महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-141, verse-7

कथं रक्षामि भवतस्तेऽब्रुवंश्चन्द्रमा भव ।
तिमिरघ्नश्च सविता दस्युहा चैव नो भव ॥७॥

7. kathaṁ rakṣāmi bhavataste'bruvaṁścandramā bhava ,
timiraghnaśca savitā dasyuhā caiva no bhava.

7. katham rakṣāmi bhavataḥ te abruvan candramā bhava
timiraghnaḥ ca savitā dasyuhā ca eva naḥ bhava

7. katham bhavataḥ rakṣāmi te abruvan candramā bhava
timiraghnaḥ savitā ca dasyuhā ca eva naḥ bhava

7. Atri asked, 'How can I protect you?' They (the gods) replied: 'Be the Moon, and be the Sun, the dispeller of darkness; and indeed, be our destroyer of enemies.'

Words meanings summery:

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

• रक्षामि (rakṣāmi) - I protect, I guard

• भवतः (bhavataḥ) - of you (respectful form), from you

• ते (te) - those, they

• अब्रुवन् (abruvan) - they said, they spoke

• चन्द्रमा (candramā) - the moon

• भव (bhava) - be, become

• तिमिरघ्नः (timiraghnaḥ) - dispeller of darkness, destroyer of gloom

• च (ca) - and, also

• सविता (savitā) - the sun, the stimulator, the prompter

• दस्युहा (dasyuhā) - slayer of dacoits/enemies, destroyer of robbers

• च (ca) - and, also

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, just, exactly

• नः (naḥ) - us, our (gen/acc/dat plural)

• भव (bhava) - be, become

Words meanings and morphology

कथम् (katham) - how? in what manner?

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb.

रक्षामि (rakṣāmi) - I protect, I guard

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (laṭ (लट्)) of rakṣ

present active

Root 'rakṣ' in present tense, 1st person singular.

Root: rakṣ (रक्ष्) (class 1)

भवतः (bhavataḥ) - of you (respectful form), from you

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of bhavat

bhavat - you (respectful), being, existing

Second person respectful pronoun.

Note: Object of 'rakṣāmi', referring to the gods.

ते (te) - those, they

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those, he, she, it, they

Note: Refers to the gods, subject of 'abruvan'.

अब्रुवन् (abruvan) - they said, they spoke

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, past imperfect (laṅ (लङ्)) of brū

imperfect past tense

Root 'brū' (or 'vac') in imperfect, 3rd plural. Augment 'a'.

Prefix: a

Root: brū (ब्रू) (class 2)

चन्द्रमा (candramā) - the moon

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of candramas

candramas - moon, the moon-god

Has 'as' suffix, similar to 'manas'.

Root: cand (चन्द्) (class 1)

Note: To be understood as 'You be the Moon'.

भव (bhava) - be, become

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ (लोट्)) of bhū

imperative active

Root 'bhū' in imperative, 2nd person singular.

Root: bhū (भू) (class 1)

Note: Appears twice in the verse.

तिमिरघ्नः (timiraghnaḥ) - dispeller of darkness, destroyer of gloom

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of timiraghna

timiraghna - dispelling darkness, destroyer of gloom

Compound. 'ghna' from root 'han' (to strike, destroy).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (timira+ghna)

• timira – darkness, gloom, dimness, cataract (eye disease)
  noun (neuter)
  Root: tim (तिम्) (class 4)
• ghna – killer, destroyer, dispeller (suffix from 'han')
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root 'han' (to strike, kill).
  Root: han (हन्) (class 2)

Note: Adjective for Savitā.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

सविता (savitā) - the sun, the stimulator, the prompter

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of savitṛ

savitṛ - generator, instigator, sun-god, sun

Agent noun from root 'sū' (to stimulate, beget).

Root: sū (सू) (class 2)

Note: To be understood as 'You be the Sun'.

दस्युहा (dasyuhā) - slayer of dacoits/enemies, destroyer of robbers

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dasyuhan

dasyuhan - slayer of robbers/enemies, vanquisher of foes

Compound. 'han' is root (to strike, kill).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dasyu+han)

• dasyu – robber, brigand, enemy, barbarian
  noun (masculine)
  Root: das (दस्) (class 4)
• han – slayer, killer, destroyer
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root 'han' (to strike, kill).
  Root: han (हन्) (class 2)

Note: Adjective for Atri.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

एव (eva) - indeed, only, just, exactly

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

नः (naḥ) - us, our (gen/acc/dat plural)

(pronoun)

Accusative, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

First person plural pronoun.

Note: Enclitic form.

भव (bhava) - be, become

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ (लोट्)) of bhū

imperative active

Root 'bhū' in imperative, 2nd person singular.

Root: bhū (भू) (class 1)

Note: Appears twice in the verse.