महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-49, verse-38

तत्रैकगुणमाकाशं द्विगुणो वायुरुच्यते ।
त्रिगुणं ज्योतिरित्याहुरापश्चापि चतुर्गुणाः ॥३८॥

38. tatraikaguṇamākāśaṁ dviguṇo vāyurucyate ,
triguṇaṁ jyotirityāhurāpaścāpi caturguṇāḥ.

38. tatra ekaguṇam ākāśam dviguṇaḥ vāyuḥ ucyate |
triguṇam jyotiḥ iti āhuḥ āpaḥ ca api caturguṇāḥ

38. tatra ākāśam ekaguṇam (asti),
vāyuḥ dviguṇaḥ ucyate iti āhuḥ jyotiḥ triguṇam,
āpaḥ ca api caturguṇāḥ (santi)

38. In this regard, space (ākāśa) is said to possess one quality. Air (vāyu) is called two-qualified. They declare that light (jyotiḥ) has three qualities, and waters (āpaḥ) are also four-qualified.

Words meanings summery:

• तत्र (tatra) - 'in this context' or 'in this matter' (there, in that place, in that case)

• एकगुणम् (ekaguṇam) - refers to space having the single quality of sound (having one quality, single-qualified)

• आकाशम् (ākāśam) - the element of space, the first of the five gross elements (space, ether, sky)

• द्विगुणः (dviguṇaḥ) - refers to air having the qualities of sound and touch (having two qualities, two-qualified)

• वायुः (vāyuḥ) - the element of air, the second of the five gross elements (wind, air)

• उच्यते (ucyate) - indicates a conventional or traditional understanding (is said, is called, is declared)

• त्रिगुणम् (triguṇam) - refers to light/fire having the qualities of sound, touch, and sight/form (having three qualities, three-qualified)

• ज्योतिः (jyotiḥ) - the element of fire/light, the third of the five gross elements (light, luster, fire)

• इति (iti) - introduces or follows a statement (thus, so)

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - implies common knowledge or traditional teaching (they say, they declare)

• आपः (āpaḥ) - the element of water, the fourth of the five gross elements (waters)

• च (ca) - connects the statement about waters to the previous ones (and, also)

• अपि (api) - emphasizes that waters also follow the pattern of increasing qualities (also, even, too)

• चतुर्गुणाः (caturguṇāḥ) - refers to waters having the qualities of sound, touch, sight, and taste (having four qualities, four-qualified)

Words meanings and morphology

तत्र (tatra) - 'in this context' or 'in this matter' (there, in that place, in that case)

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverbial.

एकगुणम् (ekaguṇam) - refers to space having the single quality of sound (having one quality, single-qualified)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ekaguṇa

ekaguṇa - having one quality, single-qualified

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (eka+guṇa)

• eka – one, single, sole
  numeral
• guṇa – quality, attribute, constituent (in Sāṅkhya), strand
  noun (masculine)

Note: Agrees with ākāśam.

आकाशम् (ākāśam) - the element of space, the first of the five gross elements (space, ether, sky)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ākāśa

ākāśa - space, ether, sky, vacuity

From root kāś (to shine) with prefix ā.

Prefix: ā

Root: kāś (class 1)

Note: Subject.

द्विगुणः (dviguṇaḥ) - refers to air having the qualities of sound and touch (having two qualities, two-qualified)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dviguṇa

dviguṇa - having two qualities, two-fold, double

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dvi+guṇa)

• dvi – two
  numeral
• guṇa – quality, attribute, constituent (in Sāṅkhya), strand
  noun (masculine)

Note: Agrees with vāyuḥ.

वायुः (vāyuḥ) - the element of air, the second of the five gross elements (wind, air)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vāyu

vāyu - wind, air, atmosphere

From root vā (to blow).

Root: vā (class 2)

Note: Subject.

उच्यते (ucyate) - indicates a conventional or traditional understanding (is said, is called, is declared)

(verb)

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

Root vac (class 2) in passive voice, 3rd person singular, present tense.

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Used with both ākāśam and vāyuḥ.

त्रिगुणम् (triguṇam) - refers to light/fire having the qualities of sound, touch, and sight/form (having three qualities, three-qualified)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of triguṇa

triguṇa - having three qualities, three-fold

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (tri+guṇa)

• tri – three
  numeral
• guṇa – quality, attribute, constituent (in Sāṅkhya), strand
  noun (masculine)

Note: Agrees with jyotiḥ.

ज्योतिः (jyotiḥ) - the element of fire/light, the third of the five gross elements (light, luster, fire)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jyotis

jyotis - light, luster, fire, radiance

Derived from root dyut (to shine).

Root: dyut (class 1)

Note: Subject.

इति (iti) - introduces or follows a statement (thus, so)

(indeclinable)

आहुः (āhuḥ) - implies common knowledge or traditional teaching (they say, they declare)

(verb)

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

Root: ah (class 2)

Note: Used with jyotiḥ and āpaḥ implied.

आपः (āpaḥ) - the element of water, the fourth of the five gross elements (waters)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of ap

ap - water, waters (always plural)

Note: Subject.

च (ca) - connects the statement about waters to the previous ones (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Enclitic conjunction.

अपि (api) - emphasizes that waters also follow the pattern of increasing qualities (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

Note: Enclitic particle.

चतुर्गुणाः (caturguṇāḥ) - refers to waters having the qualities of sound, touch, sight, and taste (having four qualities, four-qualified)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of caturguṇa

caturguṇa - having four qualities, four-fold

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (catur+guṇa)

• catur – four
  numeral
• guṇa – quality, attribute, constituent (in Sāṅkhya), strand
  noun (masculine)

Note: Agrees with āpaḥ (feminine plural).