महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-297, verse-36

यक्ष उवाच ।
किं स्विदापततां श्रेष्ठं किं स्विन्निपततां वरम् ।
किं स्वित्प्रतिष्ठमानानां किं स्वित्प्रवदतां वरम् ॥३६॥

36. yakṣa uvāca ,
kiṁ svidāpatatāṁ śreṣṭhaṁ kiṁ svinnipatatāṁ varam ,
kiṁ svitpratiṣṭhamānānāṁ kiṁ svitpravadatāṁ varam.

36. yakṣaḥ uvāca kim svit āpatatām śreṣṭham kim svit nipatatām
varam kim svit pratiṣṭhamānānām kim svit pravadatām varam

36. The Yakṣa asked, 'What is the greatest among things that come down? What is the best among things that fall? What is the best among those that stand firm? And what is the best among those who speak?'

Words meanings summery:

• यक्षः (yakṣaḥ) - Yakṣa

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• किम् (kim) - what, which

• स्वित् (svit) - indeed, perhaps, pray, emphasizes interrogation

• आपतताम् (āpatatām) - among those descending, among those coming down

• श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - greatest, best, most excellent

• किम् (kim) - what, which

• स्वित् (svit) - indeed, perhaps, pray, emphasizes interrogation

• निपततम् (nipatatam) - among those falling, among those settling down

• वरम् (varam) - best, excellent; a boon

• किम् (kim) - what, which

• स्वित् (svit) - indeed, perhaps, pray, emphasizes interrogation

• प्रतिष्ठमानानाम् (pratiṣṭhamānānām) - among those standing firm, among those being established

• किम् (kim) - what, which

• स्वित् (svit) - indeed, perhaps, pray, emphasizes interrogation

• प्रवदताम् (pravadatām) - among those speaking, among those talking

• वरम् (varam) - best, excellent; a boon

Words meanings and morphology

यक्षः (yakṣaḥ) - Yakṣa

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yakṣa

yakṣa - a class of benevolent nature spirits, a semi-divine being

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

किम् (kim) - what, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, who

स्वित् (svit) - indeed, perhaps, pray, emphasizes interrogation

(indeclinable)

आपतताम् (āpatatām) - among those descending, among those coming down

(adjective)

Genitive, plural of āpatat

āpatat - descending, falling down, arriving

Present Active Participle

Derived from root √pat with prefix ā, meaning 'to fall, descend, fly, come'.

Prefix: ā

Root: pat (class 1)

श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - greatest, best, most excellent

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, chief, excellent, principal, most distinguished (superlative of praśasya/praśasta)

Superlative form.

किम् (kim) - what, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, who

स्वित् (svit) - indeed, perhaps, pray, emphasizes interrogation

(indeclinable)

निपततम् (nipatatam) - among those falling, among those settling down

(adjective)

Genitive, plural of nipatatam

nipatatam - falling down, settling, alighting

Present Active Participle

Derived from root √pat with prefix ni, meaning 'to fall, alight, settle'.

Prefix: ni

Root: pat (class 1)

वरम् (varam) - best, excellent; a boon

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, fine; a boon, a blessing

किम् (kim) - what, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, who

स्वित् (svit) - indeed, perhaps, pray, emphasizes interrogation

(indeclinable)

प्रतिष्ठमानानाम् (pratiṣṭhamānānām) - among those standing firm, among those being established

(adjective)

Genitive, plural of pratiṣṭhamāna

pratiṣṭhamāna - standing firm, established, being present

Present Middle Participle

Derived from root √sthā with prefix prati, meaning 'to stand, be fixed, be established'.

Prefix: prati

Root: sthā (class 1)

किम् (kim) - what, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, who

स्वित् (svit) - indeed, perhaps, pray, emphasizes interrogation

(indeclinable)

प्रवदताम् (pravadatām) - among those speaking, among those talking

(adjective)

Genitive, plural of pravadat

pravadat - speaking, talking, proclaiming

Present Active Participle

Derived from root √vad with prefix pra, meaning 'to speak, say, declare'.

Prefix: pra

Root: vad (class 1)

वरम् (varam) - best, excellent; a boon

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, fine; a boon, a blessing