महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-297, verse-37

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
वर्षमापततां श्रेष्ठं बीजं निपततां वरम् ।
गावः प्रतिष्ठमानानां पुत्रः प्रवदतां वरः ॥३७॥

37. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
varṣamāpatatāṁ śreṣṭhaṁ bījaṁ nipatatāṁ varam ,
gāvaḥ pratiṣṭhamānānāṁ putraḥ pravadatāṁ varaḥ.

37. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca varṣam āpatatām śreṣṭham bījam nipatatām
varam gāvaḥ pratiṣṭhamānānām putraḥ pravadatām varaḥ

37. Yudhiṣṭhira replied, 'Rain is the greatest among things that come down. A seed is the best among things that fall. Cows are the best among those that stand firm. And a son is the best among speakers.'

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• वर्षम् (varṣam) - rain, a year

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

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

• बीजम् (bījam) - seed, germ, origin

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

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

• गावः (gāvaḥ) - cows, cattle

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

• पुत्रः (putraḥ) - son

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

• वरः (varaḥ) - best, excellent; a suitor, husband

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhiṣṭhira (the eldest of the Pāṇḍavas)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

वर्षम् (varṣam) - rain, a year

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of varṣa

varṣa - rain, year, rainy season

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.

बीजम् (bījam) - seed, germ, origin

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of bīja

bīja - seed, germ, origin, element, cause

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

गावः (gāvaḥ) - cows, cattle

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of go

go - cow, cattle, ox, ray of light, earth

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)

पुत्रः (putraḥ) - son

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son, child

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)

वरः (varaḥ) - best, excellent; a suitor, husband

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, fine; a suitor, a bridegroom, a husband