महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-108, verse-17

धर्मिष्ठान्व्यवहारांश्च स्थापयन्तश्च शास्त्रतः ।
यथावत्संप्रवर्तन्तो विवर्धन्ते गणोत्तमाः ॥१७॥

17. dharmiṣṭhānvyavahārāṁśca sthāpayantaśca śāstrataḥ ,
yathāvatsaṁpravartanto vivardhante gaṇottamāḥ.

17. dharmiṣṭhān vyavahārān ca sthāpayantaḥ ca śāstrataḥ
| yathāvat saṃpravartantaḥ vivardhante gaṇottamāḥ

17. gaṇottamāḥ dharmiṣṭhān vyavahārān ca śāstrataḥ
sthāpayantaḥ ca yathāvat saṃpravartantaḥ vivardhante

17. The best of assemblies (gaṇa) truly flourish by establishing practices (vyavahāra) that are most righteous (dharmiṣṭha) according to sacred texts (śāstra), and by properly engaging in them.

Words meanings summery:

• धर्मिष्ठान् (dharmiṣṭhān) - most righteous, most virtuous, most observant of natural law

• व्यवहारान् (vyavahārān) - practices, customs, dealings, transactions, behavior

• च (ca) - and, also

• स्थापयन्तः (sthāpayantaḥ) - establishing, setting up, causing to stand

• च (ca) - and, also

• शास्त्रतः (śāstrataḥ) - according to scriptures, from sacred texts

• यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, duly, as it should be, accordingly

• संप्रवर्तन्तः (saṁpravartantaḥ) - engaging, acting, proceeding, maintaining

• विवर्धन्ते (vivardhante) - they flourish, they prosper, they increase

• गणोत्तमाः (gaṇottamāḥ) - the best of groups, excellent assemblies

Words meanings and morphology

धर्मिष्ठान् (dharmiṣṭhān) - most righteous, most virtuous, most observant of natural law

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of dharmiṣṭha

dharmiṣṭha - most righteous, most virtuous, most adhering to (dharma), most lawful.

Superlative degree of 'dharmin' (righteous) or derived from 'dharma'.

Note: Qualifies 'vyavahārān'.

व्यवहारान् (vyavahārān) - practices, customs, dealings, transactions, behavior

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of vyavahāra

vyavahāra - practice, custom, usage, dealing, transaction, conduct, lawsuit.

Derived from root 'hṛ' with prefixes 'vi' and 'ava'.

Prefixes: vi+ava

Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Object of 'sthāpayantaḥ'.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

स्थापयन्तः (sthāpayantaḥ) - establishing, setting up, causing to stand

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sthāpayat

sthāpayat - causing to stand, establishing, placing.

Present Active Participle (Causative)

Derived from root 'sthā' with causative suffix '-aya' and present participle suffix 'śatṛ'.

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Agent of the action of establishing.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

शास्त्रतः (śāstrataḥ) - according to scriptures, from sacred texts

(indeclinable)

Ablative in form (from śāstra + -tas suffix), meaning 'according to' or 'from'.

Root: śās (class 2)

Note: Adverbial usage, indicating source/standard.

यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, duly, as it should be, accordingly

(indeclinable)

Derived from 'yathā' + 'vat' suffix.

Note: Modifies 'saṃpravartantaḥ'.

संप्रवर्तन्तः (saṁpravartantaḥ) - engaging, acting, proceeding, maintaining

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of saṃpravartat

saṁpravartat - engaging, acting, proceeding, maintaining.

Present Active Participle

Derived from root 'vṛt' with prefixes 'sam' and 'pra', and present participle suffix 'śatṛ'.

Prefixes: sam+pra

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Agent of the action of engaging.

विवर्धन्ते (vivardhante) - they flourish, they prosper, they increase

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of vṛdh

Present Indicative

Root 'vṛdh' with prefix 'vi'. Conjugated in the middle voice (ātmanepada).

Prefix: vi

Root: vṛdh (class 1)

Note: The main verb of the sentence.

गणोत्तमाः (gaṇottamāḥ) - the best of groups, excellent assemblies

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of gaṇottama

gaṇottama - best of groups, excellent assembly/community/clan.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (gaṇa+uttama)

• gaṇa – group, assembly, community, clan
  noun (masculine)
• uttama – best, excellent, highest
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative degree of 'ud' (up/out).

Note: Subject of the sentence.