महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-87, verse-4

यद्वै नृशंसं तदपथ्यमाहुर्यः सेवते धर्ममनर्थबुद्धिः ।
अस्वोऽप्यनीशश्च तथैव राजंस्तदार्जवं स समाधिस्तदार्यम् ॥४॥

4. yadvai nṛśaṁsaṁ tadapathyamāhu;ryaḥ sevate dharmamanarthabuddhiḥ ,
asvo'pyanīśaśca tathaiva rājaṁ;stadārjavaṁ sa samādhistadāryam.

4. yat vai nṛśaṃsam tat apathyam āhuḥ
yaḥ sevate dharmam anarthabuddhiḥ
asvaḥ api anīśaḥ ca tathā eva rājan
tat ārjavam saḥ samādhiḥ tat āryam

4. They indeed declare that whatever is cruel (nṛśaṃsam) is unwholesome (apathyam). Whoever practices natural law (dharma) with a mind intent on harm [is considered unwholesome]. And, O King, in the same manner, even if one is without wealth (asva) and powerless (anīśa), that straightforwardness (ārjavam) is deep concentration (samādhi); that is noble.

Words meanings summery:

• यत् (yat) - which, whatever

• वै (vai) - indeed, certainly, verily

• नृशंसम् (nṛśaṁsam) - cruel, inhuman, mischievous

• तत् (tat) - that

• अपथ्यम् (apathyam) - unwholesome, harmful, improper, unhealthy

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare, they call

• यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

• सेवते (sevate) - he serves, he attends, he practices, he engages in

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma), duty, righteousness

• अनर्थबुद्धिः (anarthabuddhiḥ) - with a mind intent on harm (having a mind intent on harm/evil, foolish, with misguided intention)

• अस्वः (asvaḥ) - without possessions, poor, destitute

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, indeed)

• अनीशः (anīśaḥ) - powerless, helpless, without control

• च (ca) - and

• तथा (tathā) - similarly (so, thus, in that manner, similarly)

• एव (eva) - only, just, indeed, very

• राजन् (rājan) - O King

• तत् (tat) - that

• आर्जवम् (ārjavam) - straightforwardness, honesty, sincerity, integrity

• सः (saḥ) - that, he

• समाधिः (samādhiḥ) - equanimity (samādhi) (deep meditation, concentration, absorption, equanimity (samādhi))

• तत् (tat) - that

• आर्यम् (āryam) - noble, honorable, respectable, Aryan

Words meanings and morphology

यत् (yat) - which, whatever

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what, whatever

Note: Subject of the first clause

वै (vai) - indeed, certainly, verily

(indeclinable)

नृशंसम् (nṛśaṁsam) - cruel, inhuman, mischievous

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of nṛśaṃsa

nṛśaṁsa - cruel, inhuman, wicked, mischievous

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nṛ+śaṃsa)

• nṛ – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• śaṃsa – praise, eulogy, curse, malediction
  noun (masculine)
  From √śaṃs (to praise, to wish well/ill)
  Root: √śaṃs (class 1)

Note: Predicate adjective for yat

तत् (tat) - that

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, that one, it

Note: Subject of the second clause

अपथ्यम् (apathyam) - unwholesome, harmful, improper, unhealthy

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of apathya

apathya - unwholesome, harmful, improper, unhealthy, not conducive to well-being

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+pathya)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
• pathya – suitable, proper, wholesome, beneficial, healthy
  adjective (neuter)
  Gerundive/potential participle of √path
  From path (path, way) or √path (to go)

Note: Object of āhuḥ

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare, they call

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, perfect (liṭ) of √vac

Perfect (Liṭ)

3rd plural perfect form of √vac (irregular)

Root: √vac (class 2)

Note: Implied subject 'they' (wise people)

यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what

Note: Subject of the clause

सेवते (sevate) - he serves, he attends, he practices, he engages in

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of √sev

Present (Laṭ)

3rd singular present middle voice (Ātmanepada)

Root: √sev (class 1)

धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma), duty, righteousness

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness, virtue (dharma)

Root: √dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Object of sevate

अनर्थबुद्धिः (anarthabuddhiḥ) - with a mind intent on harm (having a mind intent on harm/evil, foolish, with misguided intention)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of anarthabuddhi

anarthabuddhi - having a mind intent on harm/evil, foolish, having perverse understanding, misguided intention

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (anartha+buddhi)

• anartha – no object, useless, harmful, evil, misfortune
  noun (masculine)
• buddhi – intellect, understanding, mind, perception
  noun (feminine)
  From √budh (to know, to perceive)
  Root: √budh (class 1)

Note: Modifies yaḥ

अस्वः (asvaḥ) - without possessions, poor, destitute

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of asva

asva - without wealth, poor, destitute

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+sva)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
• sva – one's own, property, wealth
  noun (neuter)

Note: Refers to a person who is without possessions

अपि (api) - even (also, even, indeed)

(indeclinable)

अनीशः (anīśaḥ) - powerless, helpless, without control

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of anīśa

anīśa - powerless, helpless, without control, not master of

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (an+īśa)

• an – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
• īśa – lord, master, capable, able
  noun (masculine)
  From √īś (to rule, to be master of)
  Root: √īś (class 2)

Note: Refers to a person who is powerless

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

तथा (tathā) - similarly (so, thus, in that manner, similarly)

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - only, just, indeed, very

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes tathā, creating tathaiva

राजन् (rājan) - O King

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Root: √rāj (class 1)

तत् (tat) - that

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, that one, it

Note: Refers to ārjavam

आर्जवम् (ārjavam) - straightforwardness, honesty, sincerity, integrity

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ārjava

ārjava - straightforwardness, honesty, sincerity, integrity, rectitude

From ṛju (straight) + aṇ affix

Note: Subject of the predicate 'samādhiḥ'

सः (saḥ) - that, he

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, that one, he

समाधिः (samādhiḥ) - equanimity (samādhi) (deep meditation, concentration, absorption, equanimity (samādhi))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of samādhi

samādhi - deep meditation, concentration, absorption, profound contemplation, equanimity (samādhi)

From √dhā (to place) with prefixes sam- + ā-

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: √dhā (class 3)

Note: Predicate nominative for ārjavam

तत् (tat) - that

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, that one, it

Note: Refers to ārjavam / samādhiḥ

आर्यम् (āryam) - noble, honorable, respectable, Aryan

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ārya

ārya - noble, honorable, respectable, excellent, Aryan

Note: Predicate adjective for tat