महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-10, verse-9

यथा हि पुरुषः खात्वा कूपमप्राप्य चोदकम् ।
पङ्कदिग्धो निवर्तेत कर्मेदं नस्तथोपमम् ॥९॥

9. yathā hi puruṣaḥ khātvā kūpamaprāpya codakam ,
paṅkadigdho nivarteta karmedaṁ nastathopamam.

9. yathā hi puruṣaḥ khātvā kūpam aprāpya ca udakam
paṅkadigdhaḥ nivarteta karma idam naḥ tathā upamam

9. hi yathā puruṣaḥ kūpam khātvā ca udakam aprāpya
paṅkadigdhaḥ nivarteta tathā idam naḥ karma upamam

9. Just as a person (puruṣa) might dig a well, and, without finding water, return smeared with mud, so too is this endeavor (karma) of ours comparable.

Words meanings summery:

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, according to

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

• पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - a person, a man, the cosmic person (puruṣa)

• खात्वा (khātvā) - having dug, after digging

• कूपम् (kūpam) - a well

• अप्राप्य (aprāpya) - without obtaining, not having reached

• च (ca) - and, also

• उदकम् (udakam) - water

• पङ्कदिग्धः (paṅkadigdhaḥ) - smeared with mud, covered with mire

• निवर्तेत (nivarteta) - may turn back, should return, would desist

• कर्म (karma) - endeavor, undertaking (action, deed, work, ritual, fate (karma))

• इदम् (idam) - this

• नः (naḥ) - our, to us, for us

• तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly

• उपमम् (upamam) - comparable, an analogy, a simile

Words meanings and morphology

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, according to

(indeclinable)

Correlative adverb to `tathā`.

Note: Introduces a simile.

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

(indeclinable)

Emphatic or causal particle.

Note: Adds emphasis.

पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - a person, a man, the cosmic person (puruṣa)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of puruṣa

puruṣa - man, human being, person, male, the Supreme Being, the Cosmic Person (puruṣa)

Root: pṛ (class 3)

Note: Subject of the simile.

खात्वा (khātvā) - having dug, after digging

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

Formed from root `khan` (to dig) with suffix `tvā`. `khan` becomes `khā` before `tvā`.

Root: khan (class 1)

कूपम् (kūpam) - a well

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of kūpa

kūpa - a well, a pit, a hole

Note: Object of 'khātvā'.

अप्राप्य (aprāpya) - without obtaining, not having reached

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

Formed from `na` (negative prefix `a`) + prefix `ā` + root `āp` (to obtain) with suffix `ya` (as a `lyap` form).

Prefix: ā

Root: āp (class 5)

Note: Denotes an action not performed or not resulted in.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Connects 'kūpam' and 'udakam'.

उदकम् (udakam) - water

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of udaka

udaka - water

Root: und (class 7)

Note: Object of 'aprāpya'.

पङ्कदिग्धः (paṅkadigdhaḥ) - smeared with mud, covered with mire

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of paṅkadigdha

paṅkadigdha - smeared/covered with mud

Compound: `paṅka` (mud) + `digdha` (smeared).

Compound type : tatpurusha (paṅka+digdha)

• paṅka – mud, mire, dirt
  noun (masculine)
• digdha – smeared, anointed, covered
  participle (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root `dih` (to smear).
  Root: dih (class 6)

Note: Agrees with 'puruṣaḥ'.

निवर्तेत (nivarteta) - may turn back, should return, would desist

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (liṅ) of nivart

Root `vṛt` (to turn) with prefix `ni` (down, back). Middle voice.

Prefix: ni

Root: vṛt (class 1)

कर्म (karma) - endeavor, undertaking (action, deed, work, ritual, fate (karma))

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of karma

karma - action, deed, work, religious rite, destiny, consequence of actions (karma)

From root `kṛ` (to do).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Subject.

इदम् (idam) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Agrees with 'karma'.

नः (naḥ) - our, to us, for us

(pronoun)

Genitive, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

First person pronoun, enclitic form.

Note: Possessive, 'our' (karma).

तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly

(indeclinable)

Correlative adverb to `yathā`.

Note: Connects the simile to the main statement.

उपमम् (upamam) - comparable, an analogy, a simile

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of upama

upama - simile, comparison, comparable, like

From `upa` (near) + `mā` (to measure).

Prefix: upa

Root: mā (class 2)

Note: Agrees with 'karma'.