महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-136, verse-151

कालो हेतुं विकुरुते स्वार्थस्तमनुवर्तते ।
स्वार्थं प्राज्ञोऽभिजानाति प्राज्ञं लोकोऽनुवर्तते ॥१५१॥

151. kālo hetuṁ vikurute svārthastamanuvartate ,
svārthaṁ prājño'bhijānāti prājñaṁ loko'nuvartate.

151. kālaḥ hetum vikurute | svārthaḥ tam anuvartate |
svārtham prājñaḥ abhijānāti | prājñam lokaḥ anuvartate

151. kālaḥ hetum vikurute.
svārthaḥ tam anuvartate.
prājñaḥ svārtham abhijānāti.
lokaḥ prājñam anuvartate.

151. Time alters circumstances. One's self-interest (svārtha) then adapts to these changes. An intelligent person (prājña) understands this self-interest (svārtha), and people follow the intelligent person (prājña).

Words meanings summery:

• कालः (kālaḥ) - time (time, period, season)

• हेतुम् (hetum) - circumstances (as in the 'cause' or 'reason' for action) (cause, reason, motive, instrument)

• विकुरुते (vikurute) - alters (changes) (alters, changes, transforms, mutilates, distorts)

• स्वार्थः (svārthaḥ) - one's self-interest (self-interest, one's own purpose, own object)

• तम् (tam) - these (altered circumstances) (him, that (masculine accusative))

• अनुवर्तते (anuvartate) - adapts to, follows (follows, conforms to, depends on, revolves around)

• स्वार्थम् (svārtham) - this self-interest (self-interest, one's own purpose (accusative))

• प्राज्ञः (prājñaḥ) - an intelligent person (prājña) (wise, intelligent, clever; a wise person)

• अभिजानाति (abhijānāti) - comprehends (knows, understands, recognizes, perceives)

• प्राज्ञम् (prājñam) - the intelligent person (prājña) (wise, intelligent (accusative))

• लोकः (lokaḥ) - people (world, people, mankind)

• अनुवर्तते (anuvartate) - follow (follows, conforms to, depends on, revolves around)

Words meanings and morphology

कालः (kālaḥ) - time (time, period, season)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kāla

kāla - time, period, season, destiny, death

Root: kal (class 10)

Note: Subject.

हेतुम् (hetum) - circumstances (as in the 'cause' or 'reason' for action) (cause, reason, motive, instrument)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of hetu

hetu - cause, reason, motive, instrument, means, origin

Root: hi (class 5)

Note: Object of vikurute.

विकुरुते (vikurute) - alters (changes) (alters, changes, transforms, mutilates, distorts)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of kṛ

Present Middle Indicative

3rd person singular present middle (ātmanepada) of root 'kṛ' with prefix 'vi', meaning 'to transform', 'to alter'.

Prefix: vi-

Root: kṛ (class 8)

स्वार्थः (svārthaḥ) - one's self-interest (self-interest, one's own purpose, own object)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of svārtha

svārtha - one's own purpose/object/interest/wealth

Compound of sva (own) and artha (purpose, interest).

Compound type : tatpurusha (sva+artha)

• sva – own, self
  pronoun
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, object
  noun (masculine)

Note: Subject.

तम् (tam) - these (altered circumstances) (him, that (masculine accusative))

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Refers to hetum (the altered cause/circumstance).

अनुवर्तते (anuvartate) - adapts to, follows (follows, conforms to, depends on, revolves around)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of vṛt

Present Middle Indicative

3rd person singular present middle (ātmanepada) of root 'vṛt' with prefix 'anu', meaning 'to follow', 'to conform'.

Prefix: anu-

Root: vṛt (class 1)

स्वार्थम् (svārtham) - this self-interest (self-interest, one's own purpose (accusative))

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of svārtha

svārtha - one's own purpose/object/interest/wealth

Compound of sva (own) and artha (purpose, interest).

Compound type : tatpurusha (sva+artha)

• sva – own, self
  pronoun
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, object
  noun (masculine)

Note: Object of abhijānāti.

प्राज्ञः (prājñaḥ) - an intelligent person (prājña) (wise, intelligent, clever; a wise person)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of prājña

prājña - wise, intelligent, clever; a wise person, sage

Derived from 'prajñā' (wisdom, knowledge).

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Subject.

अभिजानाति (abhijānāti) - comprehends (knows, understands, recognizes, perceives)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of jñā

Present Active Indicative

3rd person singular present active of root 'jñā' with prefix 'abhi', meaning 'to know well', 'to recognize'.

Prefix: abhi-

Root: jñā (class 9)

प्राज्ञम् (prājñam) - the intelligent person (prājña) (wise, intelligent (accusative))

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of prājña

prājña - wise, intelligent, clever; a wise person, sage

Derived from 'prajñā' (wisdom, knowledge).

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Object of anuvartate.

लोकः (lokaḥ) - people (world, people, mankind)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, region, people, mankind, public

Derived from root 'lok' (to see).

Root: lok (class 10)

Note: Subject.

अनुवर्तते (anuvartate) - follow (follows, conforms to, depends on, revolves around)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of vṛt

Present Middle Indicative

3rd person singular present middle (ātmanepada) of root 'vṛt' with prefix 'anu', meaning 'to follow', 'to conform'.

Prefix: anu-

Root: vṛt (class 1)