महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-133, verse-11

अष्टावक्र उवाच ।
न तेन स्थविरो भवति येनास्य पलितं शिरः ।
बालोऽपि यः प्रजानाति तं देवाः स्थविरं विदुः ॥११॥

11. aṣṭāvakra uvāca ,
na tena sthaviro bhavati yenāsya palitaṁ śiraḥ ,
bālo'pi yaḥ prajānāti taṁ devāḥ sthaviraṁ viduḥ.

11. aṣṭāvakra uvāca | na tena sthaviraḥ bhavati yena asya palitam
śiraḥ | bālaḥ api yaḥ prajānāti tam devāḥ sthaviram viduḥ

11. Aṣṭāvakra said: One does not become an elder (sthavira) merely because one's head has greyed. Rather, even a child who truly understands (prajānāti) is considered an elder by the gods.

Words meanings summery:

• अष्टावक्र (aṣṭāvakra) - Aṣṭāvakra (the sage speaking) (Aṣṭāvakra)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• न (na) - not, no

• तेन (tena) - for the reason of having grey hair (by that, for that reason, with that)

• स्थविरः (sthaviraḥ) - elder, old person, stable, firm

• भवति (bhavati) - becomes, is, exists

• येन (yena) - by which, because of which

• अस्य (asya) - his, its, of this

• पलितम् (palitam) - grey, hoary, white-haired

• शिरः (śiraḥ) - head, top

• बालः (bālaḥ) - child, youngster, boy

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• यः (yaḥ) - who, which

• प्रजानाति (prajānāti) - knows thoroughly, understands, recognizes

• तम् (tam) - him, that

• देवाः (devāḥ) - gods, deities

• स्थविरम् (sthaviram) - elder, old person, stable, firm

• विदुः (viduḥ) - they know, they consider, they understand

Words meanings and morphology

अष्टावक्र (aṣṭāvakra) - Aṣṭāvakra (the sage speaking) (Aṣṭāvakra)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aṣṭāvakra

aṣṭāvakra - Aṣṭāvakra (name of a sage, meaning 'one bent in eight places')

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect

3rd person singular active perfect of root vac

Root: vac (class 2)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

तेन (tena) - for the reason of having grey hair (by that, for that reason, with that)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

स्थविरः (sthaviraḥ) - elder, old person, stable, firm

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sthavira

sthavira - old, aged, ancient, firm, stable, elder, senior

भवति (bhavati) - becomes, is, exists

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (lat) of bhavati

Present

3rd person singular active present of root bhū

Root: bhū (class 1)

येन (yena) - by which, because of which

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what, that

अस्य (asya) - his, its, of this

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, he, she, it

पलितम् (palitam) - grey, hoary, white-haired

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of palita

palita - grey, hoary, white-haired

Past Passive Participle

Past passive participle of root pal (to become grey)

Root: pal (class 1)

शिरः (śiraḥ) - head, top

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śiras

śiras - head, top, peak, chief

बालः (bālaḥ) - child, youngster, boy

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bāla

bāla - child, boy, young man, inexperienced person, ignorant person

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

यः (yaḥ) - who, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what, that

प्रजानाति (prajānāti) - knows thoroughly, understands, recognizes

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (lat) of prajānāti

Present

3rd person singular active present of root jñā with prefix pra

Prefix: pra

Root: jñā (class 9)

तम् (tam) - him, that

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

देवाः (devāḥ) - gods, deities

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of deva

deva - god, deity, divine being

स्थविरम् (sthaviram) - elder, old person, stable, firm

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of sthavira

sthavira - old, aged, ancient, firm, stable, elder, senior

विदुः (viduḥ) - they know, they consider, they understand

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (lat) of viduḥ

Present

3rd person plural active present of root vid (2nd class)

Root: vid (class 2)