (madhurayā) - with a sweet voice (with sweet, by means of a sweet (feminine))

(adjective)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of madhura

madhura - sweet, pleasant, charming

Note: Modifies 'girā'.

गिरा (girā) - with voice, by speech

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of gir

gir - voice, speech, word