महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-19, verse-37

भुक्तं भुक्तं कथमिदमन्नं कोष्ठे विपच्यते ।
कथं रसत्वं व्रजति शोणितं जायते कथम् ।
तथा मांसं च मेदश्च स्नाय्वस्थीनि च पोषति ॥३७॥

37. bhuktaṁ bhuktaṁ kathamidamannaṁ koṣṭhe vipacyate ,
kathaṁ rasatvaṁ vrajati śoṇitaṁ jāyate katham ,
tathā māṁsaṁ ca medaśca snāyvasthīni ca poṣati.

37. bhuktam bhuktam katham idam annam koṣṭhe
vipacyate | katham rasatvam vrajati
śoṇitam jāyate katham | tathā māṃsam
ca medaḥ ca snāyu-asthīni ca poṣati

37. idam bhuktam bhuktam annam koṣṭhe
katham vipacyate katham rasatvam vrajati
śoṇitam katham jāyate tathā māṃsam
ca medaḥ ca snāyu-asthīni ca poṣati

37. How is the food that is eaten repeatedly digested within the abdominal cavity? How does it transform into nutrient fluid, and how does it become blood? Furthermore, how does it nourish the flesh, fat, sinews, and bones?

Words meanings summery:

• भुक्तम् (bhuktam) - eaten, consumed, enjoyed

• भुक्तम् (bhuktam) - eaten, consumed, enjoyed

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• इदम् (idam) - this, this one

• अन्नम् (annam) - food, grain

• कोष्ठे (koṣṭhe) - in the abdominal cavity (in the abdomen, in the stomach)

• विपच्यते (vipacyate) - is digested, is cooked

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• रसत्वम् (rasatvam) - the state of being nutrient fluid (chyle) (the state of being juice/essence, nutrient fluid)

• व्रजति (vrajati) - transforms into (goes, proceeds, turns into)

• शोणितम् (śoṇitam) - blood

• जायते (jāyate) - is born, originates, becomes

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• तथा (tathā) - furthermore, and then (so, thus, and, in the same way)

• मांसम् (māṁsam) - flesh, meat

• च (ca) - and, also

• मेदः (medaḥ) - fat, marrow

• च (ca) - and, also

• स्नायु-अस्थीनि (snāyu-asthīni) - sinews and bones

• च (ca) - and, also

• पोषति (poṣati) - nourishes, causes to thrive

Words meanings and morphology

भुक्तम् (bhuktam) - eaten, consumed, enjoyed

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of bhukta

bhukta - eaten, consumed, enjoyed, experienced

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root √bhuj (to eat, enjoy) with suffix -ta

Root: √bhuj (class 7)

Note: Used substantively as 'that which has been eaten'.

भुक्तम् (bhuktam) - eaten, consumed, enjoyed

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of bhukta

bhukta - eaten, consumed, enjoyed, experienced

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root √bhuj (to eat, enjoy) with suffix -ta

Root: √bhuj (class 7)

Note: Repetition emphasizes 'repeatedly eaten'.

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

इदम् (idam) - this, this one

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this one, here

Note: Demonstrative pronoun referring to 'annam'.

अन्नम् (annam) - food, grain

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anna

anna - food, grain, cooked rice

Derived from root √ad (to eat)

Root: √ad (class 2)

Note: Subject of the verb 'vipacyate'.

कोष्ठे (koṣṭhe) - in the abdominal cavity (in the abdomen, in the stomach)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of koṣṭha

koṣṭha - interior, stomach, abdomen, granary, treasury

Note: Refers to the internal cavity where digestion occurs.

विपच्यते (vipacyate) - is digested, is cooked

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of vipac

Root √pac (to cook, ripen) with prefix vi-

Prefix: vi

Root: √pac (class 1)

Note: Reflects the digestion of food.

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

रसत्वम् (rasatvam) - the state of being nutrient fluid (chyle) (the state of being juice/essence, nutrient fluid)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of rasatva

rasatva - state of being juice/essence/chyle, sap, fluid; the nature of flavor

Derived from rasa (juice, essence) + -tva (suffix for abstract noun)

Note: Object of 'vrajati'.

व्रजति (vrajati) - transforms into (goes, proceeds, turns into)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of vraj

Root: √vraj (class 1)

Note: 'rasatvam vrajati' means 'goes into the state of rasa' or 'becomes rasa'.

शोणितम् (śoṇitam) - blood

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śoṇita

śoṇita - blood, red, crimson

Note: Subject of 'jāyate'.

जायते (jāyate) - is born, originates, becomes

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of jan

Root: √jan (class 4)

Note: Expresses transformation.

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

तथा (tathā) - furthermore, and then (so, thus, and, in the same way)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects the previous questions to the next one.

मांसम् (māṁsam) - flesh, meat

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of māṃsa

māṁsa - flesh, meat

Note: Object of 'poṣati'.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

मेदः (medaḥ) - fat, marrow

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of medas

medas - fat, marrow, suet, adipose tissue

Note: Object of 'poṣati'.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

स्नायु-अस्थीनि (snāyu-asthīni) - sinews and bones

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of snāyvasthi

snāyvasthi - sinews and bones (compound)

Compound type : dvandva (snāyu+asthi)

• snāyu – sinew, tendon, nerve
  noun (feminine)
• asthi – bone
  noun (neuter)

Note: Dvanda compound.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

पोषति (poṣati) - nourishes, causes to thrive

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of puṣ

Root: √puṣ (class 4)

Note: Implies the food, after transformation, nourishes these tissues.