महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-139, verse-56

जानतोऽविहितो मार्गो न कार्यो धर्मसंकरः ।
मा स्म धर्मं परित्याक्षीस्त्वं हि धर्मविदुत्तमः ॥५६॥

56. jānato'vihito mārgo na kāryo dharmasaṁkaraḥ ,
mā sma dharmaṁ parityākṣīstvaṁ hi dharmaviduttamaḥ.

56. jānataḥ avihitaḥ mārgaḥ na kāryaḥ dharmasaṃkaraḥ mā
sma dharmam parityākṣīḥ tvam hi dharmaviduttamaḥ

56. jānataḥ avihitaḥ mārgaḥ na kāryaḥ dharmasaṃkaraḥ na kāryaḥ tvam hi dharmaviduttamaḥ,
[ataḥ] dharmam mā sma parityākṣīḥ

56. One who knows should not take a forbidden path, nor cause a confusion of the natural law (dharma). Do not abandon the natural law (dharma), for you are indeed the foremost among those who understand natural law (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• जानतः (jānataḥ) - by one who knows (of one who knows, by one who knows)

• अविहितः (avihitaḥ) - forbidden (not prescribed, not enjoined, forbidden)

• मार्गः (mārgaḥ) - path (path, way, road)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• कार्यः (kāryaḥ) - should be done (to be done, should be done)

• धर्मसंकरः (dharmasaṁkaraḥ) - confusion of the natural law (dharma) (confusion of dharma, intermingling of duties, moral confusion)

• मा (mā) - do not (do not (prohibitive particle))

• स्म (sma) - indeed (emphatic) (indeed, certainly (emphatic particle))

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - the natural law (dharma) (dharma, righteousness, duty)

• परित्याक्षीः (parityākṣīḥ) - you should abandon (you should abandon, you should give up)

• त्वम् (tvam) - you

• हि (hi) - for (indeed, because, for)

• धर्मविदुत्तमः (dharmaviduttamaḥ) - foremost among those who understand natural law (dharma) (best among those who know dharma, supreme knower of dharma)

Words meanings and morphology

जानतः (jānataḥ) - by one who knows (of one who knows, by one who knows)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of jānat

jānat - knowing, perceiving

Present active participle

Present active participle of root "jñā" (to know).

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Acting as the agent for the gerundive "kāryaḥ".

अविहितः (avihitaḥ) - forbidden (not prescribed, not enjoined, forbidden)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of avihita

avihita - not prescribed, not enjoined, forbidden

Past Passive Participle

Formed from "a" (negation) + "vi" (prefix) + root "dhā" (to place) + suffix "kta" (past passive participle).

Prefixes: a+vi

Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Agrees with "mārgaḥ".

मार्गः (mārgaḥ) - path (path, way, road)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mārga

mārga - path, road, way

From root "mṛg" (to seek) + suffix "a".

Root: mṛg (class 6)

Note: Subject of "kāryaḥ".

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates the action.

कार्यः (kāryaḥ) - should be done (to be done, should be done)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kārya

kārya - to be done, fit to be done, duty

Gerundive (kṛtya)

Gerundive of root "kṛ" (to do) + suffix "ya" (ṇyat).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Agrees with "mārgaḥ" and "dharmasaṃkaraḥ".

धर्मसंकरः (dharmasaṁkaraḥ) - confusion of the natural law (dharma) (confusion of dharma, intermingling of duties, moral confusion)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharmasaṃkara

dharmasaṁkara - confusion of natural law, intermixture of castes or duties

Tatpurusha compound of "dharma" (natural law) and "saṃkara" (mixture, confusion).

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+saṃkara)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  From root "dhṛ" (to hold, support) + suffix "man".
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• saṃkara – mixture, confusion, intermingling
  noun (masculine)
  From "sam" (prefix) + root "kṛ" (to scatter, mix) + suffix "a".
  Prefix: sam
  Root: kṛ (class 6)

Note: Subject of an implied "kāryaḥ".

मा (mā) - do not (do not (prohibitive particle))

(indeclinable)

Used with the injunctive to express prohibition.

Note: Always used with the injunctive to form a prohibition.

स्म (sma) - indeed (emphatic) (indeed, certainly (emphatic particle))

(indeclinable)

Here used with "mā" for stronger prohibition.

Note: Intensifies the prohibition.

धर्मम् (dharmam) - the natural law (dharma) (dharma, righteousness, duty)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness

From root "dhṛ" (to hold, support) + suffix "man".

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Object of "parityākṣīḥ".

परित्याक्षीः (parityākṣīḥ) - you should abandon (you should abandon, you should give up)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, aorist (luṅ) of parityaj

Aorist injunctive

Aorist injunctive 2nd person singular of root "tyaj" (to abandon) with prefixes "pari".

Prefix: pari

Root: tyaj (class 1)

Note: Follows the prohibitive particle "mā sma".

त्वम् (tvam) - you

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you

Note: Subject of "parityākṣīḥ" and predicate "dharmaviduttamaḥ".

हि (hi) - for (indeed, because, for)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects the reason.

धर्मविदुत्तमः (dharmaviduttamaḥ) - foremost among those who understand natural law (dharma) (best among those who know dharma, supreme knower of dharma)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharmaviduttama

dharmaviduttama - best among the knowers of natural law

Compound: "dharma" (natural law) + "vid" (knower) + "uttama" (best). A tatpurusha compound where "uttama" modifies "dharmavid".

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharmavid+uttama)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  From root "dhṛ" (to hold, support) + suffix "man".
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• vid – knowing, wise; a knower
  noun (masculine)
  From root "vid" (to know) + suffix "kvip".
  Root: vid (class 2)
• uttama – best, excellent, highest
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative degree of "ud" (up, forth).

Note: Predicate adjective for "tvam".