महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-27, verse-40

लम्बेतावाक्शिरा यस्तु युगानामयुतं पुमान् ।
तिष्ठेद्यथेष्टं यश्चापि गङ्गायां स विशिष्यते ॥४०॥

40. lambetāvākśirā yastu yugānāmayutaṁ pumān ,
tiṣṭhedyatheṣṭaṁ yaścāpi gaṅgāyāṁ sa viśiṣyate.

40. lambeta avākśirāḥ yaḥ tu yugānām ayutam pumān
tiṣṭhet yathā iṣṭam yaḥ ca api gaṅgāyām saḥ viśiṣyate

40. yaḥ pumān tu avākśirāḥ yugānām ayutam lambeta,
yaḥ ca api yathā iṣṭam gaṅgāyām tiṣṭhet,
saḥ viśiṣyate

40. Even if a man were to hang head downwards for ten thousand ages (yugas), yet the one who remains in the Gaṅgā for as long as he desires—he is superior.

Words meanings summery:

• लम्बेत (lambeta) - should hang, should suspend oneself

• अवाक्शिराः (avākśirāḥ) - head downwards, inverted

• यः (yaḥ) - who, which

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• युगानाम् (yugānām) - of ages, of yugas

• अयुतम् (ayutam) - ten thousand

• पुमान् (pumān) - man, male, person

• तिष्ठेत् (tiṣṭhet) - should stand, should remain

• यथा (yathā) - as, according to, in such a manner

• इष्टम् (iṣṭam) - desired, wished, beloved

• यः (yaḥ) - who, which

• च (ca) - and, also

• अपि (api) - also, even, too

• गङ्गायाम् (gaṅgāyām) - in the Gaṅgā

• सः (saḥ) - he, that

• विशिष्यते (viśiṣyate) - is distinguished, is superior, excels

Words meanings and morphology

लम्बेत (lambeta) - should hang, should suspend oneself

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (liṅ) of lamb

Optative Mood, Ātmanepada

Root √lamb, 1st conjugation, present stem 'lamba-'

Root: lamb (class 1)

अवाक्शिराः (avākśirāḥ) - head downwards, inverted

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of avākśiras

avākśiras - head downwards, having the head turned downwards

Bahuvrīhi compound: 'avāk' (downwards) + 'śiras' (head)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (avāk+śiras)

• avāk – downwards, turned downwards
  indeclinable
  Derived from ava-añc
  Prefix: ava
  Root: añc (class 6)
• śiras – head
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with 'pumān'.

यः (yaḥ) - who, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, what, whoever, whatever

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

युगानाम् (yugānām) - of ages, of yugas

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of yuga

yuga - age, epoch, a world age, a yoke

अयुतम् (ayutam) - ten thousand

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of ayuta

ayuta - ten thousand, an immense number

पुमान् (pumān) - man, male, person

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of puman

puman - man, male, human being, spirit, soul

तिष्ठेत् (tiṣṭhet) - should stand, should remain

(verb)

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

Optative Mood, Parasmaipada

Root √sthā, 1st conjugation, present stem 'tiṣṭha-'

Root: sthā (class 1)

यथा (yathā) - as, according to, in such a manner

(indeclinable)

इष्टम् (iṣṭam) - desired, wished, beloved

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of iṣṭa

iṣṭa - desired, wished, beloved, sacrificed

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root √iṣ (to wish, to desire) or √yaj (to sacrifice)

Root: iṣ (class 4)

Note: Used adverbially in combination with 'yathā' (yatheṣṭam = as desired).

यः (yaḥ) - who, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, what, whoever, whatever

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - also, even, too

(indeclinable)

गङ्गायाम् (gaṅgāyām) - in the Gaṅgā

(proper noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of gaṅgā

gaṅgā - the Gaṅgā river

सः (saḥ) - he, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, this, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the one who remains in the Gaṅgā.

विशिष्यते (viśiṣyate) - is distinguished, is superior, excels

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of viśiṣ

Present Tense, Ātmanepada

Root √śiṣ (to remain, to distinguish) with prefix vi-

Prefix: vi

Root: śiṣ (class 7)

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