महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-2, chapter-4, verse-17

उपासते महात्मानं सभायामृषिसत्तमाः ।
कथयन्तः कथाः पुण्या धर्मज्ञाः शुचयोऽमलाः ॥१७॥

17. upāsate mahātmānaṁ sabhāyāmṛṣisattamāḥ ,
kathayantaḥ kathāḥ puṇyā dharmajñāḥ śucayo'malāḥ.

17. upāsate mahātmānam sabhāyām ṛṣisattamāḥ
kathayantaḥ kathāḥ puṇyāḥ dharmajñāḥ śucayaḥ amalāḥ

17. The most excellent sages, who are knowers of natural law (dharma), pure, and spotless, attend upon the noble one (mahātman) in the assembly, narrating sacred stories.

Words meanings summery:

• उपासते (upāsate) - they attend upon (they attend upon, they serve, they worship)

• महात्मानम् (mahātmānam) - the noble one (mahātman) (the great soul, the noble one)

• सभायाम् (sabhāyām) - in the assembly (in the assembly, in the council)

• ऋषिसत्तमाः (ṛṣisattamāḥ) - the most excellent sages (the best among sages, excellent sages)

• कथयन्तः (kathayantaḥ) - narrating (narrating, telling, relating)

• कथाः (kathāḥ) - stories (stories, tales, narratives)

• पुण्याः (puṇyāḥ) - sacred (sacred, virtuous, holy, auspicious)

• धर्मज्ञाः (dharmajñāḥ) - knowers of natural law (dharma) (knowers of natural law, righteous, experts in dharma)

• शुचयः (śucayaḥ) - pure (pure, clean, virtuous)

• अमलाः (amalāḥ) - spotless (spotless, faultless, pure)

Words meanings and morphology

उपासते (upāsate) - they attend upon (they attend upon, they serve, they worship)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present indicative (laṭ) of upa-as

From √ās (to sit) with upasarga upa.

Prefix: upa

Root: as (class 2)

महात्मानम् (mahātmānam) - the noble one (mahātman) (the great soul, the noble one)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mahātman

mahātman - great-souled, noble, sublime, a great person (mahātman)

Compound of mahā (great) and ātman (soul).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+ātman)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• ātman – soul, self, essence, spirit (ātman)
  noun (masculine)

सभायाम् (sabhāyām) - in the assembly (in the assembly, in the council)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of sabhā

sabhā - assembly, council, court, meeting hall

From `saha` (together) + `bhā` (to shine/be) - place where people gather.

ऋषिसत्तमाः (ṛṣisattamāḥ) - the most excellent sages (the best among sages, excellent sages)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ṛṣisattama

ṛṣisattama - best among sages, chief sage

Compound of ṛṣi (sage) and sattama (best).

Compound type : tatpurusha (ṛṣi+sattama)

• ṛṣi – sage, seer, inspired poet
  noun (masculine)
• sattama – best, most excellent
  adjective
  Superlative of `sat` (good).

कथयन्तः (kathayantaḥ) - narrating (narrating, telling, relating)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kathayat

kathayat - relating, narrating

present active participle

From the root √kath (to tell, speak) in causative (kathayati).

Root: kath (class 10)

Note: Agrees with `ṛṣisattamāḥ`.

कथाः (kathāḥ) - stories (stories, tales, narratives)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, plural of kathā

kathā - story, tale, narrative, speech

From √kath (to tell).

Root: kath (class 10)

Note: Object of `kathayantaḥ`.

पुण्याः (puṇyāḥ) - sacred (sacred, virtuous, holy, auspicious)

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, plural of puṇya

puṇya - virtuous, meritorious, sacred, holy, good deed

Note: Agrees with `kathāḥ`.

धर्मज्ञाः (dharmajñāḥ) - knowers of natural law (dharma) (knowers of natural law, righteous, experts in dharma)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of dharmajña

dharmajña - knowing the law, righteous, wise in the law, knowing one's duty

Compound of dharma (natural law) and jña (knower).

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+jña)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, righteousness, duty (dharma)
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• jña – knowing, acquainted with, wise, knower
  adjective
  From √jñā (to know).
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Agrees with `ṛṣisattamāḥ`.

शुचयः (śucayaḥ) - pure (pure, clean, virtuous)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śuci

śuci - pure, clean, bright, undefiled, honest

Note: Agrees with `ṛṣisattamāḥ`.

अमलाः (amalāḥ) - spotless (spotless, faultless, pure)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of amala

amala - spotless, pure, stainless, free from dirt/blemish

Negative prefix `a` + `mala` (dirt, impurity).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+mala)

• a – not, un-, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• mala – dirt, impurity, stain, blemish
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with `ṛṣisattamāḥ`.