महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-23, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
किमाहुर्भरतश्रेष्ठ पात्रं विप्राः सनातनम् ।
ब्राह्मणं लिङ्गिनं चैव ब्राह्मणं वाप्यलिङ्गिनम् ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
kimāhurbharataśreṣṭha pātraṁ viprāḥ sanātanam ,
brāhmaṇaṁ liṅginaṁ caiva brāhmaṇaṁ vāpyaliṅginam.

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca kim āhuḥ bharataśreṣṭha pātram viprāḥ
sanātanam brāhmaṇam liṅginam ca eva brāhmaṇam vā api aliṅginam

1. Yudhiṣṭhira said, "O best among Bharatas, whom do the wise (viprāḥ) consider to be the eternal worthy recipient for gifts? Is it a Brahmin (brāhmaṇam) bearing the distinguishing marks of an ascetic (liṅginam), or indeed a Brahmin without such marks?"

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - The eldest of the Pāṇḍavas (Yudhiṣṭhira (proper name))

• उवाच (uvāca) - Yudhiṣṭhira said (said, spoke)

• किम् (kim) - What do they say is the worthy recipient? (what?)

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - whom do the wise declare (they say, they declare)

• भरतश्रेष्ठ (bharataśreṣṭha) - Addressing Bhīṣma as the best of the Bharata lineage. (O best among Bharatas)

• पात्रम् (pātram) - a worthy recipient for gifts (a worthy recipient, vessel, container)

• विप्राः (viprāḥ) - the wise ones or learned Brahmins who declare (wise ones, Brahmins, learned persons)

• सनातनम् (sanātanam) - the eternally worthy recipient (describing pātra) (eternal, perpetual, traditional)

• ब्राह्मणम् (brāhmaṇam) - Is it a Brahmin (as the worthy recipient)? (a Brahmin)

• लिङ्गिनम् (liṅginam) - a Brahmin bearing the marks of an ascetic (e.g., staff, ochre robe) (possessing a mark or characteristic; having the distinguishing marks (of an ascetic))

• च (ca) - and

• एव (eva) - indeed (emphatic) (indeed, certainly, only)

• ब्राह्मणम् (brāhmaṇam) - Is it a Brahmin (as the worthy recipient)? (a Brahmin)

• वा (vā) - or

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

• अलिङ्गिनम् (aliṅginam) - a Brahmin not bearing the marks of an ascetic (a householder) (not having distinguishing marks, without a mark)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - The eldest of the Pāṇḍavas (Yudhiṣṭhira (proper name))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - firm in battle, one who stands firm in war; name of the eldest Pāṇḍava

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle, in war
  indeclinable
  Locative singular of yudh (battle)
  Root: yudh (class 4)
• sthira – firm, steady, stable
  adjective (masculine)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - Yudhiṣṭhira said (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

perfect active third person singular

From root vac (to speak), perfect tense (lit)

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Archaic perfect form for 'to speak'.

किम् (kim) - What do they say is the worthy recipient? (what?)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which; why

Note: Here used as an interrogative pronoun.

आहुः (āhuḥ) - whom do the wise declare (they say, they declare)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of vac

present active third person plural

From root vac (to speak), present tense (laṭ)

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Irregular form from root vac.

भरतश्रेष्ठ (bharataśreṣṭha) - Addressing Bhīṣma as the best of the Bharata lineage. (O best among Bharatas)

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bharataśreṣṭha

bharataśreṣṭha - best of Bharatas

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (bharata+śreṣṭha)

• bharata – a descendant of Bharata (an ancient king); Indian
  proper noun (masculine)
• śreṣṭha – best, most excellent, supreme
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative of praśasya (excellent)

पात्रम् (pātram) - a worthy recipient for gifts (a worthy recipient, vessel, container)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of pātra

pātra - vessel, recipient, worthy person, capable person

From root pā (to drink) or pā (to protect); 'that which holds' or 'that which is protected/nourished'

Root: pā (class 1)

विप्राः (viprāḥ) - the wise ones or learned Brahmins who declare (wise ones, Brahmins, learned persons)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of vipra

vipra - inspired, wise, a Brahmin, a sage

From root vip (to tremble, to inspire)

Root: vip (class 1)

Note: Agent of āhuḥ.

सनातनम् (sanātanam) - the eternally worthy recipient (describing pātra) (eternal, perpetual, traditional)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of sanātana

sanātana - eternal, perpetual, ancient, traditional

From sadā (always) + tan (to spread, extend)

Note: Adjective for pātra.

ब्राह्मणम् (brāhmaṇam) - Is it a Brahmin (as the worthy recipient)? (a Brahmin)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class; related to brahman (brahman)

Derived from brahman (brahman)

Note: It is the object of the implied verb 'is it'.

लिङ्गिनम् (liṅginam) - a Brahmin bearing the marks of an ascetic (e.g., staff, ochre robe) (possessing a mark or characteristic; having the distinguishing marks (of an ascetic))

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of liṅgin

liṅgin - having a mark, sign, characteristic; an ascetic, mendicant

From liṅga (mark) + -in (possessive suffix)

Note: Adjective for brāhmaṇam.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

एव (eva) - indeed (emphatic) (indeed, certainly, only)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizer.

ब्राह्मणम् (brāhmaṇam) - Is it a Brahmin (as the worthy recipient)? (a Brahmin)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class; related to brahman (brahman)

Note: Object of the implied verb.

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

Note: Disjunctive conjunction.

अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizer.

अलिङ्गिनम् (aliṅginam) - a Brahmin not bearing the marks of an ascetic (a householder) (not having distinguishing marks, without a mark)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of aliṅgin

aliṅgin - without distinguishing marks, a non-ascetic, householder

From a (negation) + liṅgin (having a mark)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+liṅgin)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• liṅgin – having a mark, sign, characteristic; an ascetic, mendicant
  adjective (masculine)
  From liṅga (mark) + -in (possessive suffix)

Note: Adjective for brāhmaṇam.