महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-80, verse-16

तपो यज्ञादपि श्रेष्ठमित्येषा परमा श्रुतिः ।
तत्ते तपः प्रवक्ष्यामि विद्वंस्तदपि मे शृणु ॥१६॥

16. tapo yajñādapi śreṣṭhamityeṣā paramā śrutiḥ ,
tatte tapaḥ pravakṣyāmi vidvaṁstadapi me śṛṇu.

16. tapaḥ yajñāt api śreṣṭham iti eṣā paramā śrutiḥ
tat te tapaḥ pravakṣyāmi vidvan tat api me śṛṇu

16. eṣā paramā śrutiḥ iti tapaḥ yajñāt api śreṣṭham he
vidvan tat tapaḥ te pravakṣyāmi tat api me śṛṇu

16. “Austerity (tapas) is superior even to Vedic ritual (yajña)” – this is the supreme sacred text (śruti). Therefore, O learned one, I shall expound upon that austerity (tapas) to you; listen to that from me as well.

Words meanings summery:

• तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance, spiritual fervor

• यज्ञात् (yajñāt) - from sacrifice

• अपि (api) - even, also

• श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - best, most excellent, superior (neuter singular nominative/accusative)

• इति (iti) - thus, in this way, denoting quotation

• एषा (eṣā) - this (feminine singular)

• परमा (paramā) - supreme, highest, ultimate

• श्रुतिः (śrutiḥ) - Vedic revelation, scripture, what is heard

• तत् (tat) - that (austerity) (that (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

• ते (te) - to you (the learned one) (to you (singular dative/genitive))

• तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance, spiritual fervor

• प्रवक्ष्यामि (pravakṣyāmi) - I shall declare, I shall explain

• विद्वन् (vidvan) - O learned one, O wise one (vocative)

• तत् (tat) - that (austerity or what I am about to tell you) (that (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

• अपि (api) - even, also

• मे (me) - from me (from me, to me, for me (singular dative/genitive/ablative))

• शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen!, hear! (second singular imperative)

Words meanings and morphology

तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance, spiritual fervor

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - heat, warmth; austerity, penance, spiritual fervor

From root tap (to heat, to perform austerity) + as (suffix)

Root: tap (class 1)

यज्ञात् (yajñāt) - from sacrifice

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of yajña

yajña - sacrifice, ritual, worship, offering

From root yaj (to sacrifice, worship) + na

Root: yaj (class 1)

अपि (api) - even, also

(indeclinable)

श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - best, most excellent, superior (neuter singular nominative/accusative)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, most excellent, superior

Superlative degree of praśasya (excellent)

इति (iti) - thus, in this way, denoting quotation

(indeclinable)

एषा (eṣā) - this (feminine singular)

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

परमा (paramā) - supreme, highest, ultimate

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of parama

parama - supreme, highest, ultimate, most excellent

Superlative degree of para (other, highest)

श्रुतिः (śrutiḥ) - Vedic revelation, scripture, what is heard

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of śruti

śruti - hearing, listening; sacred knowledge (Veda), revelation, Vedic injunction

Derived from root śru (to hear) + ktin (feminine suffix)

Root: śru (class 1)

तत् (tat) - that (austerity) (that (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, that one

ते (te) - to you (the learned one) (to you (singular dative/genitive))

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

Enclitic form of the second person pronoun

तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance, spiritual fervor

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - heat, warmth; austerity, penance, spiritual fervor

From root tap (to heat, to perform austerity) + as (suffix)

Root: tap (class 1)

प्रवक्ष्यामि (pravakṣyāmi) - I shall declare, I shall explain

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, future (lṛṭ) of pra-vac

future active

Root vac (to speak) with upasarga pra, in the future first singular active

Prefix: pra

Root: vac (class 2)

विद्वन् (vidvan) - O learned one, O wise one (vocative)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vidvas

vidvas - learned, wise, knowing

Perfect Active Participle (substantivized)

From root vid (to know) + vas (suffix for PAP)

Root: vid (class 2)

तत् (tat) - that (austerity or what I am about to tell you) (that (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, that one

अपि (api) - even, also

(indeclinable)

मे (me) - from me (from me, to me, for me (singular dative/genitive/ablative))

(pronoun)

Ablative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Enclitic form of the first person pronoun

शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen!, hear! (second singular imperative)

(verb)

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

imperative active

Root śru (to hear) in the imperative second singular active

Root: śru (class 1)