महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-89, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
यदा राजा समर्थोऽपि कोशार्थी स्यान्महामते ।
कथं प्रवर्तेत तदा तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
yadā rājā samartho'pi kośārthī syānmahāmate ,
kathaṁ pravarteta tadā tanme brūhi pitāmaha.

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | yadā rājā samarthaḥ api kośārthī syāt
mahāmate | katham pravarteta tadā tat me brūhi pitāmaha

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca mahāmate,
yadā rājā samarthaḥ api kośārthī syāt,
tadā katham pravarteta? pitāmaha,
tat me brūhi

1. Yudhishthira said: "O great-minded one, if a king, even though capable, becomes intent on accumulating wealth, how should he then proceed? Please tell me that, O grandfather."

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhishthira (Yudhishthira (proper noun))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (he said, he spoke)

• यदा (yadā) - when (when, whenever)

• राजा (rājā) - a king (king, ruler)

• समर्थः (samarthaḥ) - capable (capable, competent, able)

• अपि (api) - even though (also, even, too)

• कोशार्थी (kośārthī) - intent on accumulating wealth (desirous of treasure, seeking wealth)

• स्यात् (syāt) - becomes (he would be, he should be)

• महामते (mahāmate) - O great-minded one (O great-minded one, O wise one)

• कथम् (katham) - how (how? in what manner?)

• प्रवर्तेत (pravarteta) - should proceed (he should proceed, he should act, he should behave)

• तदा (tadā) - then (then, at that time)

• तत् (tat) - that (that, it)

• मे (me) - me (to me, for me, my)

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell (speak!, tell!)

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandfather (grandfather)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhishthira (Yudhishthira (proper noun))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - firm in battle, Yudhishthira (name of the eldest Pandava)

Compound of 'yudhi' (in battle) and 'sthira' (firm).

Compound type : aluk-tatpuruṣa (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle, in war
  indeclinable
  Locative singular of 'yudh' (battle), used adverbially.
• sthira – firm, steady, stable, resolute
  adjective (masculine)
  From root 'sthā' (to stand).
  Root: sthā (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - said (he said, he spoke)

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

यदा (yadā) - when (when, whenever)

(indeclinable)

From 'yad' (which) + suffix '-dā'.

Note: Correlates with 'tadā'.

राजा (rājā) - a king (king, ruler)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler, sovereign

समर्थः (samarthaḥ) - capable (capable, competent, able)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of samartha

samartha - capable, competent, able, suitable

From 'sam-artha' (having meaning, having purpose/ability).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (sam+artha)

• sam – with, together, complete
  indeclinable
  Prefix.
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, object
  noun (masculine)
  From root 'arth' (to request, to strive for).
  Root: arth (class 10)

Note: Agrees with 'rājā'.

अपि (api) - even though (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

कोशार्थी (kośārthī) - intent on accumulating wealth (desirous of treasure, seeking wealth)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kośārthin

kośārthin - desirous of treasure, seeking wealth

Compound of 'kośa' and 'arthin'.

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (kośa+arthin)

• kośa – treasure, treasury, fund, sheath, bud
  noun (masculine)
• arthin – seeking, desirous of, wishing for
  adjective (masculine)
  From 'artha' (purpose, wealth) + suffix '-in'.
  Root: arth (class 10)

Note: Agrees with 'rājā'.

स्यात् (syāt) - becomes (he would be, he should be)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Expresses possibility or condition.

महामते (mahāmate) - O great-minded one (O great-minded one, O wise one)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of mahāmat

mahāmat - great-minded, wise, intelligent

Compound of 'mahā' (great) and 'mat' (mind).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (mahā+mat)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective (feminine)
• mat – mind, intellect, thought
  noun (feminine)

Note: Addressing Bhishma.

कथम् (katham) - how (how? in what manner?)

(indeclinable)

From 'kim' (what) + suffix '-tham'.

Note: Interrogative adverb.

प्रवर्तेत (pravarteta) - should proceed (he should proceed, he should act, he should behave)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of pra-vṛt

Root 'vṛt' with upasarga 'pra'.

Prefix: pra

Root: vṛt (class 1)

तदा (tadā) - then (then, at that time)

(indeclinable)

From 'tad' (that) + suffix '-dā'.

Note: Correlates with 'yadā'.

तत् (tat) - that (that, it)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Object of 'brūhi'.

मे (me) - me (to me, for me, my)

(pronoun)

singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Note: Used here in dative sense 'to me'.

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell (speak!, tell!)

(verb)

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

Root: brū (class 2)

पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandfather (grandfather)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather, great father, Brahma

From 'pitṛ' (father) + 'maha' (great).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pitṛ+maha)

• pitṛ – father
  noun (masculine)
• maha – great, large, illustrious
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Addressed to Bhishma.