महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-242, verse-3

एतच्छ्रुत्वा नृपश्रेष्ठो धार्तराष्ट्रो विशां पते ।
आज्ञापयामास नृपः क्रतुराजप्रवर्तनम् ॥३॥

3. etacchrutvā nṛpaśreṣṭho dhārtarāṣṭro viśāṁ pate ,
ājñāpayāmāsa nṛpaḥ kraturājapravartanam.

3. etat śrutvā nṛpaśreṣṭhaḥ dhārtarāṣṭraḥ viśām
pate | ājñāpayāmāsa nṛpaḥ kraturājapravartanam

3. Having heard this, the lord of men (viśāṃ pate), Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was the best of kings (nṛpaśreṣṭhaḥ), ordered the commencement of the chief of sacrifices (kraturājapravartanam).

Words meanings summery:

• एतत् (etat) - this, this (thing)

• श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard

• नृपश्रेष्ठः (nṛpaśreṣṭhaḥ) - best of kings, foremost king

• धार्तराष्ट्रः (dhārtarāṣṭraḥ) - King Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Dhṛtarāṣṭra (son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, here the king himself))

• विशाम् (viśām) - of men, of subjects, of people

• पते (pate) - O lord, master

• आज्ञापयामास (ājñāpayāmāsa) - commanded, ordered

• नृपः (nṛpaḥ) - king

• क्रतुराजप्रवर्तनम् (kraturājapravartanam) - commencement of the king of sacrifices, the initiation of the chief ritual

Words meanings and morphology

एतत् (etat) - this, this (thing)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

Note: Refers to the previous information about the prepared sacrifice.

श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

Derived from √śru (to hear) with the -tvā suffix.

Root: śru (class 5)

नृपश्रेष्ठः (nṛpaśreṣṭhaḥ) - best of kings, foremost king

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nṛpaśreṣṭha

nṛpaśreṣṭha - best of kings, chief of kings

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nṛpa+śreṣṭha)

• nṛpa – king, ruler, protector of men
  noun (masculine)
• śreṣṭha – best, excellent, most excellent, chief
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative form of praśasya (excellent).

धार्तराष्ट्रः (dhārtarāṣṭraḥ) - King Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Dhṛtarāṣṭra (son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, here the king himself))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhārtarāṣṭra

dhārtarāṣṭra - descendant of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, belonging to Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Patronymic derived from Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

विशाम् (viśām) - of men, of subjects, of people

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of viś

viś - people, subjects, inhabitants, tribe

पते (pate) - O lord, master

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pati

pati - lord, master, husband, owner

Note: Combined with 'viśām' to mean 'lord of men'.

आज्ञापयामास (ājñāpayāmāsa) - commanded, ordered

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (Lit) of ājñāpay

Causative verb

Causative stem from ā + √jñā (to know) - 'to cause to know' -> 'to command'.

Prefix: ā

Root: jñā (class 9)

नृपः (nṛpaḥ) - king

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nṛpa

nṛpa - king, ruler, protector of men

Note: Refers to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

क्रतुराजप्रवर्तनम् (kraturājapravartanam) - commencement of the king of sacrifices, the initiation of the chief ritual

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kraturājapravartana

kraturājapravartana - commencement of the king of sacrifices, initiation of the chief ritual

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kratu+rāja+pravartana)

• kratu – sacrifice, ritual, rite
  noun (masculine)
• rāja – king, chief, excellent (often used in compounds)
  noun (masculine)
• pravartana – commencement, initiation, setting in motion, activity
  noun (neuter)
  Nominalization of a causative verb
  From pra + √vṛt (to turn, proceed) in causative, + -ana suffix.
  Prefix: pra
  Root: vṛt (class 1)