महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-196, verse-21

एतत्प्रकरणं राजन्नधिकृत्य युधिष्ठिर ।
प्रतिव्रतानां नियतं धर्मं चावहितः शृणु ॥२१॥

21. etatprakaraṇaṁ rājannadhikṛtya yudhiṣṭhira ,
prativratānāṁ niyataṁ dharmaṁ cāvahitaḥ śṛṇu.

21. etat prakaraṇam rājan adhikṛtya yudhiṣṭhira
pativratānām niyatam dharmam ca avahitaḥ śṛṇu

21. O King Yudhiṣṭhira, focusing your attention, listen to this matter concerning the prescribed natural law (dharma) of faithful wives.

Words meanings summery:

• एतत् (etat) - this, this one

• प्रकरणम् (prakaraṇam) - this matter/topic (topic, subject, chapter, treatise)

• राजन् (rājan) - O king

• अधिकृत्य (adhikṛtya) - having taken up, concerning, with reference to, having made the subject of

• युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - O Yudhiṣṭhira (proper name)

• पतिव्रतानाम् (pativratānām) - of faithful wives, of devoted women

• नियतम् (niyatam) - fixed, prescribed, constant, regulated

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma) (righteousness, duty, natural law, virtue, constitution)

• च (ca) - and, also

• अवहितः (avahitaḥ) - attentive, focused, absorbed

• शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen, hear

Words meanings and morphology

एतत् (etat) - this, this one

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

प्रकरणम् (prakaraṇam) - this matter/topic (topic, subject, chapter, treatise)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of prakaraṇa

prakaraṇa - topic, subject, chapter, treatise, context, occasion

Root kṛ (to do) with pra (prefix) and suffix -aṇa

Prefix: pra

Root: kṛ (class 8)

राजन् (rājan) - O king

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

अधिकृत्य (adhikṛtya) - having taken up, concerning, with reference to, having made the subject of

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

Root kṛ (to do) with prefix adhi, absolutive suffix -tya

Prefix: adhi

Root: kṛ (class 8)

युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - O Yudhiṣṭhira (proper name)

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhiṣṭhira (name of the eldest Pāṇḍava, meaning 'steady in battle')

Compound of yudhi (in battle) and sthira (firm)

Compound type : aluk tatpuruṣa (yudh+sthira)

• yudh – battle, fight
  noun (feminine)
• sthira – firm, steady, stable
  adjective (masculine)
  Root sthā (to stand)
  Root: sthā

पतिव्रतानाम् (pativratānām) - of faithful wives, of devoted women

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of pativratā

pativratā - a faithful wife, a woman devoted to her husband

Compound of pati (husband) and vratā (vow, observance)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (pati+vrata)

• pati – husband, lord, master
  noun (masculine)
• vrata – vow, sacred observance, religious duty
  noun (neuter)

नियतम् (niyatam) - fixed, prescribed, constant, regulated

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of niyata

niyata - fixed, prescribed, regulated, restrained, constant

Past Passive Participle

Root yam (to restrain) with prefix ni, past passive participle

Prefix: ni

Root: yam (class 1)

Note: Agrees with dharmam.

धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma) (righteousness, duty, natural law, virtue, constitution)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - righteousness, duty, law, virtue, religion, constitution, intrinsic nature

Root dhṛ (to uphold, support)

Root: dhṛ

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

अवहितः (avahitaḥ) - attentive, focused, absorbed

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of avahita

avahita - attentive, focused, absorbed, careful

Past Passive Participle

Root dhā (to place) with prefix ava, past passive participle

Prefix: ava

Root: dhā (class 3)

शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen, hear

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of śru

Imperative Mood

root śru, 5th class, Parasmaipada, 2nd person singular, imperative mood

Root: śru (class 5)