महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-123, verse-8

श्रेष्ठबुद्धिस्त्रिवर्गस्य यदयं प्राप्नुयात्क्षणात् ।
बुद्ध्या बुध्येदिहार्थे न तदह्ना तु निकृष्टया ॥८॥

8. śreṣṭhabuddhistrivargasya yadayaṁ prāpnuyātkṣaṇāt ,
buddhyā budhyedihārthe na tadahnā tu nikṛṣṭayā.

8. śreṣṭha-buddhiḥ tri-vargasya yat ayam prāpnuyāt kṣaṇāt
buddhyā budhyet iha arthe na tat ahnā tu nikṛṣṭayā

8. ayam śreṣṭha-buddhiḥ tri-vargasya yat kṣaṇāt prāpnuyāt
iha arthe buddhyā budhyet tu tat nikṛṣṭayā ahnā na

8. One should possess a superior intellect concerning the group of three (dharma, artha, kāma), so that one may immediately grasp this (truth). One should comprehend this matter with true intellect, and not superficially with a degraded understanding.

Words meanings summery:

• श्रेष्ठ-बुद्धिः (śreṣṭha-buddhiḥ) - superior intellect, highest understanding

• त्रि-वर्गस्य (tri-vargasya) - of the group of three (dharma, artha, kāma) (of the group of three, of the triad)

• यत् (yat) - so that (one may obtain) (which, that, whereby, so that)

• अयम् (ayam) - this one (i.e., a person) (this, this one)

• प्राप्नुयात् (prāpnuyāt) - one may grasp (one may obtain, one may reach)

• क्षणात् (kṣaṇāt) - immediately (from a moment, in an instant, immediately)

• बुद्ध्या (buddhyā) - with true intellect (by intellect, with understanding)

• बुध्येत् (budhyet) - one should comprehend (one should know, one should understand)

• इह (iha) - in this matter (here, in this world, in this matter)

• अर्थे (arthe) - in this matter (in the matter, for the purpose, for the sake of)

• न (na) - not, no

• तत् (tat) - that (understanding) (that)

• अह्ना (ahnā) - superficially, in a fleeting manner (by day, in a day, quickly, superficially)

• तु (tu) - but (but, on the other hand, indeed)

• निकृष्टया (nikṛṣṭayā) - with a degraded (understanding/intellect) (by an inferior, by a degraded, by a low)

Words meanings and morphology

श्रेष्ठ-बुद्धिः (śreṣṭha-buddhiḥ) - superior intellect, highest understanding

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of śreṣṭha-buddhi

śreṣṭha-buddhi - superior intellect, highest understanding

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śreṣṭha+buddhi)

• śreṣṭha – best, most excellent, superior
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative of praśasya (excellent)
• buddhi – intellect, understanding, perception, discernment
  noun (feminine)
  From root budh (to know)
  Root: budh (class 1)

त्रि-वर्गस्य (tri-vargasya) - of the group of three (dharma, artha, kāma) (of the group of three, of the triad)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tri-varga

tri-varga - group of three, triad, especially dharma, artha, kāma

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tri+varga)

• tri – three
  numeral (masculine)
• varga – group, class, division
  noun (masculine)

यत् (yat) - so that (one may obtain) (which, that, whereby, so that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, that (relative pronoun), in order that, so that

Note: Used here as a conjunction 'so that'

अयम् (ayam) - this one (i.e., a person) (this, this one)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one (demonstrative pronoun)

प्राप्नुयात् (prāpnuyāt) - one may grasp (one may obtain, one may reach)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of prā-āp

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

क्षणात् (kṣaṇāt) - immediately (from a moment, in an instant, immediately)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of kṣaṇa

kṣaṇa - moment, instant, a very short period of time

Note: Used adverbially to mean 'instantly'.

बुद्ध्या (buddhyā) - with true intellect (by intellect, with understanding)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of buddhi

buddhi - intellect, understanding, perception, discernment

From root budh (to know)

Root: budh (class 1)

बुध्येत् (budhyet) - one should comprehend (one should know, one should understand)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of budh

Root: budh (class 1)

इह (iha) - in this matter (here, in this world, in this matter)

(indeclinable)

अर्थे (arthe) - in this matter (in the matter, for the purpose, for the sake of)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - purpose, meaning, object, matter, wealth

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

तत् (tat) - that (understanding) (that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that (demonstrative pronoun)

अह्ना (ahnā) - superficially, in a fleeting manner (by day, in a day, quickly, superficially)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of ahan

ahan - day

Note: Used adverbially here to mean 'quickly' or 'superficially'.

तु (tu) - but (but, on the other hand, indeed)

(indeclinable)

निकृष्टया (nikṛṣṭayā) - with a degraded (understanding/intellect) (by an inferior, by a degraded, by a low)

(adjective)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of nikṛṣṭa

nikṛṣṭa - inferior, degraded, low, vile

Past Passive Participle

Formed from root kṛṣ (to pull) with prefix ni

Prefix: ni

Root: kṛṣ (class 1)