महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-10, verse-16

सुरभिरुवाच ।
यदि पुत्रसहस्रं मे सर्वत्र सममेव मे ।
दीनस्य तु सतः शक्र पुत्रस्याभ्यधिका कृपा ॥१६॥

16. surabhiruvāca ,
yadi putrasahasraṁ me sarvatra samameva me ,
dīnasya tu sataḥ śakra putrasyābhyadhikā kṛpā.

16. surabhiḥ uvāca | yadi putrasahasram me sarvatra samam
eva me | dīnasya tu sataḥ śakra putrasya abhyadhikā kṛpā

16. Surabhi said: 'O Śakra, even if my thousands of sons are equally dear to me everywhere, yet my compassion for a son who is suffering is greater.'

Words meanings summery:

• सुरभिः (surabhiḥ) - Surabhi (divine cow)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• यदि (yadi) - if, in case that

• पुत्रसहस्रम् (putrasahasram) - a thousand sons

• मे (me) - to me, my, for me

• सर्वत्र (sarvatra) - everywhere, in every respect

• समम् (samam) - equally dear (equal, identical, same)

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

• मे (me) - to me, my, for me

• दीनस्य (dīnasya) - of the distressed, of the wretched, of the poor

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• सतः (sataḥ) - of one who is, of being

• शक्र (śakra) - O Indra

• पुत्रस्य (putrasya) - of the son

• अभ्यधिका (abhyadhikā) - greater, more, excessive

• कृपा (kṛpā) - compassion, pity, mercy

Words meanings and morphology

सुरभिः (surabhiḥ) - Surabhi (divine cow)

(proper noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of surabhi

surabhi - Surabhi (the divine cow, mother of all cattle); fragrant, pleasant

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect Active

Root 'vac' (2nd class). Perfect tense, 3rd person singular.

Root: vac (class 2)

यदि (yadi) - if, in case that

(indeclinable)

पुत्रसहस्रम् (putrasahasram) - a thousand sons

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of putrasahasra

putrasahasra - a thousand sons

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (putra+sahasra)

• putra – son, child
  noun (masculine)
• sahasra – a thousand
  noun (neuter)

Note: Subject of the clause.

मे (me) - to me, my, for me

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of aham

aham - I

Note: Refers to Surabhi.

सर्वत्र (sarvatra) - everywhere, in every respect

(indeclinable)

Derived from 'sarva' (all) + suffix 'tra'.

समम् (samam) - equally dear (equal, identical, same)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sama

sama - same, equal, alike, impartial

Note: Agrees with 'putrasahasram'.

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes 'samam'.

मे (me) - to me, my, for me

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of aham

aham - I

Note: Implies 'dear to me'.

दीनस्य (dīnasya) - of the distressed, of the wretched, of the poor

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of dīna

dīna - distressed, wretched, miserable, poor

Past Passive Participle

From root 'dī' (to perish, be sad) or 'dā' (to give) with 'i' prefix; often taken as a PPC meaning 'made sad/wretched'.

Root: dī (class 4)

Note: Modifies 'sataḥ'.

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction marking contrast.

सतः (sataḥ) - of one who is, of being

(participle)

Genitive, masculine, singular of sat

sat - being, existing, good, true

Present Active Participle

From root 'as' (to be). Present active participle, masculine genitive singular.

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Modifies 'putrasya', meaning 'of the son who is'.

शक्र (śakra) - O Indra

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of śakra

śakra - Indra (as the mighty one)

पुत्रस्य (putrasya) - of the son

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son, child

Note: This is the son for whom Surabhi feels special compassion.

अभ्यधिका (abhyadhikā) - greater, more, excessive

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of abhyadhika

abhyadhika - exceeding, greater, more, excessive

From 'abhi' + 'adhika' (excessive).

Note: Agrees with 'kṛpā'.

कृपा (kṛpā) - compassion, pity, mercy

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kṛpā

kṛpā - compassion, pity, mercy

Note: Subject of the second clause.