महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-130, verse-3

भीष्म उवाच ।
विज्ञानबलमास्थाय जीवितव्यं तथागते ।
सर्वं साध्वर्थमेवेदमसाध्वर्थं न किंचन ॥३॥

3. bhīṣma uvāca ,
vijñānabalamāsthāya jīvitavyaṁ tathāgate ,
sarvaṁ sādhvarthamevedamasādhvarthaṁ na kiṁcana.

3. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca vijñānabalam āsthāya jīvitavyam tathāgate
sarvam sādhvartham eva idam asādhvartham na kiñcana

3. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca tathāgate vijñānabalam āsthāya jīvitavyam
idam sarvam sādhvartham eva kiñcana asādhvartham na

3. Bhishma said: When such a situation has arisen, one should sustain oneself by relying on the strength of knowledge. Indeed, all of this is for a righteous purpose; nothing is for an unrighteous purpose.

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma, the revered grandfather in the Mahabharata (Bhishma (proper name))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• विज्ञानबलम् (vijñānabalam) - strength of spiritual wisdom (strength of knowledge, power of wisdom)

• आस्थाय (āsthāya) - by relying on (having resorted to, relying on, taking refuge in)

• जीवितव्यम् (jīvitavyam) - life should be led, one should sustain oneself (that which should be lived, one should live)

• तथागते (tathāgate) - when such a situation has arisen (having come thus, when such is the case, in such a situation)

• सर्वम् (sarvam) - all (of this existence/action) (all, whole, entire)

• साध्वर्थम् (sādhvartham) - for a righteous purpose (for a good purpose, for a right object)

• एव (eva) - indeed, only (only, indeed, just, certainly)

• इदम् (idam) - this (referring to the preceding 'sarvam') (this)

• असाध्वर्थम् (asādhvartham) - for an unrighteous purpose (for an unrighteous purpose, for an evil object)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• किञ्चन (kiñcana) - anything (at all) (anything, something, whatever)

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma, the revered grandfather in the Mahabharata (Bhishma (proper name))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhishma (name of a character in the Mahabharata)

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

Perfect Tense

Root verb, Parasmaipada, 2nd conjugation (ad-ādi) or 3rd (hu-ādi) for some forms; here Perfect (lit) form

Root: vac (class 2)

विज्ञानबलम् (vijñānabalam) - strength of spiritual wisdom (strength of knowledge, power of wisdom)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vijñānabala

vijñānabala - strength of knowledge/wisdom, power of discernment

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (genitive) (vijñāna+bala)

• vijñāna – knowledge, wisdom, discernment, spiritual knowledge
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from root 'jñā' (to know) with prefix 'vi'
  Prefix: vi
  Root: jñā (class 9)
• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)

Note: Object of 'āsthāya'.

आस्थाय (āsthāya) - by relying on (having resorted to, relying on, taking refuge in)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive/Gerund

Derived from root 'sthā' (to stand) with prefix 'ā', taking 'lyap' suffix when prefixed

Prefix: ā

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Connects 'vijñānabalam' to the action of living.

जीवितव्यम् (jīvitavyam) - life should be led, one should sustain oneself (that which should be lived, one should live)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jīvitavya

jīvitavya - to be lived, to be sustained

Gerundive/Future Passive Participle

Derived from root 'jīv' (to live) with 'tavya' suffix, implying obligation or fitness.

Root: jīv (class 1)

Note: Impersonal construction, 'living should be done'.

तथागते (tathāgate) - when such a situation has arisen (having come thus, when such is the case, in such a situation)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of tathāgata

tathāgata - come in such a way, thus come, arrived at such a state

Past Passive Participle

Derived from 'tathā' (thus) and root 'gam' (to go) with suffix 'ta'

Compound type : avyayībhāva (or karmadhāraya) (tathā+gata)

• tathā – thus, in such a manner
  indeclinable
• gata – gone, arrived, reached
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root 'gam' (to go)
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Used in locative absolute, referring to the 'worst of times' from the previous verse.

सर्वम् (sarvam) - all (of this existence/action) (all, whole, entire)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, entire

साध्वर्थम् (sādhvartham) - for a righteous purpose (for a good purpose, for a right object)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sādhvartha

sādhvartha - good purpose, right object

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sādhu+artha)

• sādhu – good, righteous, virtuous, excellent
  adjective (neuter)
• artha – purpose, meaning, object, wealth
  noun (neuter)

एव (eva) - indeed, only (only, indeed, just, certainly)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes the preceding word.

इदम् (idam) - this (referring to the preceding 'sarvam') (this)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this here

असाध्वर्थम् (asādhvartham) - for an unrighteous purpose (for an unrighteous purpose, for an evil object)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of asādhvartha

asādhvartha - unrighteous purpose, evil object

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+sādhvartha)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• sādhvartha – good purpose, right object
  noun (neuter)

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

किञ्चन (kiñcana) - anything (at all) (anything, something, whatever)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kiñcana

kiñcana - anything, something, whatever, even a little

Compound of 'kim' (what) and 'cana' (indeed, even)

Compound type : avyayībhāva (kim+cana)

• kim – what, which, who
  pronoun (neuter)
• cana – even, also, indeed
  indeclinable
  Emphatic particle

Note: Used with 'na' to mean 'nothing at all'.