महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-202, verse-2

ब्राह्मण ।
महाभूतानि यान्याहुः पञ्च धर्मविदां वर ।
एकैकस्य गुणान्सम्यक्पञ्चानामपि मे वद ॥२॥

2. brāhmaṇa ,
mahābhūtāni yānyāhuḥ pañca dharmavidāṁ vara ,
ekaikasya guṇānsamyakpañcānāmapi me vada.

2. brāhmaṇa mahābhūtāni yāni āhuḥ pañca dharmavidām
vara ekaikasya guṇān samyak pañcānām api me vada

2. O Brahmin, O best among those who understand natural law (dharma), please explain to me clearly the qualities of each of these five great elements (mahābhūta) that are spoken of.

Words meanings summery:

• ब्राह्मण (brāhmaṇa) - O Brahmin (the addressed listener) (O Brahmin)

• महाभूतानि (mahābhūtāni) - the five great elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether) (the great elements, gross elements)

• यानि (yāni) - which (referring to the mahābhūtāni) (which, whatever)

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - (wise people) declare/say (they say, they declare, they speak)

• पञ्च (pañca) - five (in number) (five)

• धर्मविदाम् (dharmavidām) - of those who know natural law (dharma) (of those who know dharma/natural law)

• वर (vara) - O best (vocative, agreeing with 'brāhmaṇa') (O best, O excellent one)

• एकैकस्य (ekaikasya) - of each individual (mahābhūta) (of each one, of each individually)

• गुणान् (guṇān) - the specific qualities or characteristics (of each element) (qualities, attributes, characteristics)

• सम्यक् (samyak) - properly, clearly, fully (properly, completely, correctly, fully)

• पञ्चानाम् (pañcānām) - of the five (mahābhūtāni) (of the five)

• अपि (api) - also, even (emphasizes 'of the five') (also, even, indeed, (interrogative particle))

• मे (me) - to me (to me, for me, my)

• वद (vada) - please tell, explain (tell, speak, say)

Words meanings and morphology

ब्राह्मण (brāhmaṇa) - O Brahmin (the addressed listener) (O Brahmin)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class; a theological treatise appended to the Vedas

From 'brahman' (sacred knowledge, ultimate reality).

महाभूतानि (mahābhūtāni) - the five great elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether) (the great elements, gross elements)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of mahābhūta

mahābhūta - great element, gross element (referring to ether, air, fire, water, earth)

Compound 'mahā' (great) + 'bhūta' (element, being).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+bhūta)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• bhūta – element, creature, being, past
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'bhū' (to be, to become).
  Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Subject of 'āhuḥ' (implicitly).

यानि (yāni) - which (referring to the mahābhūtāni) (which, whatever)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of yad

yad - which, what, whatever, that

Relative pronoun.

आहुः (āhuḥ) - (wise people) declare/say (they say, they declare, they speak)

(verb)

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

Perfect or Present tense

3rd person plural active, used impersonally or with an implied subject (the wise, the learned).

Root: ah (class 2)

Note: The subject is implicit (e.g., 'śāstrakārāḥ' - authors of scriptures).

पञ्च (pañca) - five (in number) (five)

(numeral)

धर्मविदाम् (dharmavidām) - of those who know natural law (dharma) (of those who know dharma/natural law)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of dharmavid

dharmavid - knowing dharma, one who knows natural law/righteousness

Compound 'dharma' (natural law) + 'vid' (knowing, from root 'vid' (to know)).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dharma+vid)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, righteousness, duty
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• vid – knower, understanding
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun/adjective
  From root 'vid' (to know).
  Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Qualifies 'vara'.

वर (vara) - O best (vocative, agreeing with 'brāhmaṇa') (O best, O excellent one)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, superior; choice, boon, bridegroom

From root 'vṛ' (to choose).

Root: vṛ (class 5)

Note: Used as a term of address.

एकैकस्य (ekaikasya) - of each individual (mahābhūta) (of each one, of each individually)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of ekaika

ekaika - each one, each separately, one by one

Repetition of 'eka' (one), emphasizing individuality.

Compound type : dvirukta (eka+eka)

• eka – one, single, unique
  numeral

गुणान् (guṇān) - the specific qualities or characteristics (of each element) (qualities, attributes, characteristics)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of guṇa

guṇa - quality, attribute, property, characteristic, virtue, constituent; string, cord

Note: Object of 'vada'.

सम्यक् (samyak) - properly, clearly, fully (properly, completely, correctly, fully)

(indeclinable)

Adverb.

Root: añc (class 1)

पञ्चानाम् (pañcānām) - of the five (mahābhūtāni) (of the five)

(numeral)

अपि (api) - also, even (emphasizes 'of the five') (also, even, indeed, (interrogative particle))

(indeclinable)

Particle.

मे (me) - to me (to me, for me, my)

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of asmad

asmad - I (pronoun)

First person pronoun.

Note: Indirect object of 'vada'.

वद (vada) - please tell, explain (tell, speak, say)

(verb)

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

Imperative

Imperative 2nd person singular active, from root 'vad'.

Root: vad (class 1)