महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-21, verse-23

किं त्वस्याः परमं रूपं जीर्णमासीत्कथं पुनः ।
कन्यारूपमिहाद्यैव किमिहात्रोत्तरं भवेत् ॥२३॥

23. kiṁ tvasyāḥ paramaṁ rūpaṁ jīrṇamāsītkathaṁ punaḥ ,
kanyārūpamihādyaiva kimihātrottaraṁ bhavet.

23. kiṃ tu asyāḥ paramaṃ rūpaṃ jīrṇaṃ āsīt kathaṃ punaḥ |
kanyā rūpam iha adya eva kiṃ iha atra uttaraṃ bhavet

23. kiṃ tu asyāḥ paramaṃ rūpaṃ kathaṃ jīrṇaṃ āsīt punaḥ
iha adya eva kanyārūpam iha atra kiṃ uttaraṃ bhavet

23. But how could her excellent form have been old and worn out, and then become a maiden's form just today, right here? What answer can there be to this mystery here?

Words meanings summery:

• किं (kiṁ) - what (in 'what... how...') (what? why?)

• तु (tu) - but, however, on the other hand

• अस्याः (asyāḥ) - of her, its (feminine)

• परमं (paramaṁ) - supreme, excellent, greatest

• रूपं (rūpaṁ) - form, appearance, beauty

• जीर्णं (jīrṇaṁ) - old, worn out, decayed

• आसीत् (āsīt) - was, existed

• कथं (kathaṁ) - how? in what manner?

• पुनः (punaḥ) - again, further, moreover

• कन्या रूपम् (kanyā rūpam) - maiden's form, form of a maiden

• इह (iha) - here, in this matter, in this world

• अद्य (adya) - today, now

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

• किं (kiṁ) - what? why?

• इह (iha) - here, in this matter, in this world

• अत्र (atra) - here, in this place, in this connection

• उत्तरं (uttaraṁ) - answer, reply, upper, later

• भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, might be, should be

Words meanings and morphology

किं (kiṁ) - what (in 'what... how...') (what? why?)

(indeclinable)

Note: Used as an interrogative adverb.

तु (tu) - but, however, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

अस्याः (asyāḥ) - of her, its (feminine)

(pronoun)

Genitive, feminine, singular of idam

idam - this

परमं (paramaṁ) - supreme, excellent, greatest

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of parama

parama - supreme, highest, greatest, ultimate

Note: Agrees with rūpaṃ

रूपं (rūpaṁ) - form, appearance, beauty

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of rūpa

rūpa - form, appearance, beauty, shape

जीर्णं (jīrṇaṁ) - old, worn out, decayed

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jīrṇa

jīrṇa - old, worn out, decayed, digested

past passive participle

derived from jṝ (to wear out)

Root: jṝ (class 9)

Note: Agrees with rūpaṃ

आसीत् (āsīt) - was, existed

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, imperfect (laṅ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

कथं (kathaṁ) - how? in what manner?

(indeclinable)

पुनः (punaḥ) - again, further, moreover

(indeclinable)

कन्या रूपम् (kanyā rūpam) - maiden's form, form of a maiden

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kanyārūpa

kanyārūpa - maiden's form, form of a maiden

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kanyā+rūpa)

• kanyā – maiden, virgin, daughter
  noun (feminine)
• rūpa – form, appearance, beauty
  noun (neuter)

इह (iha) - here, in this matter, in this world

(indeclinable)

अद्य (adya) - today, now

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

(indeclinable)

किं (kiṁ) - what? why?

(indeclinable)

Note: Used as an interrogative adverb.

इह (iha) - here, in this matter, in this world

(indeclinable)

अत्र (atra) - here, in this place, in this connection

(indeclinable)

उत्तरं (uttaraṁ) - answer, reply, upper, later

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of uttara

uttara - answer, reply, upper, later, northern

भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, might be, should be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of bhū

Root: bhū (class 1)