महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-48, verse-2

तेषामेतेन विधिना जातानां वर्णसंकरे ।
को धर्मः कानि कर्माणि तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥२॥

2. teṣāmetena vidhinā jātānāṁ varṇasaṁkare ,
ko dharmaḥ kāni karmāṇi tanme brūhi pitāmaha.

2. teṣām etena vidhinā jātānām varṇasaṃkare kaḥ
dharmaḥ kāni karmāṇi tat me brūhi pitāmaha

2. pitāmaha teṣām etena vidhinā varṇasaṃkare
jātānām kaḥ dharmaḥ kāni karmāṇi tat me brūhi

2. O grandfather, tell me what is the intrinsic nature (dharma) and what are the duties (karma) for those who are born through this process, amidst the mixing of social classes (varṇasaṃkara).

Words meanings summery:

• तेषाम् (teṣām) - of them (of them, their)

• एतेन (etena) - by this (method) (by this, with this)

• विधिना (vidhinā) - by this process (by rule, by method, by regulation, by destiny)

• जातानाम् (jātānām) - of those who are born (of those born, of the born ones)

• वर्णसंकरे (varṇasaṁkare) - amidst the mixing of social classes (varṇasaṃkara) (in the mixture of classes, in the hybridity of social orders)

• कः (kaḥ) - what (who, what)

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - intrinsic nature (dharma) (constitution, natural law, duty, righteousness)

• कानि (kāni) - what (plural) (what (plural), which (plural))

• कर्माणि (karmāṇi) - duties (karma) (actions, deeds, duties (karma))

• तत् (tat) - therefore (that, therefore, so)

• मे (me) - to me (to me, for me, my)

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell (tell, speak, say)

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandfather (O grandfather, O great father)

Words meanings and morphology

तेषाम् (teṣām) - of them (of them, their)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those

Note: Agrees with jātānām.

एतेन (etena) - by this (method) (by this, with this)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

Note: Agrees with vidhinā.

विधिना (vidhinā) - by this process (by rule, by method, by regulation, by destiny)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of vidhi

vidhi - rule, method, injunction, destiny, creation

From root dhā- (to place, arrange) with prefix vi-.

Prefix: vi

Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Refers to the way varṇasaṃkara occurs.

जातानाम् (jātānām) - of those who are born (of those born, of the born ones)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of jāta

jāta - born, produced, arisen, happened

Past Passive Participle

From root jan- (to be born).

Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Used substantively, referring to the mixed-caste individuals.

वर्णसंकरे (varṇasaṁkare) - amidst the mixing of social classes (varṇasaṃkara) (in the mixture of classes, in the hybridity of social orders)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of varṇasaṃkara

varṇasaṁkara - mixture of castes/classes, hybridity of social orders, a person of mixed caste

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (varṇa+saṃkara)

• varṇa – color, outward appearance, class, caste, social order
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vṛ (class 9)
• saṃkara – mixture, confusion, intermingling, hybrid
  noun (masculine)
  From root kṛ with prefix sam- (to mix together).
  Prefix: sam
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Describes the condition or context of their birth.

कः (kaḥ) - what (who, what)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Interrogative pronoun.

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - intrinsic nature (dharma) (constitution, natural law, duty, righteousness)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - constitution, natural law, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty, virtue, justice

From root dhṛ- (to uphold, support).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Subject of implied 'is'.

कानि (kāni) - what (plural) (what (plural), which (plural))

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Interrogative pronoun.

कर्माणि (karmāṇi) - duties (karma) (actions, deeds, duties (karma))

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of karman

karman - action, deed, work, ritual, duty, fate, karma

From root kṛ- (to do, to make).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Subject of implied 'are'.

तत् (tat) - therefore (that, therefore, so)

(indeclinable)

Note: Functions as an adverb connecting the preceding question.

मे (me) - to me (to me, for me, my)

(pronoun)

singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

Note: Enclitic form of asmad.

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell (tell, speak, say)

(verb)

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

Imperative mood, 2nd person singular, active voice, parasmaipada.

Root: brū (class 2)

Note: Command to Bhīṣma.

पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandfather (O grandfather, O great father)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - grandfather, great father

From pitṛ (father) and mahant (great).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pitṛ+mahant)

• pitṛ – father
  noun (masculine)
• mahant – great
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Addressed to Bhīṣma by Yudhiṣṭhira.