महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-138, verse-20

नानर्थकेनार्थवत्त्वं कृतघ्नेन समाचरेत् ।
अर्थे तु शक्यते भोक्तुं कृतकार्योऽवमन्यते ।
तस्मात्सर्वाणि कार्याणि सावशेषाणि कारयेत् ॥२०॥

20. nānarthakenārthavattvaṁ kṛtaghnena samācaret ,
arthe tu śakyate bhoktuṁ kṛtakāryo'vamanyate ,
tasmātsarvāṇi kāryāṇi sāvaśeṣāṇi kārayet.

20. na anarthakena arthavattvam kṛtaghnena
samācaret arthe tu śakyate
bhoktum kṛtakāryaḥ avamanyate tasmāt
sarvāṇi kāryāṇi sāvaśeṣāṇi kārayet

20. anarthakena kṛtaghnena (saha) arthavattvam
na samācaret tu arthe (janāḥ) bhoktum
śakyate kṛtakāryaḥ (janaḥ) avamanyate
tasmāt sarvāṇi kāryāṇi sāvaśeṣāṇi kārayet

20. One should not associate for any gain with a useless or ungrateful person. While one may be exploited for a specific purpose (artha), a person who has accomplished their task (karma) is then despised. Therefore, one should always ensure that all tasks are left incomplete (or that the person remains dependent).

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• अनर्थकेन (anarthakena) - with a useless person, by an unprofitable one

• अर्थवत्त्वम् (arthavattvam) - gain or advantage (profitability, usefulness, meaningfulness)

• कृतघ्नेन (kṛtaghnena) - with an ungrateful person, by one who destroys good deeds

• समाचरेत् (samācaret) - one should deal with, he should act

• अर्थे (arthe) - for a specific purpose (artha) (in a matter of purpose, for a sake of gain, in a transaction)

• तु (tu) - but, on the other hand, indeed

• शक्यते (śakyate) - one may be exploited/used (is possible, one is able)

• भोक्तुम् (bhoktum) - to be used/exploited (to enjoy, to consume, to use, to experience)

• कृतकार्यः (kṛtakāryaḥ) - a person who has accomplished their task (karma) (one who has accomplished a task, one whose work is done)

• अवमन्यते (avamanyate) - is despised, is slighted, is disrespected

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

• सर्वाणि (sarvāṇi) - all, entire

• कार्याणि (kāryāṇi) - tasks, duties, works

• सावशेषाणि (sāvaśeṣāṇi) - with a remainder, incomplete, partially done

• कारयेत् (kārayet) - one should cause to be done, he should make (someone) do

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Negation.

अनर्थकेन (anarthakena) - with a useless person, by an unprofitable one

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of anarthaka

anarthaka - useless, unmeaning, unprofitable

from a (negation) + artha + ka (suffix)

Compound type : nañ-bahuvrīhi (a+artha+ka)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, advantage, object
  noun (masculine)

Note: Refers to a person.

अर्थवत्त्वम् (arthavattvam) - gain or advantage (profitability, usefulness, meaningfulness)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of arthavattva

arthavattva - profitability, usefulness, significant meaning

from artha + vat (possessive) + tva (abstract noun suffix)

Compound type : tatpurusha (artha+vat+tva)

• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, advantage, object
  noun (masculine)

Note: Object of samācaret.

कृतघ्नेन (kṛtaghnena) - with an ungrateful person, by one who destroys good deeds

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of kṛtaghna

kṛtaghna - ungrateful, one who destroys good deeds

from kṛta (done) + ghna (destroying)

Compound type : upapada-tatpuruṣa (kṛta+ghna)

• kṛta – done, made, performed
  past passive participle (neuter)
  past passive participle
  from root kṛ
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• ghna – killer, destroyer, destroying
  noun (masculine)
  from root han
  Root: han (class 2)

Note: Denotes association.

समाचरेत् (samācaret) - one should deal with, he should act

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of samācar

optative mood

3rd person singular active, with prefixes sam-ā

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: car (class 1)

अर्थे (arthe) - for a specific purpose (artha) (in a matter of purpose, for a sake of gain, in a transaction)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - purpose, meaning, wealth, advantage, object

Note: 'in a matter of...'.

तु (tu) - but, on the other hand, indeed

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

शक्यते (śakyate) - one may be exploited/used (is possible, one is able)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (lat) of śak

present passive indicative

3rd person singular passive, from śak (class 5)

Root: śak (class 5)

Note: Used with an infinitive bhoktum 'to be possible to enjoy'.

भोक्तुम् (bhoktum) - to be used/exploited (to enjoy, to consume, to use, to experience)

(indeclinable)

infinitive

infinitive (tumun suffix)

Root: bhuj (class 7)

Note: 'to be eaten/enjoyed/used' when used with śakyate.

कृतकार्यः (kṛtakāryaḥ) - a person who has accomplished their task (karma) (one who has accomplished a task, one whose work is done)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kṛtakārya

kṛtakārya - one who has achieved his purpose, accomplished his task

from kṛta (done) + kārya (task)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (kṛta+kārya)

• kṛta – done, made, performed
  past passive participle (neuter)
  past passive participle
  from root kṛ
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• kārya – to be done, duty, task, work, business
  noun (neuter)
  gerundive
  from root kṛ + ṇyat suffix
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Subject of avamanyate.

अवमन्यते (avamanyate) - is despised, is slighted, is disrespected

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (lat) of avaman

present passive indicative

3rd person singular passive, with prefix ava- (class 4, atmanepada)

Prefix: ava

Root: man (class 4)

Note: ātmanepada termination implies passive here.

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverb of inference, ablative of tad.

सर्वाणि (sarvāṇi) - all, entire

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, entire

Note: Qualifies kāryāṇi.

कार्याणि (kāryāṇi) - tasks, duties, works

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of kārya

kārya - to be done, duty, task, work, business

gerundive

from root kṛ + ṇyat suffix

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Object of kārayet.

सावशेषाणि (sāvaśeṣāṇi) - with a remainder, incomplete, partially done

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, plural of sāvaśeṣa

sāvaśeṣa - having a remainder, not entirely finished, incomplete

from sa (with) + avaśeṣa (remainder)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (sa+avaśeṣa)

• sa – with, together with
  indeclinable
• avaśeṣa – remainder, rest, remnant
  noun (masculine)
  from ava-śiṣ (to leave over)
  Prefix: ava
  Root: śiṣ (class 7)

Note: Qualifies kāryāṇi.

कारयेत् (kārayet) - one should cause to be done, he should make (someone) do

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of kār

optative mood (causative)

3rd person singular active, causative form of kṛ

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Causative of kṛ.