महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-203, verse-2

ब्राह्मण उवाच ।
सत्त्वस्य रजसश्चैव तमसश्च यथातथम् ।
गुणांस्तत्त्वेन मे ब्रूहि यथावदिह पृच्छतः ॥२॥

2. brāhmaṇa uvāca ,
sattvasya rajasaścaiva tamasaśca yathātatham ,
guṇāṁstattvena me brūhi yathāvadiha pṛcchataḥ.

2. brāhmaṇaḥ uvāca | sattvasya rajasaḥ ca eva tamasaḥ ca
yathātatham | guṇān tattvena me brūhi yathāvat iha pṛcchataḥ

2. The Brahmin said: 'Please explain to me, who am inquiring here, the qualities (guṇa) of sattva, rajas, and tamas precisely, in their true nature.'

Words meanings summery:

• ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a Brahmin, a member of the priestly class

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• सत्त्वस्य (sattvasya) - of sattva, of goodness, of purity

• रजसः (rajasaḥ) - of rajas, of passion, of activity

• च (ca) - and

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

• तमसः (tamasaḥ) - of tamas, of darkness, of inertia

• च (ca) - and

• यथातथम् (yathātatham) - accurately, precisely, as it truly is

• गुणान् (guṇān) - the qualities, properties

• तत्त्वेन (tattvena) - in truth, in essence, truly

• मे (me) - to me, for me

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, say

• यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, truly, according to reality

• इह (iha) - here, in this world, now

• पृच्छतः (pṛcchataḥ) - of one who asks, to one who asks

Words meanings and morphology

ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a Brahmin, a member of the priestly class

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

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

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect Active

root vac, Perfect, 3rd Person, Singular, Active Voice

Root: vac (class 2)

सत्त्वस्य (sattvasya) - of sattva, of goodness, of purity

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of sattva

sattva - goodness, purity, existence, reality, essential nature, being, the quality of goodness (one of the three guṇas)

रजसः (rajasaḥ) - of rajas, of passion, of activity

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of rajas

rajas - passion, activity, dust, impurity, the quality of passion/activity (one of the three guṇas)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

(indeclinable)

तमसः (tamasaḥ) - of tamas, of darkness, of inertia

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of tamas

tamas - darkness, inertia, ignorance, the quality of darkness/inertia (one of the three guṇas)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

यथातथम् (yathātatham) - accurately, precisely, as it truly is

(indeclinable)

गुणान् (guṇān) - the qualities, properties

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of guṇa

guṇa - quality, property, attribute, merit, a constituent of nature

तत्त्वेन (tattvena) - in truth, in essence, truly

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tattva

tattva - truth, reality, essence, principle, fundamental element

मे (me) - to me, for me

(pronoun)

singular of asmad

asmad - I, me, my, we, us, our

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, say

(verb)

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

Imperative Active

root brū, Imperative, 2nd Person, Singular, Active Voice

Root: brū (class 2)

यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, truly, according to reality

(indeclinable)

इह (iha) - here, in this world, now

(indeclinable)

पृच्छतः (pṛcchataḥ) - of one who asks, to one who asks

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of pṛcchat

pṛcchat - asking, inquiring

Present Active Participle

root prach, Present Active Participle, Nominative/Genitive, Singular

Root: prach (class 6)

Note: Often used as a noun meaning 'inquirer' or 'questioner'.