महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-28, verse-3

तपसा वा सुमहता कर्मणा वा श्रुतेन वा ।
ब्राह्मण्यमथ चेदिच्छेत्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥३॥

3. tapasā vā sumahatā karmaṇā vā śrutena vā ,
brāhmaṇyamatha cedicchettanme brūhi pitāmaha.

3. tapasā vā sumahatā karmaṇā vā śrutena vā
brāhmaṇyam atha cet icchet tat me brūhi pitāmaha

3. he pitāmaha atha cet brāhmaṇyam icchet sumahatā
tapasā vā karmaṇā vā śrutena vā tat me brūhi

3. O Grandfather, if one desires brahminhood, please tell me if it is by great spiritual discipline (tapas), or by action (karma), or by vast knowledge (śruta).

Words meanings summery:

• तपसा (tapasā) - by/with asceticism, spiritual discipline, austerity

• वा (vā) - or

• सुमहता (sumahatā) - by/with very great, exceedingly great

• कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by/with action, deed, ritual

• वा (vā) - or

• श्रुतेन (śrutena) - by/with vast knowledge (śruta) (by/with learning, knowledge, sacred tradition)

• वा (vā) - or

• ब्राह्मण्यम् (brāhmaṇyam) - brahminhood, state of being a brahmin

• अथ (atha) - then, now, moreover, therefore

• चेत् (cet) - if

• इच्छेत् (icchet) - should wish, desires

• तत् (tat) - that

• मे (me) - to me, for me

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandfather

Words meanings and morphology

तपसा (tapasā) - by/with asceticism, spiritual discipline, austerity

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - asceticism, spiritual discipline, austerity, heat, penance

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

सुमहता (sumahatā) - by/with very great, exceedingly great

(adjective)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of sumahat

sumahat - very great, exceedingly large

Compound type : karmadhāraya (su+mahat)

• su – good, well, excellent, very
  indeclinable
  Prefix indicating 'good' or 'very'
• mahat – great, large, important
  adjective (neuter)

कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by/with action, deed, ritual

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of karman

karman - action, deed, work, ritual, fate (karma)

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

श्रुतेन (śrutena) - by/with vast knowledge (śruta) (by/with learning, knowledge, sacred tradition)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of śruta

śruta - heard, learned, knowledge, sacred tradition, vast knowledge

Past Passive Participle (nominalized)

Derived from root śru (to hear)

Root: śru (class 5)

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

ब्राह्मण्यम् (brāhmaṇyam) - brahminhood, state of being a brahmin

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of brāhmaṇya

brāhmaṇya - brahminhood, the status or quality of a Brahmin

अथ (atha) - then, now, moreover, therefore

(indeclinable)

चेत् (cet) - if

(indeclinable)

इच्छेत् (icchet) - should wish, desires

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of iṣ

Root: iṣ (class 6)

तत् (tat) - that

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

मे (me) - to me, for me

(pronoun)

singular of asmad

asmad - I, me, my (first person pronoun)

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of brū

Root: brū (class 2)

पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandfather

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - grandfather (father's father), Brahma