महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-22, verse-4

ब्राह्मण्युवाच ।
सूक्ष्मेऽवकाशे सन्तस्ते कथं नान्योन्यदर्शिनः ।
कथंस्वभावा भगवन्नेतदाचक्ष्व मे विभो ॥४॥

4. brāhmaṇyuvāca ,
sūkṣme'vakāśe santaste kathaṁ nānyonyadarśinaḥ ,
kathaṁsvabhāvā bhagavannetadācakṣva me vibho.

4. brāhmaṇī uvāca | sūkṣme avakāśe santaḥ te katham na
anyonyadarśinaḥ | katham svabhāvāḥ bhagavan etat ācakṣva me vibho

4. brāhmaṇī uvāca sūkṣme avakāśe
santaḥ te katham na anyonyadarśinaḥ
bhagavan vibho etat katham
svabhāvāḥ (santi iti) me ācakṣva

4. The Brahmini said: Existing in a subtle space, how is it that they do not perceive each other? What is their intrinsic nature (svabhāva), O venerable one? Explain this to me, O lord (vibhu).

Words meanings summery:

• ब्राह्मणी (brāhmaṇī) - the Brahmini, wife of a Brahmin

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• सूक्ष्मे (sūkṣme) - subtle, minute, fine

• अवकाशे (avakāśe) - in space, in a place, in a subtle realm

• सन्तः (santaḥ) - being, existing

• ते (te) - the seven offerers (they)

• कथम् (katham) - how? in what way?

• न (na) - not, no

• अन्योन्यदर्शिनः (anyonyadarśinaḥ) - perceiving each other

• कथम् (katham) - what kind of (in a compound) (how? in what way?)

• स्वभावाः (svabhāvāḥ) - natures, intrinsic qualities (svabhāva)

• भगवन् (bhagavan) - O venerable one, O divine one

• एतत् (etat) - this (neuter accusative singular)

• आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - tell, explain

• मे (me) - to me, for me (dative/genitive singular of 'I')

• विभो (vibho) - O lord, O powerful one

Words meanings and morphology

ब्राह्मणी (brāhmaṇī) - the Brahmini, wife of a Brahmin

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of brāhmaṇī

brāhmaṇī - a Brahmin woman, the wife of a Brahmin

Feminine form of brāhmaṇa

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

root

verbal root

Root: vac (class 2)

सूक्ष्मे (sūkṣme) - subtle, minute, fine

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of sūkṣma

sūkṣma - subtle, minute, fine, delicate, atomic

अवकाशे (avakāśe) - in space, in a place, in a subtle realm

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of avakāśa

avakāśa - space, room, opportunity, scope

Derived from ava-√kāś (to shine down, to allow space)

Prefix: ava

Root: kāś (class 1)

सन्तः (santaḥ) - being, existing

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sat

sat - being, existing, good, virtuous, real

Present Active Participle

Derived from the root √as (to be)

Root: as (class 2)

ते (te) - the seven offerers (they)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it, they

कथम् (katham) - how? in what way?

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

अन्योन्यदर्शिनः (anyonyadarśinaḥ) - perceiving each other

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of anyonyadarśin

anyonyadarśin - seeing each other, perceiving each other

Compound of anyonya (each other) + darśin (seeing)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (anyonya+darśin)

• anyonya – each other, mutual
  pronoun (masculine)
  Compound of anya + anya
• darśin – seeing, knowing, perceiving; one who sees
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun/adjective
  Derived from root √dṛś (to see)
  Root: dṛś (class 1)

कथम् (katham) - what kind of (in a compound) (how? in what way?)

(indeclinable)

Note: Here used as the first part of a Bahuvrihi compound.

स्वभावाः (svabhāvāḥ) - natures, intrinsic qualities (svabhāva)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kathaṃsvabhāva

kathaṁsvabhāva - having what kind of nature, of what intrinsic nature

Bahuvrihi compound: katham (how/what) + svabhāva (intrinsic nature)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (katham+svabhāva)

• katham – how? in what manner? why?
  indeclinable
• svabhāva – one's own state, intrinsic nature, inherent disposition, essential property
  noun (masculine)
  Compound of sva (own) + bhāva (state, existence)

भगवन् (bhagavan) - O venerable one, O divine one

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bhagavat

bhagavat - fortunate, prosperous, venerable, divine, illustrious

From bhaga (fortune) + -vat (possessing)

एतत् (etat) - this (neuter accusative singular)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - tell, explain

(verb)

2nd person , singular, middle, imperative (loṭ) of ā-√cakṣ

root

verbal root, class 2, middle voice

Prefix: ā

Root: cakṣ (class 2)

मे (me) - to me, for me (dative/genitive singular of 'I')

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Note: Can also be genitive.

विभो (vibho) - O lord, O powerful one

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vibhu

vibhu - all-pervading, mighty, lord, ruler

Derived from vi-√bhū (to be eminent, to pervade)

Prefix: vi

Root: bhū (class 1)