महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-54, verse-17

हंसानां वचनं श्रुत्वा यथा मे नैषधो वृतः ।
पतित्वे तेन सत्येन देवास्तं प्रदिशन्तु मे ॥१७॥

17. haṁsānāṁ vacanaṁ śrutvā yathā me naiṣadho vṛtaḥ ,
patitve tena satyena devāstaṁ pradiśantu me.

17. haṃsānām vacanam śrutvā yathā me naiṣadhaḥ vṛtaḥ
patitve tena satyena devāḥ tam pradiśantu me

17. Having heard the words of the swans, just as I chose Nala (Naiṣadha) as my husband, by that truth, may the gods grant him to me.

Words meanings summery:

• हंसानाम् (haṁsānām) - of the swans

• वचनम् (vacanam) - word, speech, statement

• श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard, having listened

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, in which way

• मे (me) - by me, to me

• नैषधः (naiṣadhaḥ) - King Nala, specifically referred to as the lord of Niṣadha. (Nala, king of Niṣadha)

• वृतः (vṛtaḥ) - chosen, selected, elected

• पतित्वे (patitve) - as a husband, in the state of being a husband

• तेन (tena) - by that, with that

• सत्येन (satyena) - by truth, with truth

• देवाः (devāḥ) - gods

• तम् (tam) - Nala (him, that (masculine))

• प्रदिशन्तु (pradiśantu) - may they grant, may they direct, may they assign

• मे (me) - to me

Words meanings and morphology

हंसानाम् (haṁsānām) - of the swans

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of haṃsa

haṁsa - swan, goose; a type of spiritual guru or paramahaṃsa

वचनम् (vacanam) - word, speech, statement

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vacana

vacana - word, speech, statement, saying

Derived from the root vac (to speak).

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Object of the absolutive 'śrutvā'.

श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard, having listened

(indeclinable)

Absolutive

Absolutive form derived from the root śru (to hear).

Root: śru (class 1)

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, in which way

(indeclinable)

मे (me) - by me, to me

(pronoun)

singular of asmad

asmad - I, me, us

Note: Used here as agent 'by me' with the passive participle 'vṛtaḥ'.

नैषधः (naiṣadhaḥ) - King Nala, specifically referred to as the lord of Niṣadha. (Nala, king of Niṣadha)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of naiṣadha

naiṣadha - King Nala, belonging to Niṣadha (a country)

Derived from Niṣadha, referring to its king.

Note: Subject of the passive construction.

वृतः (vṛtaḥ) - chosen, selected, elected

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vṛta

vṛta - chosen, selected, appointed

Past Passive Participle

Derived from the root vṛ (to choose, select) with the suffix -ta.

Root: vṛ (class 9)

Note: Agrees with 'naiṣadhaḥ'.

पतित्वे (patitve) - as a husband, in the state of being a husband

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of patitva

patitva - husband-ship, state of being a husband

Derived from 'pati' (husband) with the abstract suffix -tva.

Note: Indicates the capacity or role in which Nala was chosen.

तेन (tena) - by that, with that

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

Note: Agrees with 'satyena'.

सत्येन (satyena) - by truth, with truth

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of satya

satya - truth, reality; true, real

Note: Refers to the power of truth.

देवाः (devāḥ) - gods

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of deva

deva - god, deity; divine, celestial

Note: Subject of the imperative verb 'pradiśantu'.

तम् (tam) - Nala (him, that (masculine))

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, it

Note: Object of 'pradiśantu', referring to Nala.

प्रदिशन्तु (pradiśantu) - may they grant, may they direct, may they assign

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, imperative (loṭ) of pra-diś

Imperative

Root diś (to point, show) with prefix pra, 3rd person plural, active voice, imperative mood.

Prefix: pra

Root: diś (class 6)

मे (me) - to me

(pronoun)

singular of asmad

asmad - I, me, us

Note: Recipient of the granting ('to me').