महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-186, verse-28

अजपा ब्राह्मणास्तात शूद्रा जपपरायणाः ।
विपरीते तदा लोके पूर्वरूपं क्षयस्य तत् ॥२८॥

28. ajapā brāhmaṇāstāta śūdrā japaparāyaṇāḥ ,
viparīte tadā loke pūrvarūpaṁ kṣayasya tat.

28. ajapāḥ brāhmaṇāḥ tāta śūdrāḥ japaparāyaṇāḥ
viparīte tadā loke pūrvarūpam kṣayasya tat

28. O dear one, Brahmins will cease chanting (japa), while Śūdras will be dedicated to chanting (japa). When the world is thus reversed, that is a preliminary sign of its decline.

Words meanings summery:

• अजपाः (ajapāḥ) - Brahmins who do not perform chanting or recitation of mantras (not chanting, without recitation)

• ब्राह्मणाः (brāhmaṇāḥ) - Brahmins, members of the priestly class

• तात (tāta) - An address by an elder, implying affection. (O dear one, my son)

• शूद्राः (śūdrāḥ) - Śūdras, members of the fourth social class

• जपपरायणाः (japaparāyaṇāḥ) - devoted to chanting, intent on recitation

• विपरीते (viparīte) - when the world is reversed/contrary to natural order (when inverted, in the opposite state)

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• लोके (loke) - in this state of the world (in the world, among people)

• पूर्वरूपम् (pūrvarūpam) - a preliminary sign, a precursor

• क्षयस्य (kṣayasya) - of the decline of the age (of destruction, of decay, of loss)

• तत् (tat) - that (state of affairs) (that)

Words meanings and morphology

अजपाः (ajapāḥ) - Brahmins who do not perform chanting or recitation of mantras (not chanting, without recitation)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ajapa

ajapa - not chanting, without recitation, silent

Negative prefix 'a' + 'japa' (chanting).

Compound type : nañ-tatpurusha (a+japa)

• a – not, un-, non-
  prefix
  negative prefix
• japa – chanting, recitation, muttering prayers
  noun (masculine)
  Root: jap (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'brāhmaṇāḥ'.

ब्राह्मणाः (brāhmaṇāḥ) - Brahmins, members of the priestly class

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, a member of the priestly class, related to Brahman

Root: bṛh

Note: This is the subject of the first clause.

तात (tāta) - An address by an elder, implying affection. (O dear one, my son)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of tāta

tāta - dear one, father, son (often used as a term of endearment in address)

शूद्राः (śūdrāḥ) - Śūdras, members of the fourth social class

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śūdra

śūdra - a member of the fourth social class

Note: This is the subject of the second clause.

जपपरायणाः (japaparāyaṇāḥ) - devoted to chanting, intent on recitation

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of japaparāyaṇa

japaparāyaṇa - exclusively devoted to chanting (japa), intent on recitation

Compound of 'japa' and 'parāyaṇa'.

Compound type : tatpurusha (japa+parāyaṇa)

• japa – chanting, recitation, muttering prayers
  noun (masculine)
  Root: jap (class 1)
• parāyaṇa – entirely devoted to, intent on, supreme goal
  adjective
  Prefix: para
  Root: i (class 2)

Note: Qualifies 'śūdrāḥ'.

विपरीते (viparīte) - when the world is reversed/contrary to natural order (when inverted, in the opposite state)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of viparīta

viparīta - inverted, reversed, contrary, opposite

Past Passive Participle

Formed from root i (to go) with prefixes vi and pari, and kta suffix.

Prefixes: vi+pari

Root: i (class 2)

Note: Qualifies 'loke'.

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

Derived from pronominal base 'tad'.

लोके (loke) - in this state of the world (in the world, among people)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, people, realm

Root: lok (class 1)

पूर्वरूपम् (pūrvarūpam) - a preliminary sign, a precursor

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pūrvarūpa

pūrvarūpa - a preliminary sign, a previous form, a precursor

Compound type : tatpurusha (pūrva+rūpa)

• pūrva – prior, former, preceding
  adjective
• rūpa – form, appearance, sign
  noun (neuter)
  Root: rūp (class 10)

Note: This is the predicate nominative for 'tat'.

क्षयस्य (kṣayasya) - of the decline of the age (of destruction, of decay, of loss)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of kṣaya

kṣaya - destruction, decay, decline, loss, end

Formed from root kṣi (to destroy, decline).

Root: kṣi (class 1)

तत् (tat) - that (state of affairs) (that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this, it

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Subject pronoun.