महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-108, verse-14

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राजा प्रातिष्ठत भगीरथः ।
यत्र तानि शरीराणि सागराणां महात्मनाम् ।
पावनार्थं नरश्रेष्ठ पुण्येन सलिलेन ह ॥१४॥

14. etacchrutvā vaco rājā prātiṣṭhata bhagīrathaḥ ,
yatra tāni śarīrāṇi sāgarāṇāṁ mahātmanām ,
pāvanārthaṁ naraśreṣṭha puṇyena salilena ha.

14. etat śrutvā vacaḥ rājā prātiṣṭhata
bhagīrathaḥ yatra tāni śarīrāṇi
sāgarāṇām mahātmanām pāvanārtham
naraśreṣṭha puṇyena salilena ha

14. Having heard these words, King Bhagiratha set out for the place where the bodies of the great-souled sons of Sagara lay, in order to purify them, O best of men, with the sacred water.

Words meanings summery:

• एतत् (etat) - this

• श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard

• वचः (vacaḥ) - words (word, speech, statement)

• राजा (rājā) - king

• प्रातिष्ठत (prātiṣṭhata) - set out, started, stood forth

• भगीरथः (bhagīrathaḥ) - Bhagiratha

• यत्र (yatra) - where, in which place

• तानि (tāni) - those

• शरीराणि (śarīrāṇi) - bodies

• सागराणाम् (sāgarāṇām) - of the Sagaras (sons of Sagara)

• महात्मनाम् (mahātmanām) - of the great-souled, of the noble

• पावनार्थम् (pāvanārtham) - for the purpose of purifying

• नरश्रेष्ठ (naraśreṣṭha) - O best of men

• पुण्येन (puṇyena) - by sacred, by holy, by pure

• सलिलेन (salilena) - by water

• ह (ha) - indeed, verily

Words meanings and morphology

एतत् (etat) - this

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this (demonstrative pronoun)

Note: Refers to the preceding words spoken by Ganga.

श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

Absolutive form derived from the root śru (to hear).

Root: śru (class 5)

वचः (vacaḥ) - words (word, speech, statement)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vacas

vacas - word, speech, saying

From root vac (to speak).

Root: vac (class 2)

राजा (rājā) - king

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

प्रातिष्ठत (prātiṣṭhata) - set out, started, stood forth

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, past imperfect (laṅ) of pratiṣṭhā

Root sthā (to stand) with prefix prati (towards, against). The 's' changes to 'ṣ' due to retroflexion rules (ṇatva and ṣatva).

Prefix: prati

Root: sthā (class 1)

भगीरथः (bhagīrathaḥ) - Bhagiratha

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhagīratha

bhagīratha - Bhagiratha (a legendary king)

यत्र (yatra) - where, in which place

(indeclinable)

तानि (tāni) - those

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of tad

tad - that, those (demonstrative pronoun)

शरीराणि (śarīrāṇi) - bodies

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of śarīra

śarīra - body, corporeal frame

सागराणाम् (sāgarāṇām) - of the Sagaras (sons of Sagara)

(proper noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of sāgara

sāgara - descendant of Sagara, a Sagara; ocean

Patronymic from Sagara.

महात्मनाम् (mahātmanām) - of the great-souled, of the noble

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of mahātman

mahātman - great-souled, noble, magnanimous

Bahuvrihi compound: 'mahā' (great) + 'ātman' (soul).

Compound type : bahuvrihi (mahā+ātman)

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

Note: Modifies 'sāgarāṇām'.

पावनार्थम् (pāvanārtham) - for the purpose of purifying

(indeclinable)

Compound 'pāvana' (purification) + 'artha' (purpose/sake). Used adverbially.

Compound type : tatpurusha (pāvana+artha)

• pāvana – purifying, sacred, holy; an act of purification
  noun (neuter)
  Verbal noun/adjective from causative of √pū
  From the causative stem of root pū (to purify).
  Root: pū (class 1)
• artha – purpose, aim, meaning, sake
  noun (masculine)

Note: Used adverbially to express purpose.

नरश्रेष्ठ (naraśreṣṭha) - O best of men

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of naraśreṣṭha

naraśreṣṭha - best among men, foremost of men

Tatpurusha compound: 'nara' (man) + 'śreṣṭha' (best).

Compound type : tatpurusha (nara+śreṣṭha)

• nara – man, person
  noun (masculine)
• śreṣṭha – best, most excellent, superior
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative degree from śrī (excellence).

Note: Addressed to Bhagiratha.

पुण्येन (puṇyena) - by sacred, by holy, by pure

(adjective)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of puṇya

puṇya - meritorious, virtuous, sacred, holy; virtue, merit

Note: Modifies 'salilena'.

सलिलेन (salilena) - by water

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of salila

salila - water

ह (ha) - indeed, verily

(indeclinable)