महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-173, verse-81

ज्येष्ठं भूतं वदन्त्येनं ब्राह्मणा मुनयस्तथा ।
प्रथमो ह्येष देवानां मुखादस्यानलोऽभवत् ॥८१॥

81. jyeṣṭhaṁ bhūtaṁ vadantyenaṁ brāhmaṇā munayastathā ,
prathamo hyeṣa devānāṁ mukhādasyānalo'bhavat.

81. jyeṣṭham bhūtam vadanti enam brāhmaṇāḥ munayaḥ tathā
prathamaḥ hi eṣaḥ devānām mukhāt asya analaḥ abhavat

81. brāhmaṇāḥ munayaḥ tathā enam jyeṣṭham bhūtam vadanti
hi eṣaḥ devānām prathamaḥ asya mukhāt analaḥ abhavat

81. Brahmins and sages alike declare Him to be the foremost being. Indeed, He is the first among the gods; from His mouth, fire (anala) came into existence.

Words meanings summery:

• ज्येष्ठम् (jyeṣṭham) - foremost, eldest (eldest, greatest, best, chief)

• भूतम् (bhūtam) - being, creature (being, creature, element, what has been)

• वदन्ति (vadanti) - they declare, they call (they say, they speak, they call)

• एनम् (enam) - him (referring to the deity) (him, this (masculine accusative singular))

• ब्राह्मणाः (brāhmaṇāḥ) - Brahmins (the priestly class) (Brahmins, pertaining to Brahman)

• मुनयः (munayaḥ) - sages, ascetics

• तथा (tathā) - also, alike (thus, so, in that manner, also)

• प्रथमः (prathamaḥ) - first, foremost (first, foremost, chief)

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely (indeed, surely, for, because)

• एषः (eṣaḥ) - this one, He (referring to the deity) (this, this one)

• देवानाम् (devānām) - of the gods

• मुखात् (mukhāt) - from the mouth (from the mouth, from the face, from the beginning)

• अस्य (asya) - of him, his (referring to the deity, modifies mukhāt) (of this, of him, his)

• अनलः (analaḥ) - fire (anala) (fire, god of fire (Agni))

• अभवत् (abhavat) - came into existence, originated (was, became, originated)

Words meanings and morphology

ज्येष्ठम् (jyeṣṭham) - foremost, eldest (eldest, greatest, best, chief)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of jyeṣṭha

jyeṣṭha - eldest, oldest, greatest, best, chief

Superlative of pra- 'before, chief'

Note: Agrees with enam bhūtam.

भूतम् (bhūtam) - being, creature (being, creature, element, what has been)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of bhūta

bhūta - being, creature, element, past, what has come into existence

Past Passive Participle

From root bhū- 'to be, to become'

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Agrees with enam and jyeṣṭham.

वदन्ति (vadanti) - they declare, they call (they say, they speak, they call)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (lat) of vad

Root: vad (class 1)

एनम् (enam) - him (referring to the deity) (him, this (masculine accusative singular))

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ena

ena - this, that, him, it

Pronoun used anaphorically

ब्राह्मणाः (brāhmaṇāḥ) - Brahmins (the priestly class) (Brahmins, pertaining to Brahman)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - Brahmin, member of the priestly class, relating to Brahman

From brahman 'Brahman, priest'

Note: Subject of vadanti.

मुनयः (munayaḥ) - sages, ascetics

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of muni

muni - sage, ascetic, seer, inspired one

Note: Subject of vadanti, in conjunction with brāhmaṇāḥ.

तथा (tathā) - also, alike (thus, so, in that manner, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects brāhmaṇāḥ and munayaḥ.

प्रथमः (prathamaḥ) - first, foremost (first, foremost, chief)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of prathama

prathama - first, foremost, primary, chief

Superlative derived from pra- 'before'

Note: Agrees with eṣaḥ.

हि (hi) - indeed, surely (indeed, surely, for, because)

(indeclinable)

एषः (eṣaḥ) - this one, He (referring to the deity) (this, this one)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of etas

etas - this, this one

Note: Subject of the second clause.

देवानाम् (devānām) - of the gods

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of deva

deva - god, deity, divine being

From root div- 'to shine'

Root: div (class 4)

मुखात् (mukhāt) - from the mouth (from the mouth, from the face, from the beginning)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of mukha

mukha - mouth, face, entrance, beginning

Note: Indicates source of origin.

अस्य (asya) - of him, his (referring to the deity, modifies mukhāt) (of this, of him, his)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, he, she, it

अनलः (analaḥ) - fire (anala) (fire, god of fire (Agni))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of anala

anala - fire, the god Agni, vital spirit

Literally 'not enough', implying insatiable (fire)

Prefix: a

Root: nal

Note: Subject of abhavat.

अभवत् (abhavat) - came into existence, originated (was, became, originated)

(verb)

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

Imperfect Tense, from root bhū- 'to be'

Root: bhū (class 1)