महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-2, chapter-38, verse-17

न गाथा गाथिनं शास्ति बहु चेदपि गायति ।
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि भूलिङ्गशकुनिर्यथा ॥१७॥

17. na gāthā gāthinaṁ śāsti bahu cedapi gāyati ,
prakṛtiṁ yānti bhūtāni bhūliṅgaśakuniryathā.

17. na gāthā gāthinam śāsti bahu cet api gāyati
prakṛtim yānti bhūtāni bhūliṅgaśakuniḥ yathā

17. A song does not instruct the singer, even if he sings it extensively. Living beings follow their intrinsic nature (prakṛti), just like the Bhulinga bird (bhūliṅgaśakuni).

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• गाथा (gāthā) - song, verse, stanza

• गाथिनम् (gāthinam) - singer, reciter of songs

• शास्ति (śāsti) - instructs, teaches, rules

• बहु (bahu) - extensively (how much he sings) (much, many, extensively)

• चेत् (cet) - if

• अपि (api) - even if (also, even, moreover)

• गायति (gāyati) - he sings

• प्रकृतिम् (prakṛtim) - nature, intrinsic nature (prakṛti), origin

• यान्ति (yānti) - they follow, they revert to (they go, they move, they reach, they follow)

• भूतानि (bhūtāni) - living beings, creatures, elements

• भूलिङ्गशकुनिः (bhūliṅgaśakuniḥ) - Bhulinga bird (a mythical bird)

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, in which manner

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates the verb śāsti.

गाथा (gāthā) - song, verse, stanza

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of gāthā

gāthā - song, verse, stanza, lay

Root: gai (class 1)

Note: Subject of śāsti.

गाथिनम् (gāthinam) - singer, reciter of songs

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of gāthin

gāthin - singer, reciter of songs

Derived from gāthā + in suffix

Note: Object of śāsti.

शास्ति (śāsti) - instructs, teaches, rules

(verb)

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

Root: śās (class 2)

Note: Main verb of the first clause.

बहु (bahu) - extensively (how much he sings) (much, many, extensively)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of bahu

bahu - much, many, abundant

Note: Adverbial usage 'much, extensively', modifying gāyati.

चेत् (cet) - if

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces a conditional clause.

अपि (api) - even if (also, even, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Note: Enhances the conditional 'cet'.

गायति (gāyati) - he sings

(verb)

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

Root: gai (class 1)

Note: The implied subject is the gāthin.

प्रकृतिम् (prakṛtim) - nature, intrinsic nature (prakṛti), origin

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of prakṛti

prakṛti - nature, intrinsic nature (prakṛti), origin, primary matter

Prefix: pra

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Object of yānti.

यान्ति (yānti) - they follow, they revert to (they go, they move, they reach, they follow)

(verb)

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

Root: yā (class 2)

Note: Subject is bhūtāni.

भूतानि (bhūtāni) - living beings, creatures, elements

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of bhūta

bhūta - being, creature, element, past

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root bhū (to be)

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Subject of yānti.

भूलिङ्गशकुनिः (bhūliṅgaśakuniḥ) - Bhulinga bird (a mythical bird)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhūliṅgaśakuni

bhūliṅgaśakuni - Bhulinga bird (a mythical bird known for contradictory actions)

Compound type : tatpurusha (bhūliṅga+śakuni)

• bhūliṅga – Bhulinga (a type of bird)
  noun (masculine)
• śakuni – bird
  noun (masculine)

Note: Subject of the implied verb (follows).

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, in which manner

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces a simile.