महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-10, verse-48

पूर्वदेहे यथा वृत्तं तन्निबोध द्विजोत्तम ।
जातिं स्मराम्यहं ब्रह्मन्नवधानेन मे शृणु ॥४८॥

48. pūrvadehe yathā vṛttaṁ tannibodha dvijottama ,
jātiṁ smarāmyahaṁ brahmannavadhānena me śṛṇu.

48. pūrvadehe yathā vṛttam tat nibodha dvijottama
jātim smarāmi aham brahman avadhānena me śṛṇu

48. O best of the twice-born (dvija), understand what happened in a previous existence. O Brāhmaṇa, I remember my former birth, so listen to me attentively.

Words meanings summery:

• पूर्वदेहे (pūrvadehe) - in a previous existence (in a previous body, in a former existence)

• यथा (yathā) - as, how (as, just as, according to)

• वृत्तम् (vṛttam) - what happened (occurred, happened, transpired)

• तत् (tat) - that (event) (that, it)

• निबोध (nibodha) - understand (understand, perceive, know, learn)

• द्विजोत्तम (dvijottama) - O best of the twice-born (dvija) (O best of the twice-born)

• जातिम् (jātim) - birth (as in a previous life) (birth, lineage, species, life)

• स्मरामि (smarāmi) - I remember, I recall

• अहम् (aham) - I

• ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O Brāhmaṇa (O Brāhmaṇa, O Brahmin)

• अवधानेन (avadhānena) - attentively (with attention, carefully)

• मे (me) - from me (implying 'from my words') (from me, my)

• शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen, hear

Words meanings and morphology

पूर्वदेहे (pūrvadehe) - in a previous existence (in a previous body, in a former existence)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of pūrvadeha

pūrvadeha - previous body, former existence

Compound 'pūrva' (previous) + 'deha' (body)

Compound type : karmadhāraya (pūrva+deha)

• pūrva – previous, former, prior
  adjective (masculine)
• deha – body, corporeal frame
  noun (masculine)

यथा (yathā) - as, how (as, just as, according to)

(indeclinable)

वृत्तम् (vṛttam) - what happened (occurred, happened, transpired)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vṛtta

vṛtta - happened, occurred, passed, become, existing, conduct, event

past passive participle

From root 'vṛt' (to turn, exist, happen) + suffix 'kta'

Root: vṛt (class 1)

तत् (tat) - that (event) (that, it)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

निबोध (nibodha) - understand (understand, perceive, know, learn)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of ni-budh

imperative active

Root 'budh' (to know) with prefix 'ni'

Prefix: ni

Root: budh (class 1)

द्विजोत्तम (dvijottama) - O best of the twice-born (dvija) (O best of the twice-born)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of dvijottama

dvijottama - best of the twice-born (i.e., best of Brahmins)

Compound 'dvija' (twice-born) + 'uttama' (best)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dvija+uttama)

• dvija – twice-born (a Brahmin, Kshatriya, or Vaishya; specifically a Brahmin), bird, tooth
  noun (masculine)
  Compound 'dvi' (twice) + 'ja' (born)
• uttama – best, excellent, highest
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative of 'ud' (up)

जातिम् (jātim) - birth (as in a previous life) (birth, lineage, species, life)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of jāti

jāti - birth, existence, species, lineage, caste

From root 'jan' (to be born)

Root: jan (class 4)

स्मरामि (smarāmi) - I remember, I recall

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (lat) of smṛ

present active

Root verb, 1st conjugation, Parasmaipada

Root: smṛ (class 1)

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O Brāhmaṇa (O Brāhmaṇa, O Brahmin)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of brahman

brahman - Brahmin, priest, the Absolute (brahman, neuter)

अवधानेन (avadhānena) - attentively (with attention, carefully)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of avadhāna

avadhāna - attention, care, heed, application

From prefix 'ava' + root 'dhā' (to place) + suffix 'ana'

Prefix: ava

Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Used adverbially here, 'by means of attention'.

मे (me) - from me (implying 'from my words') (from me, my)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

Note: Often functions as dative or genitive. Here, 'listen from me' or 'listen to my words'.

शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen, hear

(verb)

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

imperative active

Root verb, 5th conjugation, Parasmaipada

Root: śru (class 5)