महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-244, verse-12

ते सत्यमाहुः कर्तव्या दयास्माभिर्वनौकसाम् ।
साष्टमासं हि नो वर्षं यदेनानुपयुञ्ज्महे ॥१२॥

12. te satyamāhuḥ kartavyā dayāsmābhirvanaukasām ,
sāṣṭamāsaṁ hi no varṣaṁ yadenānupayuñjmahe.

12. te satyam āhuḥ kartavyā dayā asmābhiḥ vanaukasām
sāṣṭamāsam hi naḥ varṣam yat enān upayujmahe

12. Their words are true. Compassion (dayā) should be shown by us to these forest-dwellers, because, indeed, we utilize them for our sustenance for eight months of the year.

Words meanings summery:

• ते (te) - Refers to the words (implied) or the deer (from previous verse). (they, those)

• सत्यम् (satyam) - truth, truly

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they said, it is said

• कर्तव्या (kartavyā) - compassion should be shown (should be done, ought to be done)

• दया (dayā) - compassion, pity, mercy

• अस्माभिः (asmābhiḥ) - by us

• वनौकसाम् (vanaukasām) - Refers to the deer. (to the forest-dwellers, for the forest-dwellers)

• साष्टमासम् (sāṣṭamāsam) - referring to a period of eight months within the year (with eight months, for eight months)

• हि (hi) - because (indeed, surely, because)

• नः (naḥ) - our, for us

• वर्षम् (varṣam) - year (of hunting/sustenance) (year, rain, monsoon season)

• यत् (yat) - because or during which (time) (which, that, because, since)

• एनान् (enān) - these (deer) (these, them)

• उपयुञ्ज्महे (upayuñjmahe) - we hunt/consume for sustenance (we use, we enjoy, we consume)

Words meanings and morphology

ते (te) - Refers to the words (implied) or the deer (from previous verse). (they, those)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

सत्यम् (satyam) - truth, truly

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of satya

satya - true, real, truth

Note: Predicate nominative with implied 'asti' (is).

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they said, it is said

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, perfect (lit) of ah

Perfect Active

3rd person plural, perfect tense, active voice of √ah. Often used as a present perfect ('they have said' or 'it is said').

Root: ah (class 2)

कर्तव्या (kartavyā) - compassion should be shown (should be done, ought to be done)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kartavya

kartavya - to be done, ought to be done, proper to be done

Gerundive

Derived from √kṛ (to do, make) with suffix -tavya.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Agrees with `dayā`.

दया (dayā) - compassion, pity, mercy

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of dayā

dayā - compassion, pity, mercy, sympathy

Note: Subject of the gerundive `kartavyā`.

अस्माभिः (asmābhiḥ) - by us

(pronoun)

Instrumental, plural of asmad

asmad - we

Note: Agent of the passive construction `kartavyā`.

वनौकसाम् (vanaukasām) - Refers to the deer. (to the forest-dwellers, for the forest-dwellers)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of vanaukas

vanaukas - forest-dweller, inhabitant of a forest

Compound: vana (forest) + okas (dwelling, inhabitant).

Compound type : tatpurusha (vana+okas)

• vana – forest, wood
  noun (neuter)
• okas – dwelling, abode, inhabitant
  noun (masculine)

Note: Indicates the object to which compassion is shown (often uses genitive with dative sense).

साष्टमासम् (sāṣṭamāsam) - referring to a period of eight months within the year (with eight months, for eight months)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sāṣṭamāsa

sāṣṭamāsa - lasting for eight months, including eight months

Compound: sa (with) + aṣṭamāsa (eight months).

Compound type : bahuvrihi (sa+aṣṭamāsa)

• sa – with, together with (prefix)
  indeclinable
• aṣṭamāsa – eight months
  noun (masculine)
  Compound: aṣṭa (eight) + māsa (month).

Note: Agrees with `varṣam`.

हि (hi) - because (indeed, surely, because)

(indeclinable)

नः (naḥ) - our, for us

(pronoun)

Genitive, plural of asmad

asmad - we

वर्षम् (varṣam) - year (of hunting/sustenance) (year, rain, monsoon season)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of varṣa

varṣa - year, rain, rainy season

यत् (yat) - because or during which (time) (which, that, because, since)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, that, because, since

Note: Functions as a relative pronoun or conjunction.

एनान् (enān) - these (deer) (these, them)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of enad

enad - this, these

Note: Object of `upayuñjmahe`.

उपयुञ्ज्महे (upayuñjmahe) - we hunt/consume for sustenance (we use, we enjoy, we consume)

(verb)

1st person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of upayuj

Present Middle

1st person plural, present tense, middle voice of √yuj with prefix upa.

Prefix: upa

Root: yuj (class 7)