महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-128, verse-4

अप्राप्यं च भवेत्सान्त्वं भेदो वाप्यतिपीडनात् ।
जीवितं चार्थहेतोर्वा तत्र किं सुकृतं भवेत् ॥४॥

4. aprāpyaṁ ca bhavetsāntvaṁ bhedo vāpyatipīḍanāt ,
jīvitaṁ cārthahetorvā tatra kiṁ sukṛtaṁ bhavet.

4. aprāpyam ca bhavet sāntvam bhedaḥ vā api atipīḍanāt
jīvitam ca arthahetoḥ vā tatra kim sukṛtam bhavet

4. ca sāntvam aprāpyam bhavet vā atipīḍanāt api bhedaḥ
ca vā arthahetoḥ jīvitam tatra kim sukṛtam bhavet

4. And if conciliation (sāntva) becomes unattainable, or if causing disunion (bheda) is only possible through extreme torment, or if one's life is prolonged merely for the sake of wealth, what good (sukṛta) could possibly come of it?

Words meanings summery:

• अप्राप्यम् (aprāpyam) - Conciliation (sāntva) is unattainable. (unobtainable, unachievable, inaccessible)

• च (ca) - And (connecting conditions). (and, also)

• भवेत् (bhavet) - Would be (in a hypothetical situation). (may be, should be, would be)

• सान्त्वम् (sāntvam) - Political strategy of conciliation (sāntva), one of the four upāyas. (conciliation, gentle speech)

• भेदः (bhedaḥ) - Political strategy of causing division (bheda) among enemies, one of the four upāyas. (division, disunion, breaking apart)

• वा (vā) - Or. (or, either)

• अपि (api) - Even, also (implies concession/difficulty). (also, even, moreover)

• अतिपीडनात् (atipīḍanāt) - Due to extreme torture or harassment (to achieve disunion). (due to excessive oppression/torment)

• जीवितम् (jīvitam) - One's continued existence, life itself. (life, livelihood, living)

• च (ca) - And (connecting conditions). (and, also)

• अर्थहेतोः (arthahetoḥ) - Merely for the sake of material gain or wealth. (for the sake of wealth, for a purpose)

• वा (vā) - Or. (or, either)

• तत्र (tatra) - In such a situation, then. (there, in that case, then)

• किम् (kim) - What (kind of good action)? (Rhetorical question). (what?)

• सुकृतम् (sukṛtam) - Proper action, virtuous conduct, what is right (dharma). (good deed, virtuous action, well-done)

• भवेत् (bhavet) - Would be (in a hypothetical situation). (may be, should be, would be)

Words meanings and morphology

अप्राप्यम् (aprāpyam) - Conciliation (sāntva) is unattainable. (unobtainable, unachievable, inaccessible)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of aprāpya

aprāpya - unobtainable, unachievable, not to be reached

Gerundive (negative)

From 'a' (negation) + prefix 'pra' + root 'āp' (to obtain) + ṇyat suffix.

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

Note: Predicate adjective, agrees with 'sāntvam'.

च (ca) - And (connecting conditions). (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

भवेत् (bhavet) - Would be (in a hypothetical situation). (may be, should be, would be)

(verb)

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

Optative Active

3rd person singular, Optative mood, Parasmaipada.

Root: bhū (class 1)

सान्त्वम् (sāntvam) - Political strategy of conciliation (sāntva), one of the four upāyas. (conciliation, gentle speech)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sāntva

sāntva - conciliation, gentle, kind, soothing speech

From 'sānt' (to console).

Root: sānt (class 10)

Note: Subject of 'bhavet'.

भेदः (bhedaḥ) - Political strategy of causing division (bheda) among enemies, one of the four upāyas. (division, disunion, breaking apart)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bheda

bheda - splitting, breaking, division, disunion, difference

From root 'bhid' (to break) + ghañ suffix.

Root: bhid (class 7)

Note: Subject of an implied 'bhavet' or similar.

वा (vā) - Or. (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

अपि (api) - Even, also (implies concession/difficulty). (also, even, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

अतिपीडनात् (atipīḍanāt) - Due to extreme torture or harassment (to achieve disunion). (due to excessive oppression/torment)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of atipīḍana

atipīḍana - excessive oppression, extreme torment, great pain

Tatpuruṣa compound.

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (ati+pīḍana)

• ati – excessive, over, beyond
  indeclinable
  Prefix indicating excess.
• pīḍana – tormenting, oppressing, pain, distress
  noun (neuter)
  Verbal noun
  From root 'pīḍ' (to torment) + lyuṭ suffix.
  Root: pīḍ (class 10)

Note: Denotes the cause or means.

जीवितम् (jīvitam) - One's continued existence, life itself. (life, livelihood, living)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jīvita

jīvita - life, livelihood, living

Past Passive Participle (used as noun)

From root 'jīv' (to live) + kta suffix, here substantivized.

Root: jīv (class 1)

Note: Subject of an implied 'bhavet' or 'syāt'.

च (ca) - And (connecting conditions). (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

अर्थहेतोः (arthahetoḥ) - Merely for the sake of material gain or wealth. (for the sake of wealth, for a purpose)

(noun)

masculine, singular of arthahetu

arthahetu - cause of wealth, for the sake of an object/purpose/wealth

Tatpuruṣa compound (artha-hetu). The ending -hetoḥ acts as an ablative of cause or purpose.

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (artha+hetu)

• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, object, desire, material possession
  noun (masculine)
• hetu – cause, reason, motive, means
  noun (masculine)
  Root: hi (class 5)

Note: Functions adverbially.

वा (vā) - Or. (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

तत्र (tatra) - In such a situation, then. (there, in that case, then)

(indeclinable)

Adverb of place/circumstance.

किम् (kim) - What (kind of good action)? (Rhetorical question). (what?)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, who, why

Neuter nominative singular.

सुकृतम् (sukṛtam) - Proper action, virtuous conduct, what is right (dharma). (good deed, virtuous action, well-done)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sukṛta

sukṛta - well done, good deed, merit, virtue, (dharma)

Past Passive Participle (used as noun)

From prefix 'su' (good) + root 'kṛ' (to do) + kta suffix, here substantivized.

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (su+kṛta)

• su – good, well, excellent
  indeclinable
  Prefix indicating goodness.
• kṛta – done, made, performed, deed
  participle (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'kṛ' (to do) + kta suffix.
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Subject of 'bhavet'.

भवेत् (bhavet) - Would be (in a hypothetical situation). (may be, should be, would be)

(verb)

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

Optative Active

3rd person singular, Optative mood, Parasmaipada.

Root: bhū (class 1)