महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-194, verse-23

मधुकैटभावूचतुः ।
अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं नौ स्वैरेष्वपि कुतोऽन्यथा ।
सत्ये धर्मे च निरतौ विद्ध्यावां पुरुषोत्तम ॥२३॥

23. madhukaiṭabhāvūcatuḥ ,
anṛtaṁ noktapūrvaṁ nau svaireṣvapi kuto'nyathā ,
satye dharme ca niratau viddhyāvāṁ puruṣottama.

23. madhukaiṭabhau ūcatuḥ anṛtam na
uktapūrvam nau svaireṣu api
kutaḥ anyathā satye dharme ca
niratau viddhi āvām puruṣottama

23. Madhu and Kaiṭabha said, "We have never spoken an untruth, not even in our casual dealings; how could we otherwise? O Best of Persons, know that we are both devoted to truth and righteousness (dharma)."

Words meanings summery:

• मधुकैटभौ (madhukaiṭabhau) - Madhu and Kaiṭabha

• ऊचतुः (ūcatuḥ) - they (two) said, they spoke

• अनृतम् (anṛtam) - untruth, falsehood

• न (na) - not

• उक्तपूर्वम् (uktapūrvam) - previously said, spoken before

• नौ (nau) - by us (dual)

• स्वैरेषु (svaireṣu) - in matters of one's own, in one's own affairs, in casual talk

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• कुतः (kutaḥ) - how (in the sense of 'how is it possible?') (whence, from where, how)

• अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise, in a different way

• सत्ये (satye) - in truth, in reality

• धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma, in righteousness, in law

• च (ca) - and

• निरतौ (niratau) - engaged in, devoted to, absorbed in (dual)

• विद्धि (viddhi) - know!

• आवाम् (āvām) - us (dual)

• पुरुषोत्तम (puruṣottama) - Refers to Viṣṇu. (O best of persons!)

Words meanings and morphology

मधुकैटभौ (madhukaiṭabhau) - Madhu and Kaiṭabha

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of madhukaiṭabha

madhukaiṭabha - The demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha

Dual form of the dvandva compound.

Compound type : dvandva (madhu+kaiṭabha)

• madhu – The demon Madhu
  proper noun (masculine)
• kaiṭabha – The demon Kaiṭabha
  proper noun (masculine)

ऊचतुः (ūcatuḥ) - they (two) said, they spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect Tense

Formed from root vac (to speak) in the perfect tense.

Root: vac (class 2)

अनृतम् (anṛtam) - untruth, falsehood

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of anṛta

anṛta - untruth, falsehood; untrue

Nañ compound of ṛta.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+ṛta)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix (nañ).
• ṛta – truth, right, cosmic order
  noun (neuter)

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

Particle of negation.

उक्तपूर्वम् (uktapūrvam) - previously said, spoken before

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of uktapūrva

uktapūrva - previously said, spoken before

Compound formed from ukta (past passive participle of vac) and pūrva (previous).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ukta+pūrva)

• ukta – said, spoken
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Past passive participle of root vac (to speak).
  Root: vac (class 2)
• pūrva – previous, former, prior
  adjective (neuter)

Note: Agrees with anṛtam.

नौ (nau) - by us (dual)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, dual of asmad

asmad - I, we

Enclitic form of asmad for dual.

स्वैरेषु (svaireṣu) - in matters of one's own, in one's own affairs, in casual talk

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of svaira

svaira - self-willed, unrestrained, free; one's own will or pleasure

From sva (self) + īra (going, moving), meaning 'moving as one pleases'.

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

Particle.

कुतः (kutaḥ) - how (in the sense of 'how is it possible?') (whence, from where, how)

(indeclinable)

From kim (what) + tas (ablative suffix).

अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise, in a different way

(indeclinable)

Formed from anya (other) + thā (manner suffix).

सत्ये (satye) - in truth, in reality

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of satya

satya - truth, reality; true, real

From sat (being, existing, present participle of as) + ya suffix.

धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma, in righteousness, in law

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - constitution, natural law, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness, virtue, custom

From root dhṛ (to hold, support).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

निरतौ (niratau) - engaged in, devoted to, absorbed in (dual)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of nirata

nirata - engaged in, devoted to, absorbed in

Past Passive Participle

Formed with prefix nir + root ram (to delight) in past participle form.

Compound type : pradi (nir+rata)

• nir – out, away, without
  indeclinable
  Preverb/prefix.
• rata – delighted, pleased, engaged
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Past passive participle of root ram (to delight).
  Root: ram (class 1)

विद्धि (viddhi) - know!

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (lot) of vid

Imperative Mood

Imperative 2nd person singular of root vid (class 2, parasmaipada).

Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Directed at Puruṣottama.

आवाम् (āvām) - us (dual)

(pronoun)

Accusative, dual of asmad

asmad - I, we

Accusative dual form of asmad.

पुरुषोत्तम (puruṣottama) - Refers to Viṣṇu. (O best of persons!)

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of puruṣottama

puruṣottama - best among men/persons (puruṣa), supreme person (puruṣa)

Tatpuruṣa compound puruṣeṣu uttamaḥ (best among persons).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (puruṣa+uttama)

• puruṣa – man, person, human being, spirit, cosmic person (puruṣa)
  noun (masculine)
  From root pṛ (to fill) + uṣa suffix, or related to pur (city).
• uttama – best, highest, supreme
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative of ut (up, forth).