महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-32, verse-21

नाहमात्मार्थमिच्छामि शब्दाञ्श्रोत्रगतानपि ।
तस्मान्मे निर्जिताः शब्दा वशे तिष्ठन्ति नित्यदा ॥२१॥

21. nāhamātmārthamicchāmi śabdāñśrotragatānapi ,
tasmānme nirjitāḥ śabdā vaśe tiṣṭhanti nityadā.

21. na aham ātma-artham icchāmi śabdān śrotra-gatān api
| tasmāt me nirjitāḥ śabdāḥ vaśe tiṣṭhanti nityadā

21. aham ātma-artham śrotra-gatān api śabdān na icchāmi.
tasmāt me śabdāḥ nirjitāḥ nityadā vaśe tiṣṭhanti.

21. I do not desire for my own (ātman) sake sounds, even those received by the ear. Therefore, the element of ether/space (śabda) is conquered by me and perpetually remains under my control.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• अहम् (aham) - I

• आत्म-अर्थम् (ātma-artham) - for my own (ātman) sake (for the sake of oneself, for one's own purpose)

• इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I desire (I desire, I wish, I want)

• शब्दान् (śabdān) - sounds (sounds, noises, words, the element ether/space)

• श्रोत्र-गतान् (śrotra-gatān) - received by the ear (gone to the ear, heard, received by the ear)

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

• मे (me) - by me (by me, to me, my)

• निर्जिताः (nirjitāḥ) - conquered (conquered, subdued, overcome)

• शब्दाः (śabdāḥ) - the element of ether/space (sounds, noises, words, the element ether/space)

• वशे (vaśe) - under control (in control, in power, under sway)

• तिष्ठन्ति (tiṣṭhanti) - they remain (they stand, they remain, they abide)

• नित्यदा (nityadā) - perpetually (always, perpetually, constantly)

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of aham

aham - I (first person singular pronoun)

आत्म-अर्थम् (ātma-artham) - for my own (ātman) sake (for the sake of oneself, for one's own purpose)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ātma-artha

ātma-artha - for the sake of the self, for one's own purpose

Compound type : tatpurusha (ātman+artha)

• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence
  noun (masculine)
• artha – purpose, aim, meaning, sake, wealth
  noun (masculine)

Note: Used adverbially to mean 'for the sake of the self'.

इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I desire (I desire, I wish, I want)

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (lat) of √iṣ

Root of Class 6 verb (icchatī)

Root: iṣ (class 6)

शब्दान् (śabdān) - sounds (sounds, noises, words, the element ether/space)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of śabda

śabda - sound, noise, word, speech

श्रोत्र-गतान् (śrotra-gatān) - received by the ear (gone to the ear, heard, received by the ear)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of śrotra-gata

śrotra-gata - gone to the ear, heard

Compound adjective containing a past passive participle

Compound type : tatpurusha (śrotra+gata)

• śrotra – ear, organ of hearing
  noun (neuter)
• gata – gone, reached, arrived, come
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root √gam (to go).
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'śabdān'.

अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

(indeclinable)

Ablative singular of 'tad' used adverbially.

मे (me) - by me (by me, to me, my)

(pronoun)

singular of aham

aham - I (first person singular pronoun)

Note: Here used as an agent in a passive construction, effectively meaning 'by me'.

निर्जिताः (nirjitāḥ) - conquered (conquered, subdued, overcome)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nirjita

nirjita - conquered, subdued, overcome

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root √ji (to conquer) with prefix nir-.

Prefix: nir

Root: ji (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'śabdāḥ'.

शब्दाः (śabdāḥ) - the element of ether/space (sounds, noises, words, the element ether/space)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śabda

śabda - sound, noise, word, speech, element ether/space

वशे (vaśe) - under control (in control, in power, under sway)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of vaśa

vaśa - will, power, control, sway

तिष्ठन्ति (tiṣṭhanti) - they remain (they stand, they remain, they abide)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (lat) of √sthā

Root of Class 1 verb (tiṣṭhati)

Root: sthā (class 1)

नित्यदा (nityadā) - perpetually (always, perpetually, constantly)

(indeclinable)

Derived from 'nitya' (eternal) with a temporal affix 'dā'.