महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-110, verse-11

धारणाद्धर्म इत्याहुर्धर्मेण विधृताः प्रजाः ।
यत्स्याद्धारणसंयुक्तं स धर्म इति निश्चयः ॥११॥

11. dhāraṇāddharma ityāhurdharmeṇa vidhṛtāḥ prajāḥ ,
yatsyāddhāraṇasaṁyuktaṁ sa dharma iti niścayaḥ.

11. dhāraṇāt dharmaḥ iti āhuḥ dharmeṇa vidhṛtāḥ prajāḥ
yat syāt dhāraṇasaṃyuktam saḥ dharmaḥ iti niścayaḥ

11. dhāraṇāt dharmaḥ iti āhuḥ dharmeṇa prajāḥ vidhṛtāḥ
yat dhāraṇasaṃyuktam syāt saḥ dharmaḥ iti niścayaḥ

11. They call it natural law (dharma) because of its characteristic of upholding or sustaining; it is by natural law (dharma) that beings are sustained. That which is imbued with the quality of upholding is, without doubt, that very natural law (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• धारणात् (dhāraṇāt) - from upholding, due to sustaining, by virtue of supporting

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, intrinsic nature, constitution, righteousness

• इति (iti) - thus, so, indicates direct speech or conclusion

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they speak

• धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by natural law, by dharma, by means of righteousness

• विधृताः (vidhṛtāḥ) - supported, sustained, upheld

• प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - beings, creatures, subjects, people

• यत् (yat) - which, that which

• स्यात् (syāt) - may be, should be

• धारणसंयुक्तम् (dhāraṇasaṁyuktam) - connected with upholding, imbued with sustenance

• सः (saḥ) - that, he

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, intrinsic nature, constitution, righteousness

• इति (iti) - thus, so, indicates direct speech or conclusion

• निश्चयः (niścayaḥ) - certainty, conclusion, determination

Words meanings and morphology

धारणात् (dhāraṇāt) - from upholding, due to sustaining, by virtue of supporting

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of dhāraṇa

dhāraṇa - upholding, sustaining, bearing, holding

Derived from root 'dhṛ' (to uphold, sustain)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, intrinsic nature, constitution, righteousness

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

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

Derived from root 'dhṛ' (to uphold, sustain)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

इति (iti) - thus, so, indicates direct speech or conclusion

(indeclinable)

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they speak

(verb)

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

Prefix: ā

Root: vac (class 2)

धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by natural law, by dharma, by means of righteousness

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma

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

Derived from root 'dhṛ' (to uphold, sustain)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

विधृताः (vidhṛtāḥ) - supported, sustained, upheld

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of vidhṛta

vidhṛta - supported, sustained, held fast

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root 'dhṛ' (to uphold) with prefix 'vi'

Prefix: vi

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - beings, creatures, subjects, people

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of prajā

prajā - progeny, offspring, people, creatures, subjects

Derived from root 'jan' (to be born) with prefix 'pra'

Prefix: pra

Root: jan (class 4)

यत् (yat) - which, that which

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what, that

स्यात् (syāt) - may be, should be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

धारणसंयुक्तम् (dhāraṇasaṁyuktam) - connected with upholding, imbued with sustenance

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of dhāraṇasaṃyukta

dhāraṇasaṁyukta - joined with upholding/sustaining

Compound type : tatpurusha (dhāraṇa+saṃyukta)

• dhāraṇa – upholding, sustaining, bearing
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from root 'dhṛ' (to uphold, sustain)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• saṃyukta – joined, connected, endowed with
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root 'yuj' (to join) with prefix 'sam'
  Prefix: sam
  Root: yuj (class 7)

सः (saḥ) - that, he

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, intrinsic nature, constitution, righteousness

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

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

Derived from root 'dhṛ' (to uphold, sustain)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

इति (iti) - thus, so, indicates direct speech or conclusion

(indeclinable)

निश्चयः (niścayaḥ) - certainty, conclusion, determination

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of niścaya

niścaya - certainty, conclusion, determination, conviction

Derived from root 'ci' (to collect, observe) with prefix 'nis'

Prefix: nis

Root: ci (class 5)