महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-114, verse-88

कथं महात्मा गाङ्गेयः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः ।
कालं कर्ता नरव्याघ्रः संप्राप्ते दक्षिणायने ॥८८॥

88. kathaṁ mahātmā gāṅgeyaḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṁ varaḥ ,
kālaṁ kartā naravyāghraḥ saṁprāpte dakṣiṇāyane.

88. katham mahātmā gāṅgeyaḥ sarvaśastrabṛtām varaḥ
kālam kartā naravyāghraḥ samprāpte dakṣiṇāyane

88. katham mahātmā gāṅgeyaḥ sarvaśastrabṛtām varaḥ
naravyāghraḥ samprāpte dakṣiṇāyane kālam kartā

88. How can the great-souled Gāṅgeya, that tiger among men, the best of all weapon-bearers, choose his time (kāla) for death when the southern solstice (dakṣiṇāyana) has arrived?

Words meanings summery:

• कथम् (katham) - how, why

• महात्मा (mahātmā) - great-souled, noble

• गाङ्गेयः (gāṅgeyaḥ) - Bhīṣma, son of Gaṅgā (Gāṅgeya (son of Gaṅgā))

• सर्वशस्त्रबृताम् (sarvaśastrabṛtām) - of all weapon-bearers

• वरः (varaḥ) - best, excellent

• कालम् (kālam) - his time of death (time, suitable time)

• कर्ता (kartā) - will choose/make (his death) (will do, will make, agent, creator)

• नरव्याघ्रः (naravyāghraḥ) - tiger among men, best of men

• सम्प्राप्ते (samprāpte) - having arrived, having come upon

• दक्षिणायने (dakṣiṇāyane) - in the southern course of the sun, southern solstice

Words meanings and morphology

कथम् (katham) - how, why

(indeclinable)

महात्मा (mahātmā) - great-souled, noble

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mahātman

mahātman - great-souled, noble, magnificent, having a great ātman

गाङ्गेयः (gāṅgeyaḥ) - Bhīṣma, son of Gaṅgā (Gāṅgeya (son of Gaṅgā))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of gāṅgeya

gāṅgeya - son of Gaṅgā, Bhīṣma

Derived from Gaṅgā with patronymic suffix.

सर्वशस्त्रबृताम् (sarvaśastrabṛtām) - of all weapon-bearers

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of sarvaśastrabṛt

sarvaśastrabṛt - bearer of all weapons, one who carries all weapons

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sarva+śastra+bhṛt)

• sarva – all, every
  adjective
• śastra – weapon, arm
  noun (neuter)
• bhṛt – bearer, carrying
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun/suffix
  Derived from root bhṛ (to bear, carry).
  Root: bhṛ (class 1)

वरः (varaḥ) - best, excellent

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, boon, choice

कालम् (kālam) - his time of death (time, suitable time)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of kāla

kāla - time, season, destiny, death

कर्ता (kartā) - will choose/make (his death) (will do, will make, agent, creator)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kartṛ

kartṛ - doer, maker, agent, creator

Agent noun (often used as a future verb in epic Sanskrit)

Agent noun derived from the root kṛ, 8th class.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Here functions as a future verb, 'will do/make'.

नरव्याघ्रः (naravyāghraḥ) - tiger among men, best of men

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of naravyāghra

naravyāghra - tiger among men, excellent man

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nara+vyāghra)

• nara – man, human
  noun (masculine)
• vyāghra – tiger
  noun (masculine)

सम्प्राप्ते (samprāpte) - having arrived, having come upon

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of samprāpta

samprāpta - arrived, attained, obtained, reached

Past Passive Participle

Past passive participle from root āp, 5th class, with upasargas sam and pra.

Prefixes: sam+pra

Root: āp (class 5)

Note: Agrees with 'dakṣiṇāyane'.

दक्षिणायने (dakṣiṇāyane) - in the southern course of the sun, southern solstice

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of dakṣiṇāyana

dakṣiṇāyana - southern course (of the sun), southern solstice

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dakṣiṇā+ayana)

• dakṣiṇā – south, right
  adjective (feminine)
• ayana – course, path, going
  noun (neuter)
  Root: i (class 2)