महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-41, verse-28

तपो वाप्यथ वा यज्ञो यच्चान्यत्पावनं महत् ।
तत्सर्वं न समं तात संतत्येति सतां मतम् ॥२८॥

28. tapo vāpyatha vā yajño yaccānyatpāvanaṁ mahat ,
tatsarvaṁ na samaṁ tāta saṁtatyeti satāṁ matam.

28. tapaḥ vā api atha vā yajñaḥ yat ca anyat pāvanam mahat
tat sarvam na samam tāta santatyai iti satām matam

28. Austerity, or sacrifice, or any other great purifying act – none of that, dear son, is equal to having progeny. This is the opinion of the wise.

Words meanings summery:

• तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance (austerity, penance, heat)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• अपि (api) - even (emphasizing alternatives) (also, even, too)

• अथ (atha) - or, moreover (then, now, moreover)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - ritual sacrifice (sacrifice, worship)

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

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• अन्यत् (anyat) - other (other, another)

• पावनम् (pāvanam) - purifying act (purifying, sanctifying, purifier)

• महत् (mahat) - great (great, large, important)

• तत् (tat) - all that (referring to the listed activities) (that, it)

• सर्वम् (sarvam) - all (of that) (all, whole, entire)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• समम् (samam) - equal (in value or importance) (equal, same, uniform)

• तात (tāta) - dear son (vocative, addressing Jarātkāru) (dear son, father, dear one)

• सन्तत्यै (santatyai) - to (having) progeny (for progeny, for offspring)

• इति (iti) - thus, this is (the opinion) (thus, so, in this way)

• सताम् (satām) - of the virtuous/wise (of the good, of the virtuous, of the wise)

• मतम् (matam) - the opinion (opinion, thought, view, doctrine)

Words meanings and morphology

तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance (austerity, penance, heat)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - heat, warmth, self-mortification, religious austerity, penance

Root: tap (class 1)

Note: A type of religious practice.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Note: Used repeatedly to list alternatives.

अपि (api) - even (emphasizing alternatives) (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

Note: Functions with vā for 'either... or even...'.

अथ (atha) - or, moreover (then, now, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Note: Used with vā to mean 'or'.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - ritual sacrifice (sacrifice, worship)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yajña

yajña - sacrifice, worship, offering

action noun

from root yaj

Root: yaj (class 1)

Note: One of the religious acts being compared.

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

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what, that

Note: Introduces a relative clause.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects yat to anyat.

अन्यत् (anyat) - other (other, another)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anya

anya - other, another, different

Note: Agrees with pāvanam.

पावनम् (pāvanam) - purifying act (purifying, sanctifying, purifier)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pāvana

pāvana - purifying, sanctifying, pure, a purifier

agent noun or adjective

from root pū (to purify)

Root: pū (class 1)

Note: Agrees with yat and anyat.

महत् (mahat) - great (great, large, important)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, eminent, important

Note: Agrees with pāvanam.

तत् (tat) - all that (referring to the listed activities) (that, it)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it, he, she

Note: Refers to the collective tapaḥ, yajñaḥ, anyat pāvanam mahat.

सर्वम् (sarvam) - all (of that) (all, whole, entire)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, entire

Note: Agrees with tat.

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates the equality.

समम् (samam) - equal (in value or importance) (equal, same, uniform)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sama

sama - same, equal, uniform, even, like

Note: Predicate adjective for tat sarvam.

तात (tāta) - dear son (vocative, addressing Jarātkāru) (dear son, father, dear one)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of tāta

tāta - father, dear son, dear one (term of endearment)

Note: The ancestors are speaking to Jarātkāru.

सन्तत्यै (santatyai) - to (having) progeny (for progeny, for offspring)

(noun)

Dative, feminine, singular of santati

santati - continuity, lineage, progeny, offspring, succession

action noun

from root tan (to extend) with prefix sam

Root: tan (class 8)

Note: Dative case indicating purpose or comparison with 'equal to'.

इति (iti) - thus, this is (the opinion) (thus, so, in this way)

(indeclinable)

Note: Indicates that the preceding statement is an opinion.

सताम् (satām) - of the virtuous/wise (of the good, of the virtuous, of the wise)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of sat

sat - being, existing, good, virtuous, wise

present active participle

from root as (to be)

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Qualifies matam.

मतम् (matam) - the opinion (opinion, thought, view, doctrine)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mata

mata - thought, opinion, view, doctrine, considered

past passive participle

from root man (to think)

Root: man (class 4)

Note: Predicate for iti.