महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-122, verse-53

इत्येष दण्डो विख्यात आदौ मध्ये तथावरे ।
भूमिपालो यथान्यायं वर्तेतानेन धर्मवित् ॥५३॥

53. ityeṣa daṇḍo vikhyāta ādau madhye tathāvare ,
bhūmipālo yathānyāyaṁ vartetānena dharmavit.

53. iti eṣaḥ daṇḍaḥ vikhyātaḥ ādau madhye tathā avare
bhūmipālaḥ yathā nyāyam varteta anena dharmavit

53. eṣaḥ daṇḍaḥ iti vikhyātaḥ ādau madhye tathā avare
dharmavit bhūmipālaḥ anena yathā nyāyam varteta

53. Thus, this well-known principle of justice (daṇḍa) is [to be applied] in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end [of affairs, or to superior, mediocre, and inferior persons]. A king (bhūmipāla), who is knowledgeable in natural law (dharma), should act justly according to it.

Words meanings summery:

• इति (iti) - thus, in this manner, so

• एषः (eṣaḥ) - this, this one

• दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - principle of justice, governance (rod, staff, punishment, chastisement, governance, justice)

• विख्यातः (vikhyātaḥ) - well-known, famous, renowned

• आदौ (ādau) - in the beginning, firstly, in the first place

• मध्ये (madhye) - in the middle, amidst, among

• तथा (tathā) - and, likewise, thus, so

• अवरे (avare) - in the last, among the inferior, in the lowest

• भूमिपालः (bhūmipālaḥ) - a king (king, ruler, protector of the earth)

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

• न्यायम् (nyāyam) - righteousness, justice (used adverbially) (justice, righteousness, rule, method, argument)

• वर्तेत (varteta) - he should act, he should be, he should proceed

• अनेन (anena) - by this, with this

• धर्मवित् (dharmavit) - knowledgeable in natural law (dharma) (one who knows natural law, one who is learned in dharma, righteous)

Words meanings and morphology

इति (iti) - thus, in this manner, so

(indeclinable)

एषः (eṣaḥ) - this, this one

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of etad

etad - this, that

दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - principle of justice, governance (rod, staff, punishment, chastisement, governance, justice)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of daṇḍa

daṇḍa - rod, staff, punishment, chastisement, governance, justice

Root: daṇḍ (class 10)

विख्यातः (vikhyātaḥ) - well-known, famous, renowned

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vikhyāta

vikhyāta - well-known, famous, renowned

Past Passive Participle

derived from root khyā with upasarga vi

Prefix: vi

Root: khyā (class 2)

आदौ (ādau) - in the beginning, firstly, in the first place

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of ādi

ādi - beginning, first, origin

मध्ये (madhye) - in the middle, amidst, among

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of madhya

madhya - middle, central, intermediate

तथा (tathā) - and, likewise, thus, so

(indeclinable)

अवरे (avare) - in the last, among the inferior, in the lowest

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of avara

avara - lower, inferior, later, last

भूमिपालः (bhūmipālaḥ) - a king (king, ruler, protector of the earth)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhūmipāla

bhūmipāla - king, ruler, protector of the earth

Compound type : tatpurusha (bhūmi+pāla)

• bhūmi – earth, ground, land
  noun (feminine)
• pāla – protector, guardian, ruler
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun from root pāl (to protect)
  Root: pāl (class 1)

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

(indeclinable)

न्यायम् (nyāyam) - righteousness, justice (used adverbially) (justice, righteousness, rule, method, argument)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of nyāya

nyāya - justice, righteousness, rule, method, logical argument

Note: Often used adverbially with yathā to mean 'righteously' or 'according to justice'.

वर्तेत (varteta) - he should act, he should be, he should proceed

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (vidhiliṅ) of vṛt

Root: vṛt (class 1)

अनेन (anena) - by this, with this

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, that

धर्मवित् (dharmavit) - knowledgeable in natural law (dharma) (one who knows natural law, one who is learned in dharma, righteous)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharmavit

dharmavit - one who knows dharma, righteous

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+vid)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
• vid – knowing, one who knows
  adjective (masculine)
  root noun used as an adjective
  Root: vid (class 2)