महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-23, verse-3

ब्राह्मण्युवाच ।
स्वभावात्सप्त होतार इति ते पूर्विका मतिः ।
यथा वै पञ्च होतारः परो भावस्तथोच्यताम् ॥३॥

3. brāhmaṇyuvāca ,
svabhāvātsapta hotāra iti te pūrvikā matiḥ ,
yathā vai pañca hotāraḥ paro bhāvastathocyatām.

3. brāhmaṇī uvāca svabhāvāt sapta hotāraḥ iti te pūrvikā
matiḥ yathā vai pañca hotāraḥ paraḥ bhāvaḥ tathā ucyatām

3. brāhmaṇī uvāca svabhāvāt sapta hotāraḥ iti te pūrvikā
matiḥ yathā vai pañca hotāraḥ paraḥ bhāvaḥ tathā ucyatām

3. The brahmin woman said: "Your previous understanding (mati) was, 'There are seven ritualists (hotṛ) by their intrinsic nature (svabhāva).' Therefore, please explain how the five ritualists are indeed the supreme state (parā bhāva)."

Words meanings summery:

• ब्राह्मणी (brāhmaṇī) - a brahmin woman

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• स्वभावात् (svabhāvāt) - from intrinsic nature, by inherent disposition

• सप्त (sapta) - seven

• होतारः (hotāraḥ) - ritualists, oblators

• इति (iti) - thus, so (quotation marker)

• ते (te) - your (singular)

• पूर्विका (pūrvikā) - previous, former

• मतिः (matiḥ) - understanding, opinion, thought

• यथा (yathā) - how, as, in what manner

• वै (vai) - indeed, verily

• पञ्च (pañca) - five

• होतारः (hotāraḥ) - ritualists, oblators

• परः (paraḥ) - supreme, highest

• भावः (bhāvaḥ) - state, being, nature, existence

• तथा (tathā) - so, thus, therefore

• उच्यताम् (ucyatām) - let it be said, let it be explained (imperative passive)

Words meanings and morphology

ब्राह्मणी (brāhmaṇī) - a brahmin woman

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of brāhmaṇī

brāhmaṇī - a brahmin woman, wife of a brahmin

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

स्वभावात् (svabhāvāt) - from intrinsic nature, by inherent disposition

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of svabhāva

svabhāva - own nature, inherent disposition, intrinsic state

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sva+bhāva)

• sva – own, one's own
  pronoun
• bhāva – nature, state, being, existence
  noun (masculine)
  Root: bhū (class 1)

सप्त (sapta) - seven

(numeral)

होतारः (hotāraḥ) - ritualists, oblators

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of hotṛ

hotṛ - ritualist, sacrificer, oblator (one who pours oblations)

Root: hu (class 3)

इति (iti) - thus, so (quotation marker)

(indeclinable)

ते (te) - your (singular)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

पूर्विका (pūrvikā) - previous, former

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of pūrvika

pūrvika - previous, former, prior

मतिः (matiḥ) - understanding, opinion, thought

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of mati

mati - thought, mind, understanding, opinion, intention

Root: man (class 4)

यथा (yathā) - how, as, in what manner

(indeclinable)

वै (vai) - indeed, verily

(indeclinable)

पञ्च (pañca) - five

(numeral)

होतारः (hotāraḥ) - ritualists, oblators

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of hotṛ

hotṛ - ritualist, sacrificer, oblator (one who pours oblations)

Root: hu (class 3)

परः (paraḥ) - supreme, highest

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, ultimate, distant, other

भावः (bhāvaḥ) - state, being, nature, existence

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhāva

bhāva - state, being, existence, nature, sentiment, feeling

Root: bhū (class 1)

तथा (tathā) - so, thus, therefore

(indeclinable)

उच्यताम् (ucyatām) - let it be said, let it be explained (imperative passive)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, imperative (loṭ) of vac

passive imperative

3rd person singular passive imperative from root vac

Root: vac (class 2)