महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-49, verse-14

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
रेतोजं विद्म वै पुत्रं क्षेत्रजस्यागमः कथम् ।
अध्यूढं विद्म वै पुत्रं हित्वा च समयं कथम् ॥१४॥

14. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
retojaṁ vidma vai putraṁ kṣetrajasyāgamaḥ katham ,
adhyūḍhaṁ vidma vai putraṁ hitvā ca samayaṁ katham.

14. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca retojam vidma vai putram kṣetrajasy āgamaḥ
katham adhyūḍham vidma vai putram hitvā ca samayam katham

14. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca retojam putram vai vidma kṣetrajasy āgamaḥ
katham ca adhyūḍham putram vai vidma samayam hitvā katham

14. Yudhiṣṭhira said: 'We indeed know the son born from semen (retaja), but how is the rule or definition for the field-born son (kṣetraja)? And as for the son acquired by violating an agreement (adhyūḍha), how is he understood?'

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira (proper name)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• रेतोजम् (retojam) - a son born from the husband's semen (born from semen, seed-born)

• विद्म (vidma) - we know, we understand

• वै (vai) - indeed, surely, certainly

• पुत्रम् (putram) - a son

• क्षेत्रजस्य् (kṣetrajasy) - of the field-born son

• आगमः (āgamaḥ) - rule, definition, legal standing (coming, arrival, origin, tradition, rule)

• कथम् (katham) - how (is it understood/defined)? (how? in what manner?)

• अध्यूढम् (adhyūḍham) - the son who is acquired/taken in (e.g., through a marriage that broke an agreement) (acquired, taken in, super-induced, one whose marriage transgresses rules)

• विद्म (vidma) - we know, we understand

• वै (vai) - indeed, surely, certainly

• पुत्रम् (putram) - a son

• हित्वा (hitvā) - by violating, by disregarding (having abandoned, having left, having disregarded)

• च (ca) - and, concerning (and, also)

• समयम् (samayam) - agreement, compact, time, convention

• कथम् (katham) - how (is he understood/defined)? (how? in what manner?)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira (proper name)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - steady in battle (name of the eldest Pāṇḍava)

Compound of 'yudhi' (in battle) and 'sthira' (steady)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle
  indeclinable
  Locative case of yudh (battle)
• sthira – steady, firm, stable
  adjective (masculine)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect tense, 3rd person singular

Irregular perfect form from root vac

Root: vac (class 2)

रेतोजम् (retojam) - a son born from the husband's semen (born from semen, seed-born)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of retaja

retaja - born from semen

Compound of 'retas' (semen) and 'ja' (born)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (retas+ja)

• retas – semen, seed
  noun (neuter)
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective
  Derived from root jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

विद्म (vidma) - we know, we understand

(verb)

1st person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of vid

Present tense, 1st person plural (irregular)

From root vid (to know), 2nd conjugation.

Root: vid (class 2)

वै (vai) - indeed, surely, certainly

(indeclinable)

पुत्रम् (putram) - a son

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son, child

Note: Object of `vidma`.

क्षेत्रजस्य् (kṣetrajasy) - of the field-born son

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of kṣetraja

kṣetraja - born in the field, born from the wife (with a designated kinsman)

Compound of 'kṣetra' (field, wife) and 'ja' (born)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kṣetra+ja)

• kṣetra – field, land, wife, womb
  noun (neuter)
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective
  Derived from root jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Used as a substantive for 'of the kṣetraja son.'

आगमः (āgamaḥ) - rule, definition, legal standing (coming, arrival, origin, tradition, rule)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of āgama

āgama - coming, arrival, origin, tradition, sacred text, rule

From ā + gam (to go)

Prefix: ā

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Subject of the question 'katham'.

कथम् (katham) - how (is it understood/defined)? (how? in what manner?)

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb

अध्यूढम् (adhyūḍham) - the son who is acquired/taken in (e.g., through a marriage that broke an agreement) (acquired, taken in, super-induced, one whose marriage transgresses rules)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of adhyūḍha

adhyūḍha - one married over (another wife), taken in, super-induced, a type of son (illegitimate)

Past Passive Participle (from adhi + vah)

From adhi + root vah (to carry, marry)

Prefix: adhi

Root: vah (class 1)

Note: Used here as a substantive for 'the adhyūḍha son'.

विद्म (vidma) - we know, we understand

(verb)

1st person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of vid

Present tense, 1st person plural (irregular)

From root vid (to know), 2nd conjugation.

Root: vid (class 2)

वै (vai) - indeed, surely, certainly

(indeclinable)

पुत्रम् (putram) - a son

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son, child

Note: Object of `vidma`.

हित्वा (hitvā) - by violating, by disregarding (having abandoned, having left, having disregarded)

(verb)

active, absolutiv (ktvā) of hā

Absolutive (Gerund)

From root hā (to abandon)

Root: hā (class 3)

Note: Connects to the action implied by `adhyūḍham`.

च (ca) - and, concerning (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction

समयम् (samayam) - agreement, compact, time, convention

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of samaya

samaya - agreement, convention, compact, time, religious observance

From sam + i (to go, come together)

Prefix: sam

Root: i (class 2)

कथम् (katham) - how (is he understood/defined)? (how? in what manner?)

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb