महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-81, verse-2

भीष्म उवाच ।
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
गोभिर्नृपेह संवादं श्रिया भरतसत्तम ॥२॥

2. bhīṣma uvāca ,
atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṁ purātanam ,
gobhirnṛpeha saṁvādaṁ śriyā bharatasattama.

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca atra api udāharanti imam itihāsam
purātanam gobhiḥ nṛpa iha saṃvādam śriyā bharatasattama

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca atra api (he) udāharanti imam purātanam
itihāsam gobhiḥ śriyā saṃvādam nṛpa bharatasattama

2. Bhīṣma said, "In this context, O King, best of the Bharatas, people relate this ancient narrative (itihāsa), a dialogue between the cows and fortune (śrī)."

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhīṣma (the speaker) (Bhīṣma)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• अत्र (atra) - in this context, regarding this (here, in this matter)

• अपि (api) - also, in this connection (also, even, too)

• उदाहरन्ति (udāharanti) - they (people) relate (they relate, they cite, they mention)

• इमम् (imam) - this (story) (this)

• इतिहासम् (itihāsam) - an ancient narrative (itihāsa) (history, legend, tradition, narrative)

• पुरातनम् (purātanam) - ancient (ancient, old, primeval)

• गोभिः (gobhiḥ) - between the cows (by cows, with cows)

• नृप (nṛpa) - O King (vocative, addressing Yudhiṣṭhira) (king, ruler)

• इह (iha) - here (in this discussion/narrative) (here, in this world, in this case)

• संवादम् (saṁvādam) - a dialogue (conversation, dialogue, agreement)

• श्रिया (śriyā) - with fortune (śrī, the goddess of prosperity) (by fortune, by wealth, by beauty, by glory)

• भरतसत्तम (bharatasattama) - O best among the Bharatas (vocative, addressing Yudhiṣṭhira) (O best of Bharatas)

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhīṣma (the speaker) (Bhīṣma)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhīṣma (a prominent character in the Mahābhārata), terrible, formidable

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

Perfect active third person singular

Root: vac (class 2)

अत्र (atra) - in this context, regarding this (here, in this matter)

(indeclinable)

Locative form of a pronominal base

Note: Refers to Yudhiṣṭhira's question.

अपि (api) - also, in this connection (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

Note: Enhances 'atra'.

उदाहरन्ति (udāharanti) - they (people) relate (they relate, they cite, they mention)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of ud-ā-hṛ

Present active third person plural

Derived from √hṛ (to carry) with upasargas ud- and ā-

Prefixes: ud+ā

Root: hṛ (class 1)

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

इमम् (imam) - this (story) (this)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this

Note: Refers to the 'itihāsa' and 'saṃvāda'.

इतिहासम् (itihāsam) - an ancient narrative (itihāsa) (history, legend, tradition, narrative)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of itihāsa

itihāsa - history, legend, tradition, narrative (lit. 'thus it was')

Compound: iti-ha-āsa (thus-indeed-was)

Note: Object of 'udāharanti'.

पुरातनम् (purātanam) - ancient (ancient, old, primeval)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of purātana

purātana - ancient, old, primeval

Derived from purā (formerly)

Note: Qualifies 'itihāsam'.

गोभिः (gobhiḥ) - between the cows (by cows, with cows)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, plural of go

go - cow, ox, cattle, earth, ray of light

Note: Indicates one party in the dialogue ('saṃvādam').

नृप (nṛpa) - O King (vocative, addressing Yudhiṣṭhira) (king, ruler)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of nṛpa

nṛpa - king, ruler (lit. 'protector of men')

Compound: nṛ (man) + pa (protector, from √pā)

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa (nṛ+pa)

• nṛ – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• pa – protector, preserver
  noun (masculine)
  Agent noun
  Derived from √pā (to protect)
  Root: pā (class 2)

Note: Direct address.

इह (iha) - here (in this discussion/narrative) (here, in this world, in this case)

(indeclinable)

Note: Refers to the current context.

संवादम् (saṁvādam) - a dialogue (conversation, dialogue, agreement)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of saṃvāda

saṁvāda - conversation, dialogue, agreement, communication

Derived from sam- + √vad (to speak)

Prefix: sam

Root: vad (class 1)

Note: Object of 'udāharanti'.

श्रिया (śriyā) - with fortune (śrī, the goddess of prosperity) (by fortune, by wealth, by beauty, by glory)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of śrī

śrī - prosperity, welfare, good fortune, beauty, glory, a goddess (Lakṣmī)

Note: Indicates the other party in the dialogue ('saṃvādam').

भरतसत्तम (bharatasattama) - O best among the Bharatas (vocative, addressing Yudhiṣṭhira) (O best of Bharatas)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bharatasattama

bharatasattama - best of Bharatas

Compound: bharata (descendant of Bharata) + sattama (best among)

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa or karmadhāraya (sattama is superlative) (bharata+sattama)

• bharata – descendant of Bharata, name of a king, India
  noun (masculine)
• sattama – best, excellent, supreme
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative suffix -tama

Note: Direct address.