महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-76, verse-9

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
कस्मात्समाने बहुलाप्रदाने सद्भिः प्रशस्तं कपिलाप्रदानम् ।
विशेषमिच्छामि महानुभाव श्रोतुं समर्थो हि भवान्प्रवक्तुम् ॥९॥

9. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
kasmātsamāne bahulāpradāne; sadbhiḥ praśastaṁ kapilāpradānam ,
viśeṣamicchāmi mahānubhāva; śrotuṁ samartho hi bhavānpravaktum.

9. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca kasmāt samāne
bahulāpradāne sadbhiḥ praśastam
kapilāpradānam viśeṣam icchāmi mahānubhāva
śrotum samarthaḥ hi bhavān pravaktum

9. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca mahānubhāva kasmāt
samāne bahulāpradāne sadbhiḥ
kapilāpradānam praśastam icchāmi
śrotum hi bhavān pravaktum samarthaḥ

9. Yudhiṣṭhira said: "O great soul, why is the giving of a tawny cow (kapilā) especially praised by the virtuous, when the giving of many other cows is considered of similar value? I wish to hear the specific reason, for you are indeed capable of explaining it."

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• कस्मात् (kasmāt) - why, from what

• समाने (samāne) - when equal, in equality, in the same

• बहुलाप्रदाने (bahulāpradāne) - in the context where the donation of many cows is considered (in the giving of many cows)

• सद्भिः (sadbhiḥ) - by the good, by the virtuous

• प्रशस्तम् (praśastam) - praised, commended

• कपिलाप्रदानम् (kapilāpradānam) - the donation of a specific type of tawny cow (kapilā) (the giving of a tawny cow)

• विशेषम् (viśeṣam) - distinction, special reason, particularity

• इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish, I desire

• महानुभाव (mahānubhāva) - O Bhīṣma, who possesses great power/dignity (O great soul, O noble one)

• श्रोतुम् (śrotum) - to hear

• समर्थः (samarthaḥ) - capable, able

• हि (hi) - indeed, for, because

• भवान् (bhavān) - you (honorific)

• प्रवक्तुम् (pravaktum) - to explain, to speak forth

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhiṣṭhira (steady in battle)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle
  indeclinable
• sthira – firm, steady, stable
  adjective (masculine)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

perfect active

Perfect 3rd singular active form of the root √vac.

Root: vac (class 2)

कस्मात् (kasmāt) - why, from what

(pronoun)

Ablative, singular of kim

kim - what, which, why

Note: Ablative singular of the interrogative pronoun kim, functioning as an adverb 'why'.

समाने (samāne) - when equal, in equality, in the same

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of samāna

samāna - equal, similar, same

Prefix: sam

Root: mā (class 3)

Note: Adjective modifying 'bahulāpradāne'.

बहुलाप्रदाने (bahulāpradāne) - in the context where the donation of many cows is considered (in the giving of many cows)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of bahulāpradāna

bahulāpradāna - the giving/donation of many cows

Compound type : tatpurusha (bahulā+pradāna)

• bahulā – many, abundant, a cow (feminine form of bahula)
  noun (feminine)
• pradāna – giving, donation, grant
  noun (neuter)
  verbal noun
  From pra-√dā (to give, grant).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: dā (class 3)

Note: A tatpuruṣa compound, referring to the act of donating many cows.

सद्भिः (sadbhiḥ) - by the good, by the virtuous

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of sat

sat - good, virtuous, existing, true

present active participle

Present active participle of √as (to be), used as a noun meaning 'a good person'.

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Instrumental plural of 'sat' (good/virtuous).

प्रशस्तम् (praśastam) - praised, commended

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of praśasta

praśasta - praised, excellent, auspicious

past passive participle

Past passive participle of pra-√śaṃs (to praise).

Prefix: pra

Root: śaṃs (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'kapilāpradānam'.

कपिलाप्रदानम् (kapilāpradānam) - the donation of a specific type of tawny cow (kapilā) (the giving of a tawny cow)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kapilāpradāna

kapilāpradāna - the giving/donation of a kapilā (tawny cow)

Compound type : tatpurusha (kapilā+pradāna)

• kapilā – a tawny-colored cow
  noun (feminine)
• pradāna – giving, donation, grant
  noun (neuter)
  verbal noun
  From pra-√dā (to give, grant).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: dā (class 3)

Note: A tatpuruṣa compound, the subject of the sentence's question.

विशेषम् (viśeṣam) - distinction, special reason, particularity

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of viśeṣa

viśeṣa - distinction, particularity, excellence, specific reason

Prefix: vi

Root: śiṣ (class 7)

Note: Object of the verb 'icchāmi'.

इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish, I desire

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of iṣ

present active

Present 1st singular active form of the root √iṣ (class 6).

Root: iṣ (class 6)

महानुभाव (mahānubhāva) - O Bhīṣma, who possesses great power/dignity (O great soul, O noble one)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of mahānubhāva

mahānubhāva - of great nature/power, noble, exalted

Compound type : bahuvrihi (mahat+anubhāva)

• mahat – great, large, mighty
  adjective (neuter)
• anubhāva – dignity, power, inherent nature, majesty
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: anu

Note: Vocative singular, addressing Bhīṣma respectfully.

श्रोतुम् (śrotum) - to hear

(indeclinable)

infinitive

Infinitive form of the root √śru.

Root: śru (class 5)

Note: Infinitive of purpose, used with 'icchāmi'.

समर्थः (samarthaḥ) - capable, able

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of samartha

samartha - capable, able, appropriate

Prefix: sam

Root: arth (class 10)

Note: Agrees with 'bhavān'.

हि (hi) - indeed, for, because

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

भवान् (bhavān) - you (honorific)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhavat

bhavat - you (respectful), being, existing

present active participle

Present active participle of √bhū (to be), used as an honorific second-person pronoun.

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Honorific form of 'you', nominative singular masculine.

प्रवक्तुम् (pravaktum) - to explain, to speak forth

(indeclinable)

infinitive

Infinitive form of pra-√vac (to speak).

Prefix: pra

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Infinitive of purpose, parallel to 'śrotum'.