महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-134, verse-9

यथैव दंशमशकं यथा चाण्डपिपीलिकम् ।
सैव वृत्तिरयज्ञेषु तथा धर्मो विधीयते ॥९॥

9. yathaiva daṁśamaśakaṁ yathā cāṇḍapipīlikam ,
saiva vṛttirayajñeṣu tathā dharmo vidhīyate.

9. yathā eva daṃśa-maśakam yathā caṇḍa-pipīlikam
sā eva vṛttiḥ ayajñeṣu tathā dharmaḥ vidhīyate

9. yathā eva daṃśa-maśakam [asti],
yathā caṇḍa-pipīlikam [asti],
sā eva vṛttiḥ ayajñeṣu [asti].
tathā dharmaḥ vidhīyate.

9. Just as there are gnats and mosquitoes (daṁśa-maśaka), and just as there are fierce ants (caṇḍa-pipīlika), that same state of affairs (vṛtti) exists in non-sacrificial acts (ayajñeṣu). Similarly, natural law (dharma) is ordained.

Words meanings summery:

• यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as)

• एव (eva) - just (emphasizing the comparison) (indeed, only, just)

• दंश-मशकम् (daṁśa-maśakam) - gnats and mosquitoes (stinging insects and mosquitoes)

• यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as)

• चण्ड-पिपीलिकम् (caṇḍa-pipīlikam) - fierce ants (cruel ants, fierce ants, or small troublesome insects and ants)

• सा (sā) - that (very) (that (feminine))

• एव (eva) - very (that very) (indeed, only, just)

• वृत्तिः (vṛttiḥ) - state of affairs (condition, state, mode of life, livelihood)

• अयज्ञेषु (ayajñeṣu) - in non-sacrificial acts (in non-sacrifices, among those without sacrifice)

• तथा (tathā) - similarly (similarly, so also)

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, duty, righteousness)

• विधीयते (vidhīyate) - is ordained (is ordained, is prescribed, is performed, is established)

Words meanings and morphology

यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as)

(indeclinable)

Adverbial particle.

एव (eva) - just (emphasizing the comparison) (indeed, only, just)

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

दंश-मशकम् (daṁśa-maśakam) - gnats and mosquitoes (stinging insects and mosquitoes)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of daṃśa-maśaka

daṁśa-maśaka - stinging insects and mosquitoes (collective)

Itaretara dvandva compound treated as neuter singular (collective).

Compound type : dvandva (daṃśa+maśaka)

• daṃśa – gnat, stinging insect, bite
  noun (masculine)
  Root: daṃś (class 1)
• maśaka – mosquito, gnat
  noun (masculine)

Note: Subject of implied `asti`.

यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as)

(indeclinable)

Adverbial particle.

चण्ड-पिपीलिकम् (caṇḍa-pipīlikam) - fierce ants (cruel ants, fierce ants, or small troublesome insects and ants)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of caṇḍa-pipīlika

caṇḍa-pipīlika - cruel/fierce ants, or simply low/troublesome ants

Compound. Can be karmadhāraya (fierce ant) or dvandva (fierce insects and ants if caṇḍa is extended). Here, a karmadhāraya 'fierce ant' or implied collective `caṇḍa` + `pipīlika` for small, troublesome creatures.

Compound type : karmadhāraya or dvandva (collective) (caṇḍa+pipīlika)

• caṇḍa – fierce, cruel, passionate, violent
  adjective (masculine)
• pipīlika – ant
  noun (masculine)

Note: Subject of implied `asti`.

सा (sā) - that (very) (that (feminine))

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of tad

tad - that, she

Feminine nominative singular form of `tad`.

Note: Subject.

एव (eva) - very (that very) (indeed, only, just)

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

वृत्तिः (vṛttiḥ) - state of affairs (condition, state, mode of life, livelihood)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vṛtti

vṛtti - course, mode of being, state, condition, livelihood, profession

From root `vṛt` (to turn, exist).

Root: vṛt (class 1)

अयज्ञेषु (ayajñeṣu) - in non-sacrificial acts (in non-sacrifices, among those without sacrifice)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of ayajña

ayajña - non-sacrifice, absence of sacrifice, impious act

Negation of `yajña` by prefix `a-`.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+yajña)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negation prefix.
• yajña – sacrifice, ritual, worship
  noun (masculine)
  From root `yaj` (to sacrifice, worship).
  Root: yaj (class 1)

Note: Indicates the domain where the `vṛtti` is observed.

तथा (tathā) - similarly (similarly, so also)

(indeclinable)

Adverbial particle.

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, duty, righteousness)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness, virtue, constitution, religious merit

From root `dhṛ` (to uphold, sustain).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Subject of `vidhīyate`.

विधीयते (vidhīyate) - is ordained (is ordained, is prescribed, is performed, is established)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of vi-dhā

Present, 3rd person singular, passive voice

From root `dhā` (cl. 3 U. `dadhāti/dhatte`). With prefix `vi-`. Passive form.

Prefix: vi

Root: dhā (class 3)