महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-107, verse-3

तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण जपैर्होमैस्तथौषधैः ।
जन्मना यदि वाचारात्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥३॥

3. tapasā brahmacaryeṇa japairhomaistathauṣadhaiḥ ,
janmanā yadi vācārāttanme brūhi pitāmaha.

3. tapasā brahmacaryeṇa japaiḥ homaiḥ tathā auṣadhaiḥ
janmanā yadi vā ācārāt tat me brūhi pitāmaha

3. pitāmaha me tat brūhi yadi tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
japaiḥ homaiḥ tathā auṣadhaiḥ vā janmanā vā ācārāt

3. Grandfather, tell me, is it through ascetic practice (tapas), celibacy (brahmacarya), chanting (japa), Vedic fire rituals (homa), or medicines? Or is it by birth, or by one's conduct (ācāra)?

Words meanings summery:

• तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity, by penance, by ascetic practice

• ब्रह्मचर्येण (brahmacaryeṇa) - by celibacy, by student life, by chaste conduct

• जपैः (japaiḥ) - by recitations, by chanting

• होमैः (homaiḥ) - by Vedic fire rituals

• तथा (tathā) - and, thus, so, likewise

• औषधैः (auṣadhaiḥ) - by medicines, by drugs

• जन्मना (janmanā) - by birth, by origin

• यदि (yadi) - if, whether, in case that

• वा (vā) - or, either

• आचारात् (ācārāt) - from conduct, from custom, by tradition

• तत् (tat) - that, this

• मे (me) - to me, for me

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Grandfather (addressing Bhīṣma) (grandfather)

Words meanings and morphology

तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity, by penance, by ascetic practice

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - heat, warmth, austerity, penance, religious fervor, ascetic practice (tapas)

ब्रह्मचर्येण (brahmacaryeṇa) - by celibacy, by student life, by chaste conduct

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of brahmacarya

brahmacarya - religious student's life, chastity, celibacy, conduct suitable for spiritual life (brahmacarya)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (brahman+carya)

• brahman – Veda, sacred knowledge, spiritual life
  noun (neuter)
• carya – conduct, practice
  noun (neuter)
  Root: car (class 1)

जपैः (japaiḥ) - by recitations, by chanting

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of japa

japa - muttering, whispering, incantation, repeated recitation of mantras (japa)

होमैः (homaiḥ) - by Vedic fire rituals

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of homa

homa - oblation, offering, a Vedic fire ritual (homa)

तथा (tathā) - and, thus, so, likewise

(indeclinable)

औषधैः (auṣadhaiḥ) - by medicines, by drugs

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of auṣadha

auṣadha - medicine, drug, herb, medicinal plant

जन्मना (janmanā) - by birth, by origin

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of janman

janman - birth, origin, production, life

यदि (yadi) - if, whether, in case that

(indeclinable)

वा (vā) - or, either

(indeclinable)

आचारात् (ācārāt) - from conduct, from custom, by tradition

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of ācāra

ācāra - conduct, custom, practice, tradition (ācāra)

तत् (tat) - that, this

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this, it

मे (me) - to me, for me

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of mad

mad - I, me

Note: Can also be genitive 'my'

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (lot) of bru

imperative active

second person singular

Root: bru (class 2)

पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Grandfather (addressing Bhīṣma) (grandfather)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - grandfather (father's father), Brahmā