महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-199, verse-24

सत्त्वैः सत्त्वानि जीवन्ति बहुधा द्विजसत्तम ।
प्राणिनोऽन्योन्यभक्षाश्च तत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते ॥२४॥

24. sattvaiḥ sattvāni jīvanti bahudhā dvijasattama ,
prāṇino'nyonyabhakṣāśca tatra kiṁ pratibhāti te.

24. sattvaiḥ sattvāni jīvanti bahudhā dvijasattama
prāṇinaḥ anyonyabhakṣāḥ ca tatra kim pratibhāti te

24. O best among the twice-born (dvijasattama), living beings sustain themselves by (consuming) other living beings in many ways. Creatures are, in fact, food for one another. What does this indicate to you?

Words meanings summery:

• सत्त्वैः (sattvaiḥ) - by creatures, by beings

• सत्त्वानि (sattvāni) - creatures, beings

• जीवन्ति (jīvanti) - they sustain themselves (they live, they exist)

• बहुधा (bahudhā) - in many ways, manifoldly

• द्विजसत्तम (dvijasattama) - O best among Brahmins (O best among the twice-born)

• प्राणिनः (prāṇinaḥ) - living beings, creatures

• अन्योन्यभक्षाः (anyonyabhakṣāḥ) - having each other as food, mutually devouring

• च (ca) - and, also

• तत्र (tatra) - there, in that matter

• किम् (kim) - what

• प्रतिभाति (pratibhāti) - it appears, it seems, it occurs to

• ते (te) - to you, of you

Words meanings and morphology

सत्त्वैः (sattvaiḥ) - by creatures, by beings

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of sattva

sattva - being, creature, existence, reality, essence, goodness

Note: Indicates the means or agent by which other beings live.

सत्त्वानि (sattvāni) - creatures, beings

(noun)

neuter, plural of sattva

sattva - being, creature, existence, reality, essence, goodness

Note: Subject of 'jīvanti'.

जीवन्ति (jīvanti) - they sustain themselves (they live, they exist)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of jīv

Root: jīv (class 1)

बहुधा (bahudhā) - in many ways, manifoldly

(indeclinable)

From bahu (many) + -dhā (suffix indicating manner)

Note: Adverbial modifier of 'jīvanti'.

द्विजसत्तम (dvijasattama) - O best among Brahmins (O best among the twice-born)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of dvijasattama

dvijasattama - best among the twice-born (dvija)

Compound type : tatpurusha (dvija+sattama)

• dvija – twice-born, Brahmin, bird, tooth
  noun (masculine)
• sattama – best, most excellent
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative suffix -tama

Note: Vocative case, addressing the interlocutor.

प्राणिनः (prāṇinaḥ) - living beings, creatures

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of prāṇin

prāṇin - living being, creature, animate being

From prāṇa (life-breath) + -in (possessive suffix)

Note: Subject of an implied verb 'are'.

अन्योन्यभक्षाः (anyonyabhakṣāḥ) - having each other as food, mutually devouring

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of anyonyabhakṣa

anyonyabhakṣa - having each other as food, mutually devouring, cannibalistic

Compound type : bahuvrihi (anyonya+bhakṣa)

• anyonya – each other, mutual
  pronoun (masculine)
• bhakṣa – food, eating, devourer
  noun (masculine)
  From √bhakṣ (to eat)
  Root: bhakṣ (class 1)

Note: Predicative adjective for 'prāṇinaḥ'.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

तत्र (tatra) - there, in that matter

(indeclinable)

From tad (that) + -tra (locative suffix)

Note: Refers to the situation described.

किम् (kim) - what

(interrogative pronoun)

Note: Subject of 'pratibhāti'.

प्रतिभाति (pratibhāti) - it appears, it seems, it occurs to

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of bhā

Prefix: prati

Root: bhā (class 2)

Note: Verb with prefix 'prati-' meaning 'to appear to'.

ते (te) - to you, of you

(pronoun)

singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

Note: Dative case, 'to you'.