महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-4, chapter-38, verse-9

उत्तर उवाच ।
अस्मिन्वृक्षे किलोद्बद्धं शरीरमिति नः श्रुतम् ।
तदहं राजपुत्रः सन्स्पृशेयं पाणिना कथम् ॥९॥

9. uttara uvāca ,
asminvṛkṣe kilodbaddhaṁ śarīramiti naḥ śrutam ,
tadahaṁ rājaputraḥ sanspṛśeyaṁ pāṇinā katham.

9. uttaraḥ uvāca asmin vṛkṣe kila udbaddham śarīram iti naḥ
śrutam tat aham rājaputraḥ san spṛśeyam pāṇinā katham

9. Uttara said: "Indeed, we have heard that a body (corpse) is tied up in this tree. How, then, can I, being a prince, touch it with my hand?"

Words meanings summery:

• उत्तरः (uttaraḥ) - The prince Uttara (Uttara (proper name))

• उवाच (uvāca) - he said, he spoke

• अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this, on this

• वृक्षे (vṛkṣe) - in the tree, on the tree

• किल (kila) - indeed, it is said, certainly

• उद्बद्धम् (udbaddham) - tied up, bound, suspended, fastened

• शरीरम् (śarīram) - body, corpse

• इति (iti) - thus, so (marks quotation)

• नः (naḥ) - we have (heard) (by us, for us, to us)

• श्रुतम् (śrutam) - heard, listened

• तत् (tat) - therefore (that, therefore)

• अहम् (aham) - I

• राजपुत्रः (rājaputraḥ) - prince, son of a king

• सन् (san) - being, existing

• स्पृशेयम् (spṛśeyam) - I should touch, I might touch

• पाणिना (pāṇinā) - with the hand, by the hand

• कथम् (katham) - how? in what manner?

Words meanings and morphology

उत्तरः (uttaraḥ) - The prince Uttara (Uttara (proper name))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of uttara

uttara - northern, superior, later, answer; proper name of a prince

Note: Subject of uvāca.

उवाच (uvāca) - he said, he spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect Tense

Perfect active 3rd person singular of root vac (to speak)

Root: vac (class 2)

अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this, on this

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine/neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, here

Locative singular masculine/neuter of demonstrative pronoun idam

Note: Agrees with vṛkṣe.

वृक्षे (vṛkṣe) - in the tree, on the tree

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of vṛkṣa

vṛkṣa - tree

किल (kila) - indeed, it is said, certainly

(indeclinable)

Particle indicating hearsay or emphasis.

उद्बद्धम् (udbaddham) - tied up, bound, suspended, fastened

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of udbaddha

udbaddha - tied up, bound, hung, fastened, suspended

Past Passive Participle

P.P.P. of root bandh (to bind) with prefix ud

Prefix: ud

Root: bandh (class 9)

Note: Predicate to śarīram.

शरीरम् (śarīram) - body, corpse

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śarīra

śarīra - body, corporeal frame, corpse

From root śṝ (to break, decay)

Root: śṝ (class 9)

Note: Subject of the clause 'a body is tied up'.

इति (iti) - thus, so (marks quotation)

(indeclinable)

Particle marking the end of a quotation or specific point.

Note: Marks the end of the reported speech/thought.

नः (naḥ) - we have (heard) (by us, for us, to us)

(pronoun)

plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

Enclitic pronominal form, dative/genitive plural. Used with passive participle implies 'by us'.

श्रुतम् (śrutam) - heard, listened

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śruta

śruta - heard, listened to, renowned

Past Passive Participle

P.P.P. of root śru (to hear)

Root: śru (class 5)

Note: Predicate for the clause 'it is heard'.

तत् (tat) - therefore (that, therefore)

(indeclinable)

Demonstrative pronoun, often used adverbially as 'therefore'.

Note: Connects the two clauses.

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we

First person singular pronoun

Note: Subject of spṛśeyam.

राजपुत्रः (rājaputraḥ) - prince, son of a king

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājaputra

rājaputra - son of a king, prince

Compound of rājan (king) + putra (son)

Compound type : tatpurusha (rājan+putra)

• rājan – king, sovereign
  noun (masculine)
  From root rāj (to shine, rule)
  Root: rāj (class 1)
• putra – son, child
  noun (masculine)

Note: Predicate nominative for aham (implied 'I am a prince').

सन् (san) - being, existing

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of as

as - to be, exist

Present Active Participle

Nominative singular masculine of present participle of root as

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Qualifies aham, indicating the state of being a prince.

स्पृशेयम् (spṛśeyam) - I should touch, I might touch

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of spṛś

Optative Mood

Optative active 1st person singular of root spṛś

Root: spṛś (class 6)

पाणिना (pāṇinā) - with the hand, by the hand

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of pāṇi

pāṇi - hand

Note: Instrument of touching.

कथम् (katham) - how? in what manner?

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb