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).

17. שיר אינו מלמד את מי ששר אותו, גם אם הוא שר הרבה. היצורים חוזרים לטבעם, כמו הציפור בְּהוּלִינְגַה-שַׁקוּנִי.

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.

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