महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-8, chapter-23, verse-44

ऋतमेव हि पूर्वास्ते वहन्ति पुरुषोत्तमाः ।
तस्मादार्तायनिः प्रोक्तो भवानिति मतिर्मम ॥४४॥

44. ṛtameva hi pūrvāste vahanti puruṣottamāḥ ,
tasmādārtāyaniḥ prokto bhavāniti matirmama.

44. ṛtam eva hi pūrvāḥ te vahanti puruṣottamāḥ
tasmāt ārtāyaniḥ proktaḥ bhavān iti matiḥ mama

44. hi te pūrvāḥ puruṣottamāḥ ṛtam eva vahanti
tasmāt bhavān iti ārtāyaniḥ proktaḥ mama matiḥ

44. For indeed, your excellent ancestors always upheld the truth (ṛtam). Therefore, it is my opinion that you are called Ārtāyani.

Words meanings summery:

• ऋतम् (ṛtam) - truth, moral law (truth, cosmic order, right, proper)

• एव (eva) - certainly (indeed, certainly, only, just)

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

• पूर्वाः (pūrvāḥ) - ancestors (former, ancient, earlier, ancestors)

• ते (te) - your (referring to Śalya) (your (genitive/possessive), by you (instrumental), those, they (nominative/accusative plural of 'tad'))

• वहन्ति (vahanti) - they observed, they maintained, they upheld (they bear, carry, convey, observe, maintain)

• पुरुषोत्तमाः (puruṣottamāḥ) - excellent men (referring to Śalya's ancestors) (best of men, supreme persons, excellent men)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that, for that reason)

• आर्तायनिः (ārtāyaniḥ) - Ārtāyani, a specific patronymic for Śalya (son of Ārtāyana (patronymic for Śalya))

• प्रोक्तः (proktaḥ) - called, declared (said, declared, proclaimed, called)

• भवान् (bhavān) - you, sir (you (honorific, masculine singular))

• इति (iti) - thus (indicating the preceding statement as a quote or designation) (thus, so, in this manner (quotative particle))

• मतिः (matiḥ) - opinion (mind, thought, opinion, intention)

• मम (mama) - my (my, mine)

Words meanings and morphology

ऋतम् (ṛtam) - truth, moral law (truth, cosmic order, right, proper)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of ṛta

ṛta - truth, right, cosmic order, natural law (dharma), sacrifice

past passive participle

from √ṛ (to go, to move, to be in order)

Root: ṛ (class 3)

Note: The term ṛtam refers to the eternal, unchanging cosmic order and truth, distinct from dharma which can be seen as the practical application of ṛtam.

एव (eva) - certainly (indeed, certainly, only, just)

(indeclinable)

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

(indeclinable)

पूर्वाः (pūrvāḥ) - ancestors (former, ancient, earlier, ancestors)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of pūrva

pūrva - former, ancient, earlier, preceding, eastern

Note: Acts as a noun here, referring to ancestors.

ते (te) - your (referring to Śalya) (your (genitive/possessive), by you (instrumental), those, they (nominative/accusative plural of 'tad'))

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you (pronoun)

Note: Can also be dative. Here, it is possessive, modifying pūrvāḥ puruṣottamāḥ.

वहन्ति (vahanti) - they observed, they maintained, they upheld (they bear, carry, convey, observe, maintain)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (laṭ) of vah

present active

3rd person plural, active voice, present indicative

Root: vah (class 1)

पुरुषोत्तमाः (puruṣottamāḥ) - excellent men (referring to Śalya's ancestors) (best of men, supreme persons, excellent men)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of puruṣottama

puruṣottama - best of men, supreme person (puruṣa), chief of men

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (puruṣa+uttama)

• puruṣa – man, male, person (puruṣa), soul, spirit
  noun (masculine)
• uttama – highest, best, principal, supreme
  adjective (masculine)
  superlative of ud (up)

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that, for that reason)

(pronoun)

Ablative, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Often used as an indeclinable adverbial connector.

आर्तायनिः (ārtāyaniḥ) - Ārtāyani, a specific patronymic for Śalya (son of Ārtāyana (patronymic for Śalya))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ārtāyani

ārtāyani - descendant of Ṛtāyana or Ārtāyana, patronymic for Śalya

patronymic suffix -āyani

Note: The speaker is here punning on 'Ṛta' (truth) and this patronymic for Śalya, suggesting Śalya's family is known for truth.

प्रोक्तः (proktaḥ) - called, declared (said, declared, proclaimed, called)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pra-√vac

pra-√vac - to speak forth, declare, proclaim, call

past passive participle

from pra (forth) + √vac (to speak)

Compound type : prādi-samāsa (pra+ukta)

• pra – forth, forward, very
  indeclinable
  prefix
• ukta – said, spoken, declared
  adjective (masculine)
  past passive participle
  from √vac (to speak)
  Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Modifies bhavān.

भवान् (bhavān) - you, sir (you (honorific, masculine singular))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhavat

bhavat - you (honorific), being, existing

present active participle

from √bhū (to be); used as an honorific pronoun

Root: bhū (class 1)

इति (iti) - thus (indicating the preceding statement as a quote or designation) (thus, so, in this manner (quotative particle))

(indeclinable)

मतिः (matiḥ) - opinion (mind, thought, opinion, intention)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of mati

mati - mind, thought, intelligence, opinion, purpose, intention

from √man (to think)

Root: man (class 4)

मम (mama) - my (my, mine)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, we (pronoun)