महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-132, verse-1

भीष्म उवाच ।
अत्र कर्मान्तवचनं कीर्तयन्ति पुराविदः ।
प्रत्यक्षावेव धर्मार्थौ क्षत्रियस्य विजानतः ।
तत्र न व्यवधातव्यं परोक्षा धर्मयापना ॥१॥

1. bhīṣma uvāca ,
atra karmāntavacanaṁ kīrtayanti purāvidaḥ ,
pratyakṣāveva dharmārthau kṣatriyasya vijānataḥ ,
tatra na vyavadhātavyaṁ parokṣā dharmayāpanā.

1. bhīṣma uvāca atra karmāntavacanam
kīrtayanti purāvidaḥ pratyakṣau eva
dharmārthau kṣatriyasya vijānataḥ tatra na
vyavadhātavyam parokṣā dharmayāpanā

1. bhīṣma uvāca.
atra purāvidaḥ karmāntavacanam kīrtayanti.
vijānataḥ kṣatriyasya dharmārthau pratyakṣau eva [sthaḥ].
tatra parokṣā dharmayāpanā na vyavadhātavyam.

1. Bhishma said: Here, those learned in ancient lore (purāvidaḥ) declare a statement about the culmination of actions (karma). For a discerning warrior (kṣatriya), the principles of natural law (dharma) and material prosperity (artha) are indeed directly perceptible. Therefore, one should not allow indirect (parokṣā) means of upholding natural law (dharma) to obstruct (vyavadhātavyam) this direct pursuit.

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• अत्र (atra) - here, in this matter, in this context

• कर्मान्तवचनम् (karmāntavacanam) - a statement about the end/culmination of actions (karma)

• कीर्तयन्ति (kīrtayanti) - they declare, they mention, they sing the praises of

• पुराविदः (purāvidaḥ) - those who know ancient lore, experts in ancient tradition

• प्रत्यक्षौ (pratyakṣau) - directly perceptible, evident

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

• धर्मार्थौ (dharmārthau) - righteousness (dharma) and material prosperity (artha)

• क्षत्रियस्य (kṣatriyasya) - of the kshatriya, of the warrior

• विजानतः (vijānataḥ) - of one who knows, for a discerning one

• तत्र (tatra) - there, in that matter

• न (na) - not

• व्यवधातव्यम् (vyavadhātavyam) - should be obstructed, should be intervened, should be delayed

• परोक्षा (parokṣā) - indirect, hidden, unseen

• धर्मयापना (dharmayāpanā) - upholding of natural law (dharma), practice of righteousness, continuation of duty

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhishma (name of a Mahabharata character)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

अत्र (atra) - here, in this matter, in this context

(indeclinable)

कर्मान्तवचनम् (karmāntavacanam) - a statement about the end/culmination of actions (karma)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of karmāntavacana

karmāntavacana - statement about the culmination of action

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (karma+anta+vacana)

• karma – action, deed, ritual
  noun (neuter)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• anta – end, limit, culmination
  noun (masculine)
• vacana – speech, statement, saying
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from root vac.
  Root: vac (class 2)

कीर्तयन्ति (kīrtayanti) - they declare, they mention, they sing the praises of

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (laṭ) of kīrt

Root: kṛt (class 10)

पुराविदः (purāvidaḥ) - those who know ancient lore, experts in ancient tradition

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of purāvid

purāvid - knowing the past, versed in ancient lore

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (purā+vid)

• purā – anciently, formerly, in the past
  indeclinable
• vid – knowing, wise, learned
  adjective/noun (masculine)
  Derived from root vid.
  Root: vid (class 2)

प्रत्यक्षौ (pratyakṣau) - directly perceptible, evident

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of pratyakṣa

pratyakṣa - perceptible, evident, direct, before the eyes

Compound type : avyayībhāva (prati+akṣa)

• prati – towards, against, in front of
  indeclinable
• akṣa – eye, sense
  noun (neuter)

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

(indeclinable)

धर्मार्थौ (dharmārthau) - righteousness (dharma) and material prosperity (artha)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of dharmārtha

dharmārtha - natural law (dharma) and material prosperity (artha)

Compound type : dvandva (dharma+artha)

• dharma – natural law, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• artha – purpose, wealth, material prosperity
  noun (masculine)
  Root: arth (class 10)

क्षत्रियस्य (kṣatriyasya) - of the kshatriya, of the warrior

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of kṣatriya

kṣatriya - warrior, member of the kshatriya (second varna)

विजानतः (vijānataḥ) - of one who knows, for a discerning one

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of vijānat

vijānat - knowing, discerning

present active participle

Derived from root jñā with upasarga vi-.

Prefix: vi

Root: jñā (class 9)

तत्र (tatra) - there, in that matter

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

व्यवधातव्यम् (vyavadhātavyam) - should be obstructed, should be intervened, should be delayed

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vyavadhātavya

vyavadhātavya - to be obstructed, to be intervened, to be delayed

Gerundive

Formed with -tavya suffix from root dhā with upasargas vi-ava-.

Prefixes: vi+ava

Root: dhā (class 3)

परोक्षा (parokṣā) - indirect, hidden, unseen

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of parokṣa

parokṣa - invisible, indirect, beyond the range of sight

Compound type : avyayībhāva (para+akṣa)

• para – other, beyond
  adjective (masculine)
• akṣa – eye, sense
  noun (neuter)

धर्मयापना (dharmayāpanā) - upholding of natural law (dharma), practice of righteousness, continuation of duty

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of dharmayāpanā

dharmayāpanā - maintaining (dharma), carrying on (dharma)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dharma+yāpanā)

• dharma – natural law, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• yāpanā – causing to go, maintaining, continuing, prolongation
  noun (feminine)
  Derived from causative of root yā.
  Root: yā (class 2)