महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-263, verse-20

अपृच्छद्राघवो गृध्रं रावणः कां दिशं गतः ।
तस्य गृध्रः शिरःकम्पैराचचक्षे ममार च ॥२०॥

20. apṛcchadrāghavo gṛdhraṁ rāvaṇaḥ kāṁ diśaṁ gataḥ ,
tasya gṛdhraḥ śiraḥkampairācacakṣe mamāra ca.

20. apṛcchat rāghavaḥ gṛdhram rāvaṇaḥ kām diśam gataḥ
tasya gṛdhraḥ śiraḥkampaḥ ācacarkṣe mamāra ca

20. Rama asked the vulture, "In which direction has Ravana gone?" The vulture indicated with head-nods, and then he passed away.

Words meanings summery:

• अपृच्छत् (apṛcchat) - he asked, he questioned

• राघवः (rāghavaḥ) - Rama (Rama, descendant of Raghu)

• गृध्रम् (gṛdhram) - the vulture (Jatayu) (vulture)

• रावणः (rāvaṇaḥ) - Ravana (the demon king)

• काम् (kām) - which, what

• दिशम् (diśam) - direction, quarter

• गतः (gataḥ) - gone, proceeded, reached

• तस्य (tasya) - his, of him, of that

• गृध्रः (gṛdhraḥ) - the vulture (Jatayu) (vulture)

• शिरःकम्पः (śiraḥkampaḥ) - head-shaking, head-nodding

• आचचर्क्षे (ācacarkṣe) - he indicated, he explained, he pointed out

• ममार (mamāra) - he died

• च (ca) - and, also

Words meanings and morphology

अपृच्छत् (apṛcchat) - he asked, he questioned

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, imperfect (laṅ) of prach

Imperfect active, 3rd person singular

Root: prach (class 6)

राघवः (rāghavaḥ) - Rama (Rama, descendant of Raghu)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rāghava

rāghava - descendant of Raghu, Rama

Patronymic from `raghu`

Note: Subject of `apṛcchat`.

गृध्रम् (gṛdhram) - the vulture (Jatayu) (vulture)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of gṛdhra

gṛdhra - vulture

Note: Object of `apṛcchat`.

रावणः (rāvaṇaḥ) - Ravana (the demon king)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rāvaṇa

rāvaṇa - Ravana (the demon king of Lanka)

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'has gone' in the indirect question.

काम् (kām) - which, what

(pronoun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of kim

kim - what?, who?, which?

Note: Qualifies `diśam`.

दिशम् (diśam) - direction, quarter

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of diś

diś - direction, quarter, region

Root: diś

Note: Object of motion (whither?).

गतः (gataḥ) - gone, proceeded, reached

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of gata

gata - gone, moved, reached

Past Passive Participle

From root `gam` (to go)

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Qualifies `rāvaṇaḥ`.

तस्य (tasya) - his, of him, of that

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he

Note: Refers to Jatayu, implying 'then his...'. Often used adverbially to connect ideas.

गृध्रः (gṛdhraḥ) - the vulture (Jatayu) (vulture)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of gṛdhra

gṛdhra - vulture

Note: Subject of `ācacarkṣe` and `mamāra`.

शिरःकम्पः (śiraḥkampaḥ) - head-shaking, head-nodding

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of śiraḥkampa

śiraḥkampa - head-shaking, nodding of the head

tatpurusha compound

Compound type : tatpurusha (śiras+kampa)

• śiras – head
  noun (neuter)
• kampa – trembling, shaking
  noun (masculine)
  From root `kamp` (to tremble)
  Root: kamp (class 1)

Note: `śiraḥkampaiḥ` is the instrumental plural form.

आचचर्क्षे (ācacarkṣe) - he indicated, he explained, he pointed out

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, perfect (lit) of cakṣ

Perfect middle, 3rd person singular, with prefix `ā-`

Prefix: ā

Root: cakṣ (class 2)

Note: The meaning 'to indicate' fits well with 'by head-shakes'.

ममार (mamāra) - he died

(verb)

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

Perfect active, 3rd person singular

Root: mṛ (class 6)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction

Note: Connects the action of indicating and dying.