महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-177, verse-29

प्राङ्नाभिवर्धनात्पुंसो जातकर्म विधीयते ।
तत्रास्य माता सावित्री पिता त्वाचार्य उच्यते ॥२९॥

29. prāṅnābhivardhanātpuṁso jātakarma vidhīyate ,
tatrāsya mātā sāvitrī pitā tvācārya ucyate.

29. prāk nābhi-vardhanāt puṃsaḥ jāta-karma vidhīyate
tatra asya mātā sāvitrī pitā tu ācāryaḥ ucyate

29. The birth ceremony (jātakarma) for a male child is prescribed before the cutting of the umbilical cord. Then, in that (spiritual) context, Sāvitrī (the Gāyatrī mantra) is considered his mother, and the preceptor (ācārya) is said to be his father.

Words meanings summery:

• प्राक् (prāk) - before, eastward, in front

• नाभि-वर्धनात् (nābhi-vardhanāt) - from the cutting of the umbilical cord (from the cutting/growth of the navel-string)

• पुंसः (puṁsaḥ) - of a male child (of a man, of a male child)

• जात-कर्म (jāta-karma) - birth ceremony, natal rite

• विधीयते (vidhīyate) - is prescribed, is ordained, is performed

• तत्र (tatra) - in that (spiritual) context (there, in that, in that regard)

• अस्य (asya) - his, of this

• माता (mātā) - mother

• सावित्री (sāvitrī) - the Gāyatrī mantra (Sāvitrī, a name for the Gāyatrī mantra)

• पिता (pitā) - father

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

• आचार्यः (ācāryaḥ) - preceptor, teacher, spiritual guide

• उच्यते (ucyate) - is said, is called, is declared

Words meanings and morphology

प्राक् (prāk) - before, eastward, in front

(indeclinable)

From pra-añc (to bend forward). Used adverbially.

Prefix: pra

Root: añc (class 1)

Note: Used here with ablative 'nābhi-vardhanāt' to mean 'before'.

नाभि-वर्धनात् (nābhi-vardhanāt) - from the cutting of the umbilical cord (from the cutting/growth of the navel-string)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of nābhi-vardhana

nābhi-vardhana - cutting of the umbilical cord, growth of the navel

Compound of nābhi (navel) and vardhana (causing to grow, cutting, increasing).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nābhi+vardhana)

• nābhi – navel, umbilical cord, center
  noun (feminine)
• vardhana – cutting (of the umbilical cord), causing to grow, increasing
  noun (neuter)
  Agent noun/verbal noun
  From root vṛdh (to grow, increase) + ana suffix. In this context, often understood as 'cutting' in relation to the navel string.
  Root: vṛdh (class 1)

Note: Governed by 'prāk'.

पुंसः (puṁsaḥ) - of a male child (of a man, of a male child)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of puṃs

puṁs - man, male, male child, human being

Note: Possessive, referring to whose jātakarma.

जात-कर्म (jāta-karma) - birth ceremony, natal rite

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jātakarma

jātakarma - birth ceremony, rite performed at birth

Compound of jāta (born) and karma (action, rite).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (jāta+karma)

• jāta – born, produced, occurred
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root jan (to be born).
  Root: jan (class 4)
• karma – action, deed, rite, ritual (karma)
  noun (neuter)
  From root kṛ (to do, to make).
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Subject of 'vidhīyate'.

विधीयते (vidhīyate) - is prescribed, is ordained, is performed

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present indicative (laṭ) of vidhā

Present Indicative

Third person singular, passive voice. From vi-dhā (to place, arrange).

Prefix: vi

Root: dhā (class 3)

तत्र (tatra) - in that (spiritual) context (there, in that, in that regard)

(indeclinable)

Derived from tad (that) + tral suffix.

अस्य (asya) - his, of this

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine/neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this here

Note: Refers to the male child undergoing the saṃskāra.

माता (mātā) - mother

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of mātṛ

mātṛ - mother

सावित्री (sāvitrī) - the Gāyatrī mantra (Sāvitrī, a name for the Gāyatrī mantra)

(proper noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of sāvitrī

sāvitrī - Sāvitrī (a female divinity, the Gāyatrī mantra, the wife of Brahmā, daughter of Savitṛ)

Feminine form of sāvitra (related to Savitṛ).

Note: Subject complement of 'mātā'.

पिता (pitā) - father

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pitṛ

pitṛ - father

तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects 'pitā' with 'ācāryaḥ'.

आचार्यः (ācāryaḥ) - preceptor, teacher, spiritual guide

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ācārya

ācārya - teacher, preceptor, spiritual guide, instructor

From ā-car (to practice, observe, teach).

Prefix: ā

Root: car (class 1)

Note: Subject complement of 'pitā'.

उच्यते (ucyate) - is said, is called, is declared

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present indicative (laṭ) of vac

Present Indicative

Third person singular, passive voice. Root vac (to speak) takes 'uc' in passive forms.

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Governs 'pitā' and 'ācāryaḥ'.