महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-49, verse-16

पुत्रकामो हि पुत्रार्थे यां वृणीते विशां पते ।
तत्र क्षेत्रं प्रमाणं स्यान्न वै तत्रात्मजः सुतः ॥१६॥

16. putrakāmo hi putrārthe yāṁ vṛṇīte viśāṁ pate ,
tatra kṣetraṁ pramāṇaṁ syānna vai tatrātmajaḥ sutaḥ.

16. putrakāmaḥ hi putrārthe yām vṛṇīte viśām pate tatra
kṣetram pramāṇam syāt na vai tatra ātmajaḥ sutaḥ

16. viśām pate hi putrakāmaḥ putrārthe yām vṛṇīte tatra
kṣetram pramāṇam syāt tatra vai ātmajaḥ sutaḥ na

16. O lord of the people (viśāmpate), when a man desirous of a son indeed takes a wife for the sake of progeny, then the 'field' (kṣetra) is the decisive factor; not indeed is the son born from semen considered truly his own offspring (ātmaja) in that context.

Words meanings summery:

• पुत्रकामः (putrakāmaḥ) - A man whose primary desire is to have a son. (desirous of a son, having a wish for a son)

• हि (hi) - Emphasizes the statement that a man desires a son. (indeed, for, because)

• पुत्रार्थे (putrārthe) - The ultimate goal for which a man chooses a wife. (for the sake of a son, for the purpose of a son)

• याम् (yām) - Refers to the woman (wife) chosen by the man. (whom, which (feminine))

• वृणीते (vṛṇīte) - A man taking a woman as his wife. (he chooses, he selects, he marries)

• विशाम् (viśām) - Part of the vocative address 'O lord of the people'. (of the people, of the subjects)

• पते (pate) - Vocative address, likely to Yudhiṣṭhira, signifying his royal status. (O lord, O master)

• तत्र (tatra) - In the situation where a woman is chosen for progeny. (there, in that case)

• क्षेत्रम् (kṣetram) - The wife, considered as the 'field' for bearing children. (field, land, wife (metaphorically))

• प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - The decisive factor or legal evidence for paternity. (authority, proof, measure, standard)

• स्यात् (syāt) - Expresses what ought to be the determining factor according to tradition or law. (should be, may be, would be)

• न (na) - Negates the idea that the biological son from semen is the sole criterion. (not, no)

• वै (vai) - Emphasizes the negation, strengthening the statement. (indeed, verily)

• तत्र (tatra) - In the specific context of this legal determination of parentage. (there, in that case)

• आत्मजः (ātmajaḥ) - The biological child from one's own semen, without considering the 'field'. (self-born, son, offspring)

• सुतः (sutaḥ) - A son in a general sense, here coupled with ātmaja to emphasize biological son. (son, child)

Words meanings and morphology

पुत्रकामः (putrakāmaḥ) - A man whose primary desire is to have a son. (desirous of a son, having a wish for a son)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of putrakāma

putrakāma - desirous of a son

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (putra+kāma)

• putra – son, child
  noun (masculine)
• kāma – desire, wish, love
  noun (masculine)
  Root: kam (class 1)

हि (hi) - Emphasizes the statement that a man desires a son. (indeed, for, because)

(indeclinable)

पुत्रार्थे (putrārthe) - The ultimate goal for which a man chooses a wife. (for the sake of a son, for the purpose of a son)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of putrārtha

putrārtha - for the sake of a son, for the purpose of a son

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (putra+artha)

• putra – son, child
  noun (masculine)
• artha – purpose, aim, meaning, wealth
  noun (masculine)

याम् (yām) - Refers to the woman (wife) chosen by the man. (whom, which (feminine))

(pronoun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what

वृणीते (vṛṇīte) - A man taking a woman as his wife. (he chooses, he selects, he marries)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (lat) of vṛ

Present Middle Indicative

root √vṛ, Present 3rd person singular Ātmanepada

Root: vṛ (class 9)

विशाम् (viśām) - Part of the vocative address 'O lord of the people'. (of the people, of the subjects)

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of viś

viś - people, subjects, community

पते (pate) - Vocative address, likely to Yudhiṣṭhira, signifying his royal status. (O lord, O master)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pati

pati - lord, master, husband, owner

तत्र (tatra) - In the situation where a woman is chosen for progeny. (there, in that case)

(indeclinable)

from pronoun tad (that)

क्षेत्रम् (kṣetram) - The wife, considered as the 'field' for bearing children. (field, land, wife (metaphorically))

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kṣetra

kṣetra - field, land, soil, wife (metaphorically)

प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - The decisive factor or legal evidence for paternity. (authority, proof, measure, standard)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pramāṇa

pramāṇa - measure, authority, proof, standard, criterion

Prefix: pra

Root: mā (class 3)

स्यात् (syāt) - Expresses what ought to be the determining factor according to tradition or law. (should be, may be, would be)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of as

Optative Active

root √as, Optative 3rd person singular

Root: as (class 2)

न (na) - Negates the idea that the biological son from semen is the sole criterion. (not, no)

(indeclinable)

वै (vai) - Emphasizes the negation, strengthening the statement. (indeed, verily)

(indeclinable)

तत्र (tatra) - In the specific context of this legal determination of parentage. (there, in that case)

(indeclinable)

from pronoun tad (that)

आत्मजः (ātmajaḥ) - The biological child from one's own semen, without considering the 'field'. (self-born, son, offspring)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ātmaja

ātmaja - self-born, son, offspring, child

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ātman+ja)

• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence
  noun (masculine)
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective
  secondary suffix
  from root √jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

सुतः (sutaḥ) - A son in a general sense, here coupled with ātmaja to emphasize biological son. (son, child)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of suta

suta - son, child

Past Passive Participle

from root √sū (to beget, to produce)

Root: sū (class 2)