महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-4, chapter-9, verse-6

विराट उवाच ।
त्वं ब्राह्मणो यदि वा क्षत्रियोऽसि समुद्रनेमीश्वररूपवानसि ।
आचक्ष्व मे तत्त्वममित्रकर्शन न वैश्यकर्म त्वयि विद्यते समम् ॥६॥

6. virāṭa uvāca ,
tvaṁ brāhmaṇo yadi vā kṣatriyo'si; samudranemīśvararūpavānasi ,
ācakṣva me tattvamamitrakarśana; na vaiśyakarma tvayi vidyate samam.

6. virāṭaḥ uvāca | tvam brāhmaṇaḥ yadi vā
kṣatriyaḥ asi samudranemīśvararūpavān
asi | ācakṣva me tattvam amitrakarśana
na vaiśyakarma tvayi vidyate samam

6. Virāṭa said: 'Are you a Brahmin or a Kṣatriya? You possess a majestic form like a lord whose dominion reaches the ocean's boundary. Tell me the truth, O destroyer of enemies, for no work befitting a Vaiśya is apparent in you.'

Words meanings summery:

• विराटः (virāṭaḥ) - Virāṭa (name of a king)

• उवाच (uvāca) - he said, he spoke

• त्वम् (tvam) - you

• ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a Brahmin

• यदि (yadi) - if, whether

• वा (vā) - or

• क्षत्रियः (kṣatriyaḥ) - a Kṣatriya (member of the warrior class)

• असि (asi) - you are

• समुद्रनेमीश्वररूपवान् (samudranemīśvararūpavān) - Refers to the majestic appearance and inherent royalty of the speaker (Yudhiṣṭhira in disguise). (having the form of a lord whose dominion extends to the ocean's boundary)

• असि (asi) - you are

• आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - tell, relate

• मे (me) - to me, my

• तत्त्वम् (tattvam) - your true identity/nature (the truth, reality)

• अमित्रकर्शन (amitrakarśana) - O tormentor of enemies, vocative addressing the speaker (Yudhiṣṭhira). (tormentor of enemies, destroyer of foes)

• न (na) - not, no

• वैश्यकर्म (vaiśyakarma) - work of a Vaiśya, Vaiśya's occupation

• त्वयि (tvayi) - in you

• विद्यते (vidyate) - it exists, is found, is present

• समम् (samam) - appropriate (for a Vaiśya) (suitable, proper, fitting, equal)

Words meanings and morphology

विराटः (virāṭaḥ) - Virāṭa (name of a king)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of virāṭa

virāṭa - Virāṭa (name of a king)

उवाच (uvāca) - he said, he spoke

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

त्वम् (tvam) - you

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a Brahmin

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a member of the priestly class, Brahmin

Derived from 'brahman'

यदि (yadi) - if, whether

(indeclinable)

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

Note: Follows `yadi` to form 'if... or (else)'.

क्षत्रियः (kṣatriyaḥ) - a Kṣatriya (member of the warrior class)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kṣatriya

kṣatriya - a member of the warrior and ruling class, Kṣatriya

Derived from 'kṣatra' (rule, dominion)

असि (asi) - you are

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

समुद्रनेमीश्वररूपवान् (samudranemīśvararūpavān) - Refers to the majestic appearance and inherent royalty of the speaker (Yudhiṣṭhira in disguise). (having the form of a lord whose dominion extends to the ocean's boundary)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of samudranemīśvararūpavat

samudranemīśvararūpavat - having the form of a lord of the ocean's boundary

Bahuvrihi compound: 'samudra' (ocean) + 'nemi' (boundary) + 'īśvara' (lord) + 'rūpavat' (having the form).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (samudra+nemi+īśvara+rūpavat)

• samudra – ocean, sea
  noun (masculine)
• nemi – felly, rim, boundary, circumference
  noun (feminine)
• īśvara – lord, master, king, controller
  noun (masculine)
  From root 'īś' (to rule, to be master of)
  Root: īś (class 2)
• rūpavat – having form, beautiful, endowed with form/appearance
  adjective (masculine)
  From 'rūpa' (form) + 'matup' suffix

Note: Qualifies 'tvam' (you).

असि (asi) - you are

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - tell, relate

(verb)

2nd person , singular, middle, imperative (loṭ) of cakṣ

From root 'cakṣ' with prefix 'ā'

Prefix: ā

Root: cakṣ (class 2)

Note: Used in the sense of 'tell me'.

मे (me) - to me, my

(pronoun)

singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Note: Here used with `ācakṣva`, so it implies dative 'to me'.

तत्त्वम् (tattvam) - your true identity/nature (the truth, reality)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tattva

tattva - truth, reality, essential nature, principle

Derived from 'tad' (that) and 'tva' (abstract suffix)

अमित्रकर्शन (amitrakarśana) - O tormentor of enemies, vocative addressing the speaker (Yudhiṣṭhira). (tormentor of enemies, destroyer of foes)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of amitrakarśana

amitrakarśana - tormentor of enemies, destroyer of foes

Compound of 'amitra' (enemy) and 'karśana' (emaciating, harassing, destroying)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (amitra+karśana)

• amitra – enemy, foe
  noun (masculine)
  Negative particle 'a' + 'mitra' (friend)
  Prefix: a
• karśana – emaciating, wasting, destroying, tormenting
  noun (masculine)
  From root 'kṛś' (to become thin, to emaciate)
  Root: kṛś (class 1)

Note: Used as an address to the speaker, revealing Virāṭa's suspicion about his true identity.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

वैश्यकर्म (vaiśyakarma) - work of a Vaiśya, Vaiśya's occupation

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vaiśyakarman

vaiśyakarman - the work or occupation of a Vaiśya

Tatpuruṣa compound of 'vaiśya' (Vaiśya) and 'karman' (work, occupation)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vaiśya+karman)

• vaiśya – a Vaiśya
  noun (masculine)
• karman – action, deed, work, occupation (karma)
  noun (neuter)
  From root 'kṛ' (to do)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: The word `karma` is one of the specific terms.

त्वयि (tvayi) - in you

(pronoun)

Locative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

Note: Refers to the speaker (Yudhiṣṭhira).

विद्यते (vidyate) - it exists, is found, is present

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of vid

Root: vid (class 4)

समम् (samam) - appropriate (for a Vaiśya) (suitable, proper, fitting, equal)

(adjective)

neuter, singular of sama

sama - equal, even, same, similar, suitable, proper

Note: Agrees with `vaiśyakarma`.