महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-8, chapter-6, verse-9

मतिं मतिमतां श्रेष्ठाः सर्वे प्रब्रूत माचिरम् ।
एवं गते तु यत्कार्यं भवेत्कार्यकरं नृपाः ॥९॥

9. matiṁ matimatāṁ śreṣṭhāḥ sarve prabrūta māciram ,
evaṁ gate tu yatkāryaṁ bhavetkāryakaraṁ nṛpāḥ.

9. matim matimatām śreṣṭhāḥ sarve prabrūta mā ciram
evam gate tu yat kāryam bhavet kāryakaram nṛpāḥ

9. nṛpāḥ matimatām śreṣṭhāḥ sarve matim mā ciram
prabrūta tu evam gate yat kāryakaram kāryam bhavet

9. O kings, O best among the wise, all of you, declare your counsel without delay. For when things have come to such a state, whatever action might be effective should be undertaken.

Words meanings summery:

• मतिम् (matim) - counsel, opinion, intention

• मतिमताम् (matimatām) - of the wise, of those endowed with intelligence

• श्रेष्ठाः (śreṣṭhāḥ) - O best ones, O most excellent

• सर्वे (sarve) - all

• प्रब्रूत (prabrūta) - declare, speak forth

• मा (mā) - do not

• चिरम् (ciram) - for a long time, long

• एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner

• गते (gate) - when the situation has progressed to this point (having come to pass, having happened)

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• यत् (yat) - whatever action (which, whatever)

• कार्यम् (kāryam) - action, duty, to be done

• भवेत् (bhavet) - should be, may be, would be

• कार्यकरम् (kāryakaram) - effective, accomplishing the task, useful

• नृपाः (nṛpāḥ) - O kings

Words meanings and morphology

मतिम् (matim) - counsel, opinion, intention

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of mati

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

Derived from root man (to think).

Root: man (class 4)

Note: Object of 'prabrūta'.

मतिमताम् (matimatām) - of the wise, of those endowed with intelligence

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of matimat

matimat - intelligent, wise, possessing understanding

Possessive suffix -mat added to mati.

Note: Qualifies 'śreṣṭhāḥ' (best among the wise).

श्रेष्ठाः (śreṣṭhāḥ) - O best ones, O most excellent

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, plural of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, most excellent, superior, chief

Superlative degree of praśasya/praśasta (excellent).

Note: Addressing the assembled kings.

सर्वे (sarve) - all

(pronoun)

Vocative, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, entire

Note: Also addresses the kings, agreeing with 'śreṣṭhāḥ' and 'nṛpāḥ'.

प्रब्रूत (prabrūta) - declare, speak forth

(verb)

2nd person , plural, active, imperative (lot) of pra-brū

Prefix: pra

Root: brū (class 2)

Note: Command to the assembled kings.

मा (mā) - do not

(indeclinable)

चिरम् (ciram) - for a long time, long

(indeclinable)

Note: 'mā ciram' means "do not delay".

एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner

(indeclinable)

Note: Modifies 'gate'.

गते (gate) - when the situation has progressed to this point (having come to pass, having happened)

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of gata

gata - gone, arrived, come, past, happened

Past Passive Participle

From root gam (to go).

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Refers to the "state of affairs".

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

Note: Serves to introduce the second clause.

यत् (yat) - whatever action (which, whatever)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what, who, that

कार्यम् (kāryam) - action, duty, to be done

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kārya

kārya - to be done, proper action, duty, business, purpose

Gerundive (Future Passive Participle)

From root kṛ (to do) with suffix -ya.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Subject of 'bhavet'.

भवेत् (bhavet) - should be, may be, would be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of bhū

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Expresses possibility or necessity.

कार्यकरम् (kāryakaram) - effective, accomplishing the task, useful

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kāryakara

kāryakara - effective, efficient, accomplishing work, useful

"kārya" (action, duty) + "kara" (making, doing, performing).

Compound type : upapada_tatpurusha (kārya+kara)

• kārya – to be done, action, duty
  noun (neuter)
  Gerundive
  From root kṛ (to do).
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• kara – making, doing, causing, doer, hand
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root kṛ (to do).
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Predicate adjective for 'kāryam'.

नृपाः (nṛpāḥ) - O kings

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, plural of nṛpa

nṛpa - king, ruler (literally "man-protector")

From nṛ (man) + pa (protector, from root pā 'to protect').

Compound type : upapada_tatpurusha (nṛ+pa)

• nṛ – man, men, hero
  noun (masculine)
• pa – protector, guardian
  noun (masculine)
  From root pā (to protect).
  Root: pā (class 2)

Note: Direct address to the audience.