महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-36, verse-3

केन शम्बर वृत्तेन स्वजात्यानधितिष्ठसि ।
श्रेष्ठं त्वां केन मन्यन्ते तन्मे प्रब्रूहि पृच्छतः ॥३॥

3. kena śambara vṛttena svajātyānadhitiṣṭhasi ,
śreṣṭhaṁ tvāṁ kena manyante tanme prabrūhi pṛcchataḥ.

3. kena śambara vṛttena svajātyān adhitiṣṭhasi śreṣṭham
tvām kena manyante tat me prabrūhi pṛcchataḥ

3. śambara kena vṛttena svajātyān adhitiṣṭhasi? kena
tvām śreṣṭham manyante? pṛcchataḥ me tat prabrūhi

3. O Śambara, by what conduct do you rule over your own people? By what means do they consider you superior? Please tell me that, as I am asking.

Words meanings summery:

• केन (kena) - by what (means/conduct) (by what, by whom)

• शम्बर (śambara) - O Śambara

• वृत्तेन (vṛttena) - by conduct, by behavior (by conduct, by behavior, by occurrence)

• स्वजात्यान् (svajātyān) - those of your own kind (people) (those of one's own kind, kinsmen)

• अधितिष्ठसि (adhitiṣṭhasi) - you rule over, you preside over (you rule over, you preside over, you excel)

• श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - superior, excellent (most excellent, best, superior)

• त्वाम् (tvām) - you (you (accusative))

• केन (kena) - by what (means) (by what, by whom)

• मन्यन्ते (manyante) - they consider (they consider, they think, they believe)

• तत् (tat) - that (refers to the explanation) (that, therefore)

• मे (me) - to me (to me, for me, my)

• प्रब्रूहि (prabrūhi) - tell, explain

• पृच्छतः (pṛcchataḥ) - to me, who am asking (of one who asks, to one who asks)

Words meanings and morphology

केन (kena) - by what (means/conduct) (by what, by whom)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

शम्बर (śambara) - O Śambara

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of śambara

śambara - Śambara (name of a demon); water

वृत्तेन (vṛttena) - by conduct, by behavior (by conduct, by behavior, by occurrence)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of vṛtta

vṛtta - conduct, behavior, occurrence, event; circular

Past Passive Participle (substantivized)

From √vṛt (to turn, to exist)

Root: vṛt (class 1)

स्वजात्यान् (svajātyān) - those of your own kind (people) (those of one's own kind, kinsmen)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of svajātīya

svajātīya - of one's own kind, kinsman

From sva (own) + jāti (birth/kind)

Compound type : tatpurusha (sva+jātīya)

• sva – own, one's own
  pronoun (masculine)
• jātīya – belonging to a family/kind, like
  adjective (masculine)
  from jāti (birth, kind)

Note: Object of 'adhitiṣṭhasi'.

अधितिष्ठसि (adhitiṣṭhasi) - you rule over, you preside over (you rule over, you preside over, you excel)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of adhi-sthā

Present tense, 2nd person singular, active voice of √sthā with prefix adhi

Prefix: adhi

Root: sthā (class 1)

श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - superior, excellent (most excellent, best, superior)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - most excellent, best, superior

Superlative degree from praśasta (excellent)

Note: Qualifies 'tvām'.

त्वाम् (tvām) - you (you (accusative))

(pronoun)

Accusative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you (pronoun)

Note: Object of 'manyante'.

केन (kena) - by what (means) (by what, by whom)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

मन्यन्ते (manyante) - they consider (they consider, they think, they believe)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of man

Present tense, 3rd person plural, middle voice of √man

Root: man (class 4)

तत् (tat) - that (refers to the explanation) (that, therefore)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that (demonstrative pronoun)

Note: Object of 'prabrūhi'.

मे (me) - to me (to me, for me, my)

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me (pronoun)

Note: Enclitic form for dative or genitive. Here dative 'to me'.

प्रब्रूहि (prabrūhi) - tell, explain

(verb)

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

Imperative, 2nd person singular, active voice of √brū with prefix pra

Prefix: pra

Root: brū (class 2)

पृच्छतः (pṛcchataḥ) - to me, who am asking (of one who asks, to one who asks)

(participle)

Genitive, masculine, singular of pṛcchat

pṛcchat - asking, questioning

Present Active Participle

From √prach (to ask)

Root: prach (class 6)

Note: Modifies 'me' (asmad), implying 'to me, who is asking.'