महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-2, verse-28

ततो महात्मा तानाह दहनो ब्राह्मणर्षभान् ।
वरयाम्यात्मनोऽर्थाय दुर्योधनसुतामिति ॥२८॥

28. tato mahātmā tānāha dahano brāhmaṇarṣabhān ,
varayāmyātmano'rthāya duryodhanasutāmiti.

28. tataḥ mahātmā tān āha dahanaḥ brāhmaṇarṣabhān
varayāmi ātmanaḥ arthāya duryodhanasutām iti

28. Then the great-souled Agni (dahana) said to those foremost Brahmins: 'I desire Duryodhana's daughter for my own sake (ātman).'

Words meanings summery:

• ततः (tataḥ) - then, thereupon, from that

• महात्मा (mahātmā) - great-souled, noble, magnanimous

• तान् (tān) - them, those

• आह (āha) - he said, he spoke

• दहनः (dahanaḥ) - fire, burner, Agni

• ब्राह्मणर्षभान् (brāhmaṇarṣabhān) - to the best of Brahmins, to the foremost Brahmins

• वरयामि (varayāmi) - I choose, I ask for, I desire

• आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - for my own self/sake (of the self, for oneself, for my own)

• अर्थाय (arthāya) - for the sake of, for the purpose of, for the benefit of

• दुर्योधनसुताम् (duryodhanasutām) - Duryodhana's daughter

• इति (iti) - thus, so, (marks direct speech)

Words meanings and morphology

ततः (tataḥ) - then, thereupon, from that

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverb of time.

महात्मा (mahātmā) - great-souled, noble, magnanimous

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mahātman

mahātman - great-souled, noble, magnanimous, great self

Compound of mahā (great) + ātman (self, soul)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (mahā+ātman)

• mahā – great, large
  adjective
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence
  noun (masculine)

Note: Qualifies 'dahanaḥ'.

तान् (tān) - them, those

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Direct object of 'āha', referring to the Brahmins.

आह (āha) - he said, he spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of ah

Root: ah (class 2)

दहनः (dahanaḥ) - fire, burner, Agni

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dahana

dahana - fire, burner, Agni

From root dah (to burn)

Root: dah (class 1)

Note: Subject of 'āha'.

ब्राह्मणर्षभान् (brāhmaṇarṣabhān) - to the best of Brahmins, to the foremost Brahmins

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇarṣabha

brāhmaṇarṣabha - foremost Brahmin, best of Brahmins

Compound of brāhmaṇa (Brahmin) + ṛṣabha (bull, best)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (brāhmaṇa+ṛṣabha)

• brāhmaṇa – Brahmin, relating to Brahman
  noun (masculine)
• ṛṣabha – bull, best, excellent
  noun (masculine)

Note: In apposition to 'tān'.

वरयामि (varayāmi) - I choose, I ask for, I desire

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of vṛ

Denominative verb from vara (boon, choice) or causative of vṛ

Root: vṛ (class 9)

Note: Verb of speech's content.

आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - for my own self/sake (of the self, for oneself, for my own)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, essence, ego

Note: Used reflexively with 'arthāya'.

अर्थाय (arthāya) - for the sake of, for the purpose of, for the benefit of

(noun)

Dative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - purpose, meaning, wealth, object, sake

Note: Indicates purpose.

दुर्योधनसुताम् (duryodhanasutām) - Duryodhana's daughter

(proper noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of duryodhanasutā

duryodhanasutā - Duryodhana's daughter

Compound of Duryodhana + sutā (daughter)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (duryodhana+sutā)

• duryodhana – Duryodhana (proper name)
  proper noun (masculine)
• sutā – daughter
  noun (feminine)
  From root sū (to bear, produce)
  Root: sū (class 2)

Note: Object of 'varayāmi'.

इति (iti) - thus, so, (marks direct speech)

(indeclinable)

Note: Marks the end of a quotation.