kathā (for 2. col. 3), f. conversation, speech, talking together ĀśvGṛ. MBh. Mn. &c
• talk, mention
• (kā kathā [with gen. or more commonly with loc. and sometimes with prati), what should one say of? how should one speak of? e.g. eko'pi kṛcchrād varteta bhūyasāṃ tu kathâiva kā, even one person would live with difficulty, what should one say of many? i.e. how much more many? Kathās. iv, 123
• kā kathā bāṇa-saṃdhāne, what mention of fitting the arrow? i.e. what necessity for fitting the arrow? Śak. 53 a)
• story, tale, fable MBh. R. Hit. &c
• a feigned story, tale (as one, of the species of poetical composition) Sāh. 567 Kāvyâd
• Story (personified) Kathās
• (in log.) discussion, disputation Sarvad

kathā 2
kathā́ (for 1. col. 1), ind. (Ved. for kathám Pāṇ. 5-3, 26) how? whence? why? RV. AV. viii, 1, 16 TS. &c
• (yathā́ kathā́ ca, in any way whatsoever ŚBr. iv)
• sometimes merely a particle of interrogation (e.g. kathā́ śṛṇoti.. índraḥ, does Indra hear? RV. iv, 23, 3
• kathā́-kathā́, whether-or? TS. ii, 6, 1, 7)