महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-27, verse-52

देवाः सोमार्कसंस्थानि यथा सत्रादिभिर्मखैः ।
अमृतान्युपजीवन्ति तथा गङ्गाजलं नराः ॥५२॥

52. devāḥ somārkasaṁsthāni yathā satrādibhirmakhaiḥ ,
amṛtānyupajīvanti tathā gaṅgājalaṁ narāḥ.

52. devāḥ somārkasaṃsthāni yathā satrādibhiḥ makhaiḥ
amṛtāni upajīvanti tathā gaṅgājalam narāḥ

52. yathā devāḥ satrādibhiḥ makhaiḥ somārkasaṃsthāni
amṛtāni upajīvanti tathā narāḥ gaṅgājalam upajīvanti

52. Just as the gods subsist on nectars (amṛta) that embody the moon and sun (somārkasaṃsthā), obtained through great Vedic rituals (makha) like the satra and others, similarly, human beings (nara) subsist on the Gaṅgā water.

Words meanings summery:

• देवाः (devāḥ) - the gods (gods, deities, divine beings)

• सोमार्कसंस्थानि (somārkasaṁsthāni) - embodying the moon and sun (somārkasaṃsthā) (moon and sun-like, moon and sun-bodied, having the nature of Soma and Arka)

• यथा (yathā) - just as (just as, as, in what manner)

• सत्रादिभिः (satrādibhiḥ) - through Vedic rituals like the satra and others (by sacrifices (satras) and others)

• मखैः (makhaiḥ) - through great Vedic rituals (makha) (by Vedic rituals, by sacrifices)

• अमृतानि (amṛtāni) - nectars (amṛta) (nectars, immortal things, immortality)

• उपजीवन्ति (upajīvanti) - subsist on (live on, subsist on, depend on, enjoy)

• तथा (tathā) - similarly (similarly, thus, so, in that manner)

• गङ्गाजलम् (gaṅgājalam) - the Gaṅgā water (Ganga water)

• नराः (narāḥ) - human beings (nara) (humans, men, people)

Words meanings and morphology

देवाः (devāḥ) - the gods (gods, deities, divine beings)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of deva

deva - god, deity, divine being

Root: div (class 4)

सोमार्कसंस्थानि (somārkasaṁsthāni) - embodying the moon and sun (somārkasaṃsthā) (moon and sun-like, moon and sun-bodied, having the nature of Soma and Arka)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, plural of somārkasaṃsthāna

somārkasaṁsthāna - having the form/nature of Soma (moon/nectar) and Arka (sun)

Bahuvrīhi compound, 'whose `saṃsthāna` (form/nature) is Soma and Arka'.

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (soma+arka+saṃsthāna)

• soma – moon, Soma plant, its juice, nectar
  noun (masculine)
• arka – sun, ray, praise, hymn
  noun (masculine)
• saṃsthāna – form, shape, state, condition, system, establishment
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from `sam-sthā` (to stand together, to be in a state).
  Prefix: sam
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Acts as an epithet for `amṛtāni`.

यथा (yathā) - just as (just as, as, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

सत्रादिभिः (satrādibhiḥ) - through Vedic rituals like the satra and others (by sacrifices (satras) and others)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of satrādi

satrādi - satra (a type of Vedic ritual) and others, etc. (beginning with satra)

Tatpuruṣa compound.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (satra+ādi)

• satra – a long Vedic ritual, a sacrifice, an assembly
  noun (neuter)
• ādi – beginning, et cetera, and so on, first
  noun (masculine)

मखैः (makhaiḥ) - through great Vedic rituals (makha) (by Vedic rituals, by sacrifices)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of makha

makha - Vedic ritual, sacrifice, festival, joy

From `√makh` (to go, move, be glad).

Root: makh (class 1)

अमृतानि (amṛtāni) - nectars (amṛta) (nectars, immortal things, immortality)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of amṛta

amṛta - immortal, nectar, immortality, ambrosia

From `a-mṛta` (not dead), a negating compound.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+mṛta)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• mṛta – dead, deceased
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root `mṛ` (to die).
  Root: mṛ (class 1)

उपजीवन्ति (upajīvanti) - subsist on (live on, subsist on, depend on, enjoy)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of upa-jīv

Present Tense

Active voice, third person plural.

Prefix: upa

Root: jīv (class 1)

तथा (tathā) - similarly (similarly, thus, so, in that manner)

(indeclinable)

गङ्गाजलम् (gaṅgājalam) - the Gaṅgā water (Ganga water)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of gaṅgājala

gaṅgājala - water of the river Ganga

Tatpuruṣa compound: `gaṅgā` (Ganga) + `jala` (water).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (gaṅgā+jala)

• gaṅgā – the river Ganga
  proper noun (feminine)
• jala – water
  noun (neuter)

नराः (narāḥ) - human beings (nara) (humans, men, people)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nara

nara - man, human, person

Root: nṛ

Previous Verse Next Verse