महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-134, verse-26

अष्टावक्र उवाच ।
विप्राः समुद्राम्भसि मज्जितास्ते वाचा जिता मेधया आविदानाः ।
तां मेधया वाचमथोज्जहार यथा वाचमवचिन्वन्ति सन्तः ॥२६॥

26. aṣṭāvakra uvāca ,
viprāḥ samudrāmbhasi majjitāste; vācā jitā medhayā āvidānāḥ ,
tāṁ medhayā vācamathojjahāra; yathā vācamavacinvanti santaḥ.

26. Aṣṭāvakra uvāca viprāḥ samudrāmbhasi
majjitāḥ te vācā jitā medhayā
āvidānāḥ tām medhayā vācam atha
ujjahāra yathā vācam avacinuvanti santaḥ

26. Aṣṭāvakra said: O Brahmins, those learned ones who were submerged in the ocean's water were conquered by [my] speech and intellect. Then, he (Aṣṭāvakra) skillfully brought forth that speech with intellect, just as virtuous people carefully select words.

Words meanings summery:

• अष्टावक्र (aṣṭāvakra) - The sage Aṣṭāvakra (Aṣṭāvakra (proper name))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (Aṣṭāvakra) (said, spoke)

• विप्राः (viprāḥ) - O Brahmins, addressing the assembly of scholars (Brahmins, learned ones, sages)

• समुद्राम्भसि (samudrāmbhasi) - in the challenging environment of the debate (symbolically the ocean) (in the water of the ocean, in the ocean's water)

• मज्जिताः (majjitāḥ) - those who were submerged (in the ocean of debate) (submerged, drowned, immersed)

• ते (te) - those (Brahmins) (they, those)

• वाचा (vācā) - by the power of persuasive speech (by speech, by words)

• जिता (jitā) - those who were conquered (conquered, defeated, won)

• मेधया (medhayā) - by sharp intellect (by intellect, by wisdom, by understanding)

• आविदानाः (āvidānāḥ) - those who were learned (but still conquered) (having known, having found, knowing, experienced, discerned, learned ones)

• ताम् (tām) - that (speech) (that, her, it)

• मेधया (medhayā) - by sharp intellect (by intellect, by wisdom, by understanding)

• वाचम् (vācam) - the speech (that Aṣṭāvakra brought forth) (speech, word, voice)

• अथ (atha) - then (following the defeat of the Brahmins) (then, next, now)

• उज्जहार (ujjahāra) - skillfully brought forth (speech) (extracted, brought forth, lifted up, drew out)

• यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, according to)

• वाचम् (vācam) - words (speech, word, voice)

• अवचिनुवन्ति (avacinuvanti) - carefully select (words) (collect, gather, pick up, select)

• सन्तः (santaḥ) - virtuous people, sages (good people, virtuous ones, wise ones, existing)

Words meanings and morphology

अष्टावक्र (aṣṭāvakra) - The sage Aṣṭāvakra (Aṣṭāvakra (proper name))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of Aṣṭāvakra

Aṣṭāvakra - Aṣṭāvakra (lit. 'eight-curved', referring to his physical deformity)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (aṣṭan+vakra)

• aṣṭan – eight
  numeral
• vakra – bent, crooked
  adjective

उवाच (uvāca) - said (Aṣṭāvakra) (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

विप्राः (viprāḥ) - O Brahmins, addressing the assembly of scholars (Brahmins, learned ones, sages)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, plural of vipra

vipra - Brahmin, inspired, learned

From root `vip` (to tremble, to vibrate) with suffix `ra`

Root: vip

समुद्राम्भसि (samudrāmbhasi) - in the challenging environment of the debate (symbolically the ocean) (in the water of the ocean, in the ocean's water)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of samudrāmbhas

samudrāmbhas - ocean water

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (samudra+ambhas)

• samudra – ocean, sea
  noun (masculine)
• ambhas – water
  noun (neuter)

मज्जिताः (majjitāḥ) - those who were submerged (in the ocean of debate) (submerged, drowned, immersed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of majjita

majjita - submerged, immersed, drowned

Past Passive Participle

Formed from root `majj` (to sink, to dive)

Root: majj (class 1)

ते (te) - those (Brahmins) (they, those)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those

वाचा (vācā) - by the power of persuasive speech (by speech, by words)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of vāc

vāc - speech, word, voice

Root: vac

जिता (jitā) - those who were conquered (conquered, defeated, won)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of jita

jita - conquered, defeated, won

Past Passive Participle

Formed from root `ji` (to conquer, to win)

Root: ji (class 1)

मेधया (medhayā) - by sharp intellect (by intellect, by wisdom, by understanding)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of medhā

medhā - intellect, wisdom, understanding

आविदानाः (āvidānāḥ) - those who were learned (but still conquered) (having known, having found, knowing, experienced, discerned, learned ones)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of āvidāna

āvidāna - one who knows/perceives/discerns, a learned one

Present Participle (Ātmanepada)

From prefix `ā` + root `vid` (to know, to find, to experience)

Prefix: ā

Root: vid (class 2)

ताम् (tām) - that (speech) (that, her, it)

(pronoun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of tad

tad - that

Note: Agrees with `vācam`.

मेधया (medhayā) - by sharp intellect (by intellect, by wisdom, by understanding)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of medhā

medhā - intellect, wisdom, understanding

वाचम् (vācam) - the speech (that Aṣṭāvakra brought forth) (speech, word, voice)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of vāc

vāc - speech, word, voice

Root: vac

अथ (atha) - then (following the defeat of the Brahmins) (then, next, now)

(indeclinable)

उज्जहार (ujjahāra) - skillfully brought forth (speech) (extracted, brought forth, lifted up, drew out)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of ud-hṛ

Prefix: ud

Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Sandhi `ut` + `jahāra` becomes `ujjahāra`.

यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, according to)

(indeclinable)

वाचम् (vācam) - words (speech, word, voice)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of vāc

vāc - speech, word, voice

Root: vac

Note: In context 'words' is a plural concept despite the singular form.

अवचिनुवन्ति (avacinuvanti) - carefully select (words) (collect, gather, pick up, select)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (lat) of ava-ci

Prefix: ava

Root: ci (class 5)

Note: `nu` infix indicates 5th class verb.

सन्तः (santaḥ) - virtuous people, sages (good people, virtuous ones, wise ones, existing)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sant

sant - being, existing, good, virtuous, wise

Present Active Participle

From root `as` (to be)

Root: as (class 2)