महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-24, verse-46

यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके ।
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ॥४६॥

46. yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ saṁplutodake ,
tāvānsarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ.

46. yāvān arthaḥ udapāne sarvataḥ sampluta-udake
tāvān sarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ

46. sarvataḥ sampluta-udake udapāne yāvān arthaḥ [bhavati],
vijānataḥ brāhmaṇasya sarveṣu vedeṣu tāvān [eva arthaḥ bhavati].

46. Just as a small well is of limited use when there is an abundance of water everywhere, similarly, all the Vedas (veda) are of limited utility to a discerning Brahmin (brāhmaṇa) who knows the ultimate truth (brahman).

Words meanings summery:

• यावान् (yāvān) - as much (utility) (as much, as great as)

• अर्थः (arthaḥ) - utility, purpose (purpose, utility, meaning, wealth)

• उदपाने (udapāne) - in a water reservoir, in a well

• सर्वतः (sarvataḥ) - everywhere (everywhere, on all sides)

• सम्प्लुत-उदके (sampluta-udake) - when there is an overflowing flood of water (when there is water overflowing, in a flooded state)

• तावान् (tāvān) - so much (utility) (so much, so great)

• सर्वेषु (sarveṣu) - in all

• वेदेषु (vedeṣu) - in the Vedas

• ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of a Brahmin

• विजानतः (vijānataḥ) - of one who knows (brahman) (of one who knows, of one who discerns)

Words meanings and morphology

यावान् (yāvān) - as much (utility) (as much, as great as)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yāvat

yāvat - as much, as far as, as long as

Note: Agrees with arthaḥ.

अर्थः (arthaḥ) - utility, purpose (purpose, utility, meaning, wealth)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - meaning, purpose, object, wealth, utility

Note: Subject of the first clause (implied verb bhavati).

उदपाने (udapāne) - in a water reservoir, in a well

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of udapāna

udapāna - water reservoir, well, tank

Compound of uda (water) and pāna (drinking, receptacle)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (uda+pāna)

• uda – water
  noun (neuter)
• pāna – drinking, receptacle for drinking
  noun (neuter)
  From root pā
  Root: pā (class 1)

सर्वतः (sarvataḥ) - everywhere (everywhere, on all sides)

(indeclinable)

Formed with suffix -tas

Note: Adverb.

सम्प्लुत-उदके (sampluta-udake) - when there is an overflowing flood of water (when there is water overflowing, in a flooded state)

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of samplutodaka

samplutodaka - flooded with water, overflowing water

Bahuvrihi compound

Compound type : bahuvrihi (sampluta+udaka)

• sampluta – overflowed, deluged, flooded
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From sam-plu
  Prefix: sam
  Root: plu (class 1)
• udaka – water
  noun (neuter)

तावान् (tāvān) - so much (utility) (so much, so great)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tāvat

tāvat - so much, so far, so long

Note: Agrees with implied arthaḥ.

सर्वेषु (sarveṣu) - in all

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

Note: Agrees with vedeṣu.

वेदेषु (vedeṣu) - in the Vedas

(proper noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of veda

veda - Veda (ancient sacred texts of Hinduism)

From root vid

Root: vid (class 2)

ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of a Brahmin

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - Brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class; one who knows Brahman

Note: Possessive, applies to vijānataḥ.

विजानतः (vijānataḥ) - of one who knows (brahman) (of one who knows, of one who discerns)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of vijānat

vijānat - knowing, discerning, understanding

Present Active Participle

From vi- + jñā

Prefix: vi

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Participle, agreeing with brāhmaṇasya.