महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-125, verse-8

मुहूर्तमथ संचिन्त्य ब्राह्मणस्तस्य रक्षसः ।
आभिर्गाथाभिरव्यग्रः प्रश्नं प्रतिजगाद ह ॥८॥

8. muhūrtamatha saṁcintya brāhmaṇastasya rakṣasaḥ ,
ābhirgāthābhiravyagraḥ praśnaṁ pratijagāda ha.

8. muhūrtam atha saṃcintya brāhmaṇaḥ tasya rakṣasaḥ
ābhiḥ gāthābhiḥ avyagraḥ praśnam pratijagāda ha

8. atha muhūrtam saṃcintya avyagraḥ brāhmaṇaḥ tasya
rakṣasaḥ praśnam ābhiḥ gāthābhiḥ pratijagāda ha

8. Then, having deliberated for a moment, the brahmin (brāhmaṇa), calmly, answered that demon's question with these verses.

Words meanings summery:

• मुहूर्तम् (muhūrtam) - a moment, a short time

• अथ (atha) - then, now, thereupon

• संचिन्त्य (saṁcintya) - having deliberated, having thought deeply

• ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class

• तस्य (tasya) - of that (demon) (of him, of that)

• रक्षसः (rakṣasaḥ) - of the demon, of the monster

• आभिः (ābhiḥ) - with these

• गाथाभिः (gāthābhiḥ) - with verses, stanzas, songs

• अव्यग्रः (avyagraḥ) - unagitated, calm, tranquil, steady

• प्रश्नम् (praśnam) - question

• प्रतिजगाद (pratijagāda) - he answered, replied

• ह (ha) - indeed, surely (particle)

Words meanings and morphology

मुहूर्तम् (muhūrtam) - a moment, a short time

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of muhūrta

muhūrta - a moment, a period of time (approx. 48 minutes), a short while

Note: Adverbial accusative, indicating duration.

अथ (atha) - then, now, thereupon

(indeclinable)

संचिन्त्य (saṁcintya) - having deliberated, having thought deeply

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund) with prefix

From root 'cint' (to think) with preverb 'sam'.

Prefix: sam

Root: cint (class 10)

ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a brahmin, a member of the priestly class; related to brahman

Derived from 'brahman' with suffix 'aṇ'.

तस्य (tasya) - of that (demon) (of him, of that)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Possessive case, modifying 'rakṣasaḥ' and 'praśnam'.

रक्षसः (rakṣasaḥ) - of the demon, of the monster

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of rakṣas

rakṣas - demon, evil spirit, monster

Note: Possessive case, refers to the demon mentioned earlier.

आभिः (ābhiḥ) - with these

(pronoun)

Instrumental, feminine, plural of idam

idam - this, he, she, it (proximate demonstrative)

Demonstrative pronoun.

गाथाभिः (gāthābhiḥ) - with verses, stanzas, songs

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, plural of gāthā

gāthā - verse, stanza, song, hymn

From root 'gai' (to sing).

Root: gai (class 1)

Note: Means by which the brahmin answered.

अव्यग्रः (avyagraḥ) - unagitated, calm, tranquil, steady

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of avyagra

avyagra - unagitated, calm, tranquil, steady, undistracted

Compound of 'a' (not) + 'vyagra' (agitated).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (a+vyagra)

• a – not, un-, in- (negative prefix)
  indeclinable
• vyagra – agitated, perplexed, busy, distracted
  adjective (masculine)
  From 'vi' + 'agra' (foremost) or 'vi' + '√aj' (to drive).
  Prefix: vi

Note: Agrees with 'brāhmaṇaḥ'.

प्रश्नम् (praśnam) - question

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of praśna

praśna - question, inquiry

From root 'prach' (to ask).

Root: prach (class 6)

Note: Object of 'pratijagāda'.

प्रतिजगाद (pratijagāda) - he answered, replied

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (lit) of gad

Perfect (Lit) 3rd person singular active voice

From root 'gad' (to speak) with preverb 'prati'.

Prefix: prati

Root: gad (class 1)

ह (ha) - indeed, surely (particle)

(indeclinable)

An emphatic particle, often used for narrative emphasis.