महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-38, verse-2

भीष्म उवाच ।
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
नारदस्य च संवादं पुंश्चल्या पञ्चचूडया ॥२॥

2. bhīṣma uvāca ,
atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṁ purātanam ,
nāradasya ca saṁvādaṁ puṁścalyā pañcacūḍayā.

2. bhīṣma uvāca atra api udāharanti imam itihāsam
purātanam nāradasya ca saṁvādam puṁścalyā pañcacūḍayā

2. bhīṣma uvāca atra api imam purātanam itihāsam
nāradasya ca puṁścalyā pañcacūḍayā saṁvādam udāharanti

2. Bhishma said: 'In this context, they also recount this ancient narrative (itihāsa) – the conversation between Nārada and the unchaste woman, Pañcacūḍā.'

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma (proper name)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• अत्र (atra) - here, in this matter, in this regard

• अपि (api) - also, even, too, moreover

• उदाहरन्ति (udāharanti) - they cite, they recount, they relate

• इमम् (imam) - this (masculine accusative singular)

• इतिहासम् (itihāsam) - ancient narrative (itihāsa) (history, legend, traditional account, narrative (itihāsa))

• पुरातनम् (purātanam) - ancient, old, former

• नारदस्य (nāradasya) - of Narada

• च (ca) - and, also, moreover

• संवादम् (saṁvādam) - dialogue, conversation, agreement

• पुंश्चल्या (puṁścalyā) - with the harlot, with the unchaste woman

• पञ्चचूडया (pañcacūḍayā) - with Pañcacūḍā (an Apsara)

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma (proper name)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhishma (a proper noun, a celebrated warrior in the Mahābhārata)

Meaning 'terrible' or 'formidable', derived from root bhī

Root: bhī (class 3)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (lit) of vac

Root: vac (class 2)

अत्र (atra) - here, in this matter, in this regard

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - also, even, too, moreover

(indeclinable)

उदाहरन्ति (udāharanti) - they cite, they recount, they relate

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of udāhṛ

Prefixes: ut+ā

Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Subject is implied ('people' or 'sages').

इमम् (imam) - this (masculine accusative singular)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

Note: Qualifies 'itihāsam'.

इतिहासम् (itihāsam) - ancient narrative (itihāsa) (history, legend, traditional account, narrative (itihāsa))

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of itihāsa

itihāsa - history, legend, traditional account, narrative (itihāsa)

Note: Object of 'udāharanti'.

पुरातनम् (purātanam) - ancient, old, former

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of purātana

purātana - ancient, old, former, primeval

Derived from purā (formerly)

Note: Qualifies 'itihāsam'.

नारदस्य (nāradasya) - of Narada

(proper noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of nārada

nārada - Narada (a proper noun, a divine sage, a devarṣi)

च (ca) - and, also, moreover

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects Nārada and Pañcacūḍā (via the dialogue).

संवादम् (saṁvādam) - dialogue, conversation, agreement

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of saṁvāda

saṁvāda - conversation, dialogue, agreement, unison

Prefix: sam

Root: vad (class 1)

Note: Object of 'udāharanti'.

पुंश्चल्या (puṁścalyā) - with the harlot, with the unchaste woman

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of puṁścalī

puṁścalī - harlot, unchaste woman, prostitute

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pums+calī)

• pums – man, male
  noun (masculine)
• calī – moving, going (feminine form, implies unsteadily or loosely for women)
  adjective (feminine)
  Feminine form of calin, from root cal
  Root: cal (class 1)

Note: Refers to the participant in the dialogue.

पञ्चचूडया (pañcacūḍayā) - with Pañcacūḍā (an Apsara)

(proper noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of pañcacūḍā

pañcacūḍā - Panchacūḍā (a proper name, an Apsara)

Compound meaning 'five-crested' or 'five-braided', referring to her hairstyle.

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (pañcan+cūḍā)

• pañcan – five
  numeral
• cūḍā – crest, top-knot, braid
  noun (feminine)

Note: Refers to the participant in the dialogue, who is the 'puṁścalī'.