महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-146, verse-4

एतद्धि परमं नार्याः कार्यं लोके सनातनम् ।
प्राणानपि परित्यज्य यद्भर्तृहितमाचरेत् ॥४॥

4. etaddhi paramaṁ nāryāḥ kāryaṁ loke sanātanam ,
prāṇānapi parityajya yadbhartṛhitamācaret.

4. etat hi paramam nāryāḥ kāryam loke sanātanam
prāṇān api parityajya yat bhartṛhitam ācaret

4. Indeed, this is the supreme and eternal natural law (dharma) for a woman in the world: that she should act for her husband's welfare, even abandoning her own life (prāṇa).

Words meanings summery:

• एतत् (etat) - this (referring to the duty described) (this, this (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

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

• परमम् (paramam) - supreme (supreme, highest, best, ultimate)

• नार्याः (nāryāḥ) - of a woman

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

• लोके (loke) - in the world (in the world, in the realm)

• सनातनम् (sanātanam) - eternal (eternal, perpetual, ancient)

• प्राणान् (prāṇān) - her own life (lives, breaths, vital airs)

• अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

• परित्यज्य (parityajya) - having abandoned (having abandoned, having given up)

• यत् (yat) - that (conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause of purpose/result) (that, which (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

• भर्तृहितम् (bhartṛhitam) - welfare of her husband (husband's welfare, beneficial to husband)

• आचरेत् (ācaret) - she should act (she should perform, she should do)

Words meanings and morphology

एतत् (etat) - this (referring to the duty described) (this, this (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this here

Note: Subject of the sentence.

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

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

परमम् (paramam) - supreme (supreme, highest, best, ultimate)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of parama

parama - supreme, highest, best, ultimate, chief

Note: Agrees with 'kāryam'.

नार्याः (nāryāḥ) - of a woman

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, singular of nārī

nārī - woman, wife

Note: Possessive, 'of a woman'.

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

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kārya

kārya - duty, action, work, business, to be done, to be performed

Gerundive/Future Passive Participle

from root kṛ + ṇya (gerundive suffix)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Predicate nominative with 'etat'.

लोके (loke) - in the world (in the world, in the realm)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, realm, people

सनातनम् (sanātanam) - eternal (eternal, perpetual, ancient)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sanātana

sanātana - eternal, perpetual, ancient, primeval

Note: Agrees with 'kāryam'.

प्राणान् (prāṇān) - her own life (lives, breaths, vital airs)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of prāṇa

prāṇa - life, breath, vital air, vital principle

Note: Object of 'parityajya'. Often used in plural for 'life' in general.

अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

परित्यज्य (parityajya) - having abandoned (having abandoned, having given up)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

from root tyaj with upasarga pari, using suffix -ya

Prefix: pari

Root: tyaj (class 1)

Note: Used to describe an action completed before the main verb 'ācaret'.

यत् (yat) - that (conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause of purpose/result) (that, which (neuter singular nominative/accusative))

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what, that (relative pronoun)

Note: Introduces the purpose or nature of the duty.

भर्तृहितम् (bhartṛhitam) - welfare of her husband (husband's welfare, beneficial to husband)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of bhartṛhita

bhartṛhita - welfare of husband, beneficial to husband

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (bhartṛ+hita)

• bhartṛ – husband, supporter, master
  noun (masculine)
  Root: bhṛ (class 1)
• hita – welfare, benefit, good, beneficial
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle (derived as an adjective/noun)
  from root dhā (to place) + ta suffix or inherent meaning
  Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Object of 'ācaret'.

आचरेत् (ācaret) - she should act (she should perform, she should do)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of ācar

Optative Mood

from root car with upasarga ā, 3rd person singular, active voice

Prefix: ā

Root: car (class 1)

Note: Expresses a command or injunction.