महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-104, verse-8

विश्वामित्रं तपस्यन्तं धर्मो जिज्ञासया पुरा ।
अभ्यगच्छत्स्वयं भूत्वा वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः ॥८॥

8. viśvāmitraṁ tapasyantaṁ dharmo jijñāsayā purā ,
abhyagacchatsvayaṁ bhūtvā vasiṣṭho bhagavānṛṣiḥ.

8. viśvāmitram tapasyantam dharmaḥ jijñāsayā purā
abhyagacchat svayam bhūtvā vasiṣṭhaḥ bhagavān ṛṣiḥ

8. In ancient times, the intrinsic nature (dharma), out of curiosity, approached Viśvāmitra, who was performing asceticism (tapas). This intrinsic nature (dharma) had taken the form of the divine sage Vasiṣṭha himself.

Words meanings summery:

• विश्वामित्रम् (viśvāmitram) - Viśvāmitra (a proper name)

• तपस्यन्तम् (tapasyantam) - performing asceticism, practicing austerity

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, intrinsic nature, virtue, righteousness

• जिज्ञासया (jijñāsayā) - out of curiosity, with a desire to know

• पुरा (purā) - formerly, in ancient times

• अभ्यगच्छत् (abhyagacchat) - approached, went towards

• स्वयम् (svayam) - oneself, himself, spontaneously

• भूत्वा (bhūtvā) - having become

• वसिष्ठः (vasiṣṭhaḥ) - Vasiṣṭha (a proper name)

• भगवान् (bhagavān) - divine, glorious, venerable, lord

• ऋषिः (ṛṣiḥ) - sage, seer

Words meanings and morphology

विश्वामित्रम् (viśvāmitram) - Viśvāmitra (a proper name)

(proper noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of viśvāmitra

viśvāmitra - Viśvāmitra (name of a famous ancient sage)

Note: Object of 'abhyagacchat'.

तपस्यन्तम् (tapasyantam) - performing asceticism, practicing austerity

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tapasyat

tapasyat - performing asceticism, practicing austerity

Present Active Participle

From denominative verb stem tapasyā (to perform tapas) formed from tapas (asceticism).

Root: tapas (noun)

Note: Modifies 'viśvāmitram'.

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, intrinsic nature, virtue, righteousness

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty, virtue, constitution

From root dhṛ (to uphold, support).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

जिज्ञासया (jijñāsayā) - out of curiosity, with a desire to know

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of jijñāsā

jijñāsā - desire to know, curiosity, inquiry

Derived from desiderative stem of jñā (to know).

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Indicates the reason or means.

पुरा (purā) - formerly, in ancient times

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverb of time.

अभ्यगच्छत् (abhyagacchat) - approached, went towards

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of abhigam

Imperfect active indicative

From root gam (to go) with upasarga abhi-. 3rd person singular, augment 'a' and suffix -t.

Prefix: abhi

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Main verb of the sentence.

स्वयम् (svayam) - oneself, himself, spontaneously

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes that Dharma itself took the form.

भूत्वा (bhūtvā) - having become

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

From root bhū (to be, to become) with suffix -tvā.

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Action performed by 'dharmaḥ'.

वसिष्ठः (vasiṣṭhaḥ) - Vasiṣṭha (a proper name)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vasiṣṭha

vasiṣṭha - Vasiṣṭha (name of a celebrated Vedic sage, one of the Saptarṣis)

Superlative form of vasu (excellent, good).

Root: vas

भगवान् (bhagavān) - divine, glorious, venerable, lord

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhagavat

bhagavat - divine, glorious, venerable, lord, fortunate, illustrious

From bhaga (fortune) + -vat (possessive suffix).

Note: Adjective for 'ṛṣiḥ' and 'vasiṣṭhaḥ'.

ऋषिः (ṛṣiḥ) - sage, seer

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ṛṣi

ṛṣi - sage, seer, inspired poet

From root ṛṣ (to move, to flow) or a pre-Vedic root.

Root: ṛṣ (class 1)

Note: Appositive to 'vasiṣṭhaḥ'.