महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-2, chapter-60, verse-40

भीष्म उवाच ।
न धर्मसौक्ष्म्यात्सुभगे विवक्तुं शक्नोमि ते प्रश्नमिमं यथावत् ।
अस्वो ह्यशक्तः पणितुं परस्वं स्त्रियश्च भर्तुर्वशतां समीक्ष्य ॥४०॥

40. bhīṣma uvāca ,
na dharmasaukṣmyātsubhage vivaktuṁ; śaknomi te praśnamimaṁ yathāvat ,
asvo hyaśaktaḥ paṇituṁ parasvaṁ; striyaśca bharturvaśatāṁ samīkṣya.

40. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca na dharmasaukṣmyāt subhage
vivaktum śaknomi te praśnam imam
yathāvat asvaḥ hi aśaktaḥ paṇitum parasvam
striyaḥ ca bhartuḥ vaśatām samīkṣya

40. Bhīṣma said: "O fortunate one, due to the extreme subtlety of the natural law (dharma), I am unable to properly answer this question for you. This is because a man without possessions is indeed unable to stake another's property, and one must also consider a wife's complete subjection to her husband."

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhīṣma

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• न (na) - not, no

• धर्मसौक्ष्म्यात् (dharmasaukṣmyāt) - due to the subtlety of natural law (dharma)

• सुभगे (subhage) - O Draupadī (O fortunate one, O beautiful one)

• विवक्तुम् (vivaktum) - to speak, to explain, to declare

• शक्नोमि (śaknomi) - I am able, I can

• ते (te) - to you, your

• प्रश्नम् (praśnam) - question

• इमम् (imam) - this

• यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, exactly, as it is

• अस्वः (asvaḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira, who had already gambled away his own possessions (one without property, having no wealth)

• हि (hi) - indeed, because, for

• अशक्तः (aśaktaḥ) - incapable, powerless, unable

• पणितुम् (paṇitum) - to stake, to wager, to bet

• परस्वम् (parasvam) - referring to Draupadī (another's property)

• स्त्रियः (striyaḥ) - a woman, a wife

• च (ca) - and, also

• भर्तुः (bhartuḥ) - of the husband

• वशताम् (vaśatām) - subjection, control, dependence

• समीक्ष्य (samīkṣya) - having seen, having observed, having considered

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhīṣma

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhīṣma (name of a prominent character in the Mahābhārata)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of vac

Perfect (lit)

Root `vac` takes reduplication and strong stem `uvāc` in perfect 3rd singular.

Root: vac (class 2)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

धर्मसौक्ष्म्यात् (dharmasaukṣmyāt) - due to the subtlety of natural law (dharma)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of dharmasaukṣmya

dharmasaukṣmya - the subtlety of law/duty (dharma)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dharma+saukṣmya)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue
  noun (masculine)
• saukṣmya – subtlety, minuteness, fineness
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from `sūkṣma` (subtle) with `ṣya` suffix.

सुभगे (subhage) - O Draupadī (O fortunate one, O beautiful one)

(adjective)

Vocative, feminine, singular of subhagā

subhagā - fortunate, beloved, beautiful (feminine form)

विवक्तुम् (vivaktum) - to speak, to explain, to declare

(indeclinable)

infinitive

Derived from root `vac` (to speak) with prefix `vi-` and suffix `-tum` for infinitive.

Prefix: vi

Root: vac (class 2)

शक्नोमि (śaknomi) - I am able, I can

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of śak

Present (laṭ)

Root `śak` (class 5) in present 1st singular active, takes `nu` augment.

Root: śak (class 5)

ते (te) - to you, your

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

प्रश्नम् (praśnam) - question

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of praśna

praśna - question, inquiry, problem

Derived from root `prac` (to ask) with suffix `-na`.

Root: prac (class 6)

इमम् (imam) - this

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this here

Note: Modifies praśnam

यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, exactly, as it is

(indeclinable)

Derived from `yathā` (as) with suffix `-vat` (like).

अस्वः (asvaḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira, who had already gambled away his own possessions (one without property, having no wealth)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of asva

asva - without wealth, without possessions

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+sva)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• sva – own, one's own property, wealth
  noun (neuter)

हि (hi) - indeed, because, for

(indeclinable)

अशक्तः (aśaktaḥ) - incapable, powerless, unable

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aśakta

aśakta - incapable, powerless, unable

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+śakta)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• śakta – able, capable, powerful
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root `śak` (to be able) with suffix `-ta`.
  Root: śak (class 5)

पणितुम् (paṇitum) - to stake, to wager, to bet

(indeclinable)

infinitive

Derived from root `paṇ` (to bargain, stake) with suffix `-tum` for infinitive.

Root: paṇ (class 1)

परस्वम् (parasvam) - referring to Draupadī (another's property)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of parasva

parasva - another's property, wealth of another

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (para+sva)

• para – other, another, supreme
  adjective (masculine)
• sva – own, one's own property, wealth
  noun (neuter)

स्त्रियः (striyaḥ) - a woman, a wife

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of strī

strī - woman, wife, female

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

भर्तुः (bhartuḥ) - of the husband

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of bhartṛ

bhartṛ - supporter, master, husband

Derived from root `bhṛ` (to bear, support) with agent suffix `-tṛ`.

Root: bhṛ (class 3)

वशताम् (vaśatām) - subjection, control, dependence

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of vaśatā

vaśatā - subjection, dependence, control, power

Derived from `vaśa` (will, control) with suffix `-tā` to form a feminine abstract noun.

समीक्ष्य (samīkṣya) - having seen, having observed, having considered

(indeclinable)

absolutive (gerund)

Derived from root `īkṣ` (to see) with prefix `sam-` and suffix `-ya` for absolutive.

Prefix: sam

Root: īkṣ (class 1)