महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-139, verse-61

यथा यथा वै जीवेद्धि तत्कर्तव्यमपीडया ।
जीवितं मरणाच्छ्रेयो जीवन्धर्ममवाप्नुयात् ॥६१॥

61. yathā yathā vai jīveddhi tatkartavyamapīḍayā ,
jīvitaṁ maraṇācchreyo jīvandharmamavāpnuyāt.

61. yathā yathā vai jīvet hi tat kartavyam apīḍayā
jīvitam maraṇāt śreyaḥ jīvan dharmam avāpnuyāt

61. yathā yathā vai jīvet hi tat apīḍayā kartavyam
jīvitam maraṇāt śreyaḥ jīvan dharmam avāpnuyāt

61. In whatever way one may indeed live, that must be done without causing harm. Life is better than death, for by living, one can attain their natural law (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• यथा (yathā) - in whatever way (as, just as, in whichever way)

• यथा (yathā) - in whatever way (as, just as, in whichever way)

• वै (vai) - indeed (indeed, certainly, verily)

• जीवेत् (jīvet) - one may live (one should live, one may live)

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

• तत् (tat) - that (way of living) (that, it)

• कर्तव्यम् (kartavyam) - must be done (to be done, proper to be done, duty)

• अपीडया (apīḍayā) - without causing harm (without pain, without distress, without injury)

• जीवितम् (jīvitam) - life (life, living)

• मरणात् (maraṇāt) - than death (from death, than death)

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better (better, superior, more excellent, welfare)

• जीवन् (jīvan) - by living (living, while living)

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - their natural law (dharma) (natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue)

• अवाप्नुयात् (avāpnuyāt) - one can attain (one should obtain, one should attain)

Words meanings and morphology

यथा (yathā) - in whatever way (as, just as, in whichever way)

(indeclinable)

यथा (yathā) - in whatever way (as, just as, in whichever way)

(indeclinable)

वै (vai) - indeed (indeed, certainly, verily)

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

जीवेत् (jīvet) - one may live (one should live, one may live)

(verb)

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

Optative mood, 3rd person singular, active voice

Root: jīv (class 1)

हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, surely, for)

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle or causal conjunction.

तत् (tat) - that (way of living) (that, it)

(pronoun)

neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

कर्तव्यम् (kartavyam) - must be done (to be done, proper to be done, duty)

(participle)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kartavya

kartavya - to be done, ought to be done, duty

Gerundive (passive future participle)

From root kṛ (to do, make) with tavya suffix.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

अपीडया (apīḍayā) - without causing harm (without pain, without distress, without injury)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of apīḍā

apīḍā - freedom from pain/distress/injury, non-violence

From a (negation) + pīḍā (pain, injury).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+pīḍā)

• a – not, non
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• pīḍā – pain, torment, injury, distress
  noun (feminine)
  From root pīḍ (to vex, oppress).
  Root: pīḍ (class 10)

जीवितम् (jīvitam) - life (life, living)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jīvita

jīvita - life, living, livelihood

Past passive participle (often substantivized)

From root jīv (to live) with kta suffix.

Root: jīv (class 1)

मरणात् (maraṇāt) - than death (from death, than death)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of maraṇa

maraṇa - death, dying

From root mṛ (to die) with lyuṭ suffix.

Root: mṛ (class 6)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better (better, superior, more excellent, welfare)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, more excellent, welfare, supreme good

जीवन् (jīvan) - by living (living, while living)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of jīvat

jīvat - living, alive

Present active participle

From root jīv (to live) with śatṛ suffix.

Root: jīv (class 1)

धर्मम् (dharmam) - their natural law (dharma) (natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, intrinsic nature, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue, custom

From root dhṛ (to hold, support, uphold).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

अवाप्नुयात् (avāpnuyāt) - one can attain (one should obtain, one should attain)

(verb)

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

Optative mood, 3rd person singular, active voice

From root āp with prefix ava.

Prefix: ava

Root: āp (class 5)