महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-90, verse-2

भीष्म उवाच ।
ब्राह्मणान्न परीक्षेत क्षत्रियो दानधर्मवित् ।
दैवे कर्मणि पित्र्ये तु न्याय्यमाहुः परीक्षणम् ॥२॥

2. bhīṣma uvāca ,
brāhmaṇānna parīkṣeta kṣatriyo dānadharmavit ,
daive karmaṇi pitrye tu nyāyyamāhuḥ parīkṣaṇam.

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca brāhmaṇān na parīkṣeta kṣatriyaḥ dānadharmavit
daive karmaṇi pitrye tu nyāyyam āhuḥ parīkṣaṇam

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca dānadharmavit kṣatriyaḥ brāhmaṇān na
parīkṣeta tu daive karmaṇi pitrye parīkṣaṇam nyāyyam āhuḥ

2. Bhīṣma said, 'A Kṣatriya who understands the natural law (dharma) of giving should not examine Brahmins. However, in divine rituals or ancestral rituals (pitṛya karma), they say that examination (of Brahmins) is proper.'

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - The Kuru elder and warrior. (Bhīṣma (name of a warrior and elder))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• ब्राह्मणान् (brāhmaṇān) - The Brahmins who are recipients of gifts. (Brahmins)

• न (na) - not, no

• परीक्षेत (parīkṣeta) - one should examine (Brahmins for their qualifications). (one should examine, one should test)

• क्षत्रियः (kṣatriyaḥ) - A member of the ruling/warrior class. (Kṣatriya, warrior, member of the warrior class)

• दानधर्मवित् (dānadharmavit) - one who knows the natural law (dharma) of giving

• दैवे (daive) - In a ritual related to deities. (in a divine (ritual/matter))

• कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - In a ritual. (in action, in ritual, in duty)

• पित्र्ये (pitrye) - In a ritual for ancestors. (in ancestral (ritual/matter), relating to ancestors)

• तु (tu) - Introduces a contrasting statement. (but, indeed, however)

• न्याय्यम् (nyāyyam) - It is proper. (proper, just, reasonable, right)

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, people say

• परीक्षणम् (parīkṣaṇam) - Examination (of Brahmins). (examination, inspection, test)

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - The Kuru elder and warrior. (Bhīṣma (name of a warrior and elder))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhīṣma (name of a Kuru elder), terrible, formidable

From root bhī (to fear) + ṣma (suffix).

Root: bhī (class 3)

Note: Subject.

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect tense, Active voice

From root vac (to speak), class 2. Perfect tense form, often used to introduce speech.

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Introduces Bhīṣma's speech.

ब्राह्मणान् (brāhmaṇān) - The Brahmins who are recipients of gifts. (Brahmins)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - Brahmin, relating to Brahman, sacred text

From brahman (sacred utterance, holy man) + aṇ (taddhita suffix).

Note: Object of 'parīkṣeta'.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Negative particle.

Note: Negates the verb 'parīkṣeta'.

परीक्षेत (parīkṣeta) - one should examine (Brahmins for their qualifications). (one should examine, one should test)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (vidhiliṅ) of parīkṣ

Optative mood, Middle voice

From root īkṣ (to see) with prefix pari.

Prefix: pari

Root: īkṣ (class 1)

Note: Subject is 'kṣatriyaḥ'.

क्षत्रियः (kṣatriyaḥ) - A member of the ruling/warrior class. (Kṣatriya, warrior, member of the warrior class)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kṣatriya

kṣatriya - Kṣatriya, warrior, ruler, belonging to the ruling class

From kṣatra (rule, power) + iya (suffix).

Note: Subject of 'parīkṣeta'.

दानधर्मवित् (dānadharmavit) - one who knows the natural law (dharma) of giving

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dānadharmavit

dānadharmavit - one who knows the law/nature of giving

Compound, dāna (giving) + dharma (law/nature) + vit (knowing).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dāna+dharma+vid)

• dāna – giving, gift, charity
  noun (neuter)
  From root dā (to give) + ana (suffix).
  Root: dā (class 3)
• dharma – natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  From root dhṛ (to hold, support) + man (suffix).
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• vid – knowing, wise, learned
  adjective (masculine)
  From root vid (to know) + kvip (suffix).
  Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Qualifies 'kṣatriyaḥ'.

दैवे (daive) - In a ritual related to deities. (in a divine (ritual/matter))

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of daiva

daiva - divine, relating to gods, fate, destiny

From deva (god) + aṇ (taddhita suffix).

Note: Qualifies 'karmaṇi'.

कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - In a ritual. (in action, in ritual, in duty)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of karman

karman - action, deed, ritual, duty, fate

From root kṛ (to do) + man (suffix).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Location for the examination.

पित्र्ये (pitrye) - In a ritual for ancestors. (in ancestral (ritual/matter), relating to ancestors)

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of pitrya

pitrya - ancestral, relating to fathers/ancestors

From pitṛ (father, ancestor) + ya (taddhita suffix).

Note: Qualifies 'karmaṇi'.

तु (tu) - Introduces a contrasting statement. (but, indeed, however)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

न्याय्यम् (nyāyyam) - It is proper. (proper, just, reasonable, right)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of nyāyya

nyāyya - proper, just, right, reasonable

From nyāya (rule, justice) + ya (taddhita suffix).

Root: i

Note: Functions predicatively for 'parīkṣaṇam'.

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, people say

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of vac

Present tense, Active voice

Irregular present tense form of root vac (to speak), class 2.

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: The impersonal "they say".

परीक्षणम् (parīkṣaṇam) - Examination (of Brahmins). (examination, inspection, test)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of parīkṣaṇa

parīkṣaṇa - examination, inspection, test

Noun of action

From root īkṣ (to see) + prefix pari + lyuṭ (suffix for noun of action).

Prefix: pari

Root: īkṣ (class 1)

Note: Subject of the embedded clause "examination is proper".

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