महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-31, verse-4

स केन कर्मणा प्राप्तो ब्राह्मण्यं राजसत्तम ।
वरेण तपसा वापि तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हति ॥४॥

4. sa kena karmaṇā prāpto brāhmaṇyaṁ rājasattama ,
vareṇa tapasā vāpi tanme vyākhyātumarhati.

4. sa kena karmaṇā prāptaḥ brāhmaṇyam rājasattama
vareṇa tapasā vā api tat me vyākhyātum arhati

4. rājasattama kena karmaṇā vā api vareṇa tapasā
sa brāhmaṇyam prāptaḥ tat me vyākhyātum arhati

4. O best of kings, by what action (karma) did he attain brahminhood? Or was it by a boon or by austerity (tapas)? You ought to explain that to me.

Words meanings summery:

• स (sa) - he (referring to the person who attained brahminhood) (he, that)

• केन (kena) - by what, by which

• कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by what action (karma) (by action, by deed, by fate)

• प्राप्तः (prāptaḥ) - obtained, reached, attained

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

• राजसत्तम (rājasattama) - vocative address to the king asking the question (O best of kings, O most excellent king)

• वरेण (vareṇa) - by a boon, by a choice

• तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity (tapas) (by austerity, by penance, by heat)

• वा (vā) - or, either

• अपि (api) - also, even, too, and

• तत् (tat) - that (matter/story) (that, it)

• मे (me) - to me (to me, for me, my)

• व्याख्यातुम् (vyākhyātum) - to explain, to describe

• अर्हति (arhati) - you ought (to explain) (he/she/it ought, is able, is worthy, deserves)

Words meanings and morphology

स (sa) - he (referring to the person who attained brahminhood) (he, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, this, he, she, it

Note: form of 'tad' in masculine nominative singular

केन (kena) - by what, by which

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of kim

kim - what, which, who

Note: instrumental singular of 'kim'

कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by what action (karma) (by action, by deed, by fate)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of karman

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

Root: kṛ (class 8)

प्राप्तः (prāptaḥ) - obtained, reached, attained

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of prāpta

prāpta - obtained, reached, attained

Past Passive Participle

from pra-āp + kta

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

Note: past passive participle of pra-āp

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

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of brāhmaṇya

brāhmaṇya - brahminhood, the status or characteristic of a brahmin

derived from 'brāhmaṇa'

राजसत्तम (rājasattama) - vocative address to the king asking the question (O best of kings, O most excellent king)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājasattama

rājasattama - best among kings, most excellent king

compound of rājan and sattama

Compound type : tatpurusha (rājan+sattama)

• rājan – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)
• sattama – best, most excellent
  adjective
  superlative of sat ('good')

वरेण (vareṇa) - by a boon, by a choice

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of vara

vara - boon, blessing, choice, best, bridegroom

Root: vṛ (class 9)

तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity (tapas) (by austerity, by penance, by heat)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - austerity, penance, heat, spiritual fervor (tapas)

Root: tap (class 1)

वा (vā) - or, either

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - also, even, too, and

(indeclinable)

तत् (tat) - that (matter/story) (that, it)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this, he, she, it

Note: form of 'tad' in neuter nominative/accusative singular

मे (me) - to me (to me, for me, my)

(pronoun)

singular of mad

mad - I, me

Note: enclitic dative/genitive singular of 'mad'

व्याख्यातुम् (vyākhyātum) - to explain, to describe

(verb)

active, infinitive of vyākhyātum

Infinitive

from vi-ā-khyā + tumun

Prefixes: vi+ā

Root: khyā (class 2)

Note: infinitive form

अर्हति (arhati) - you ought (to explain) (he/she/it ought, is able, is worthy, deserves)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present indicative (laṭ) of arh

Root: arh (class 1)

Note: often used with infinitive to mean 'ought to do'