महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-140, verse-31

नैवोग्रं नैव चानुग्रं धर्मेणेह प्रशस्यते ।
उभयं न व्यतिक्रामेदुग्रो भूत्वा मृदुर्भव ॥३१॥

31. naivograṁ naiva cānugraṁ dharmeṇeha praśasyate ,
ubhayaṁ na vyatikrāmedugro bhūtvā mṛdurbhava.

31. na eva ugram na eva ca anugram dharmeṇa iha praśasyate
ubhayam na vyatikrāmet ugraḥ bhūtvā mṛduḥ bhava

31. iha dharmeṇa ugram ca eva anugram ca eva na praśasyate
ubhayam na vyatikrāmet ugraḥ bhūtvā mṛduḥ bhava

31. Here, neither excessive harshness nor excessive leniency is praised according to righteousness (dharma). One should not deviate from a balanced approach; rather, after demonstrating firmness, one should become gentle.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, neither

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, very

• उग्रम् (ugram) - harshness, severity, fierce

• न (na) - not, neither

• एव (eva) - indeed, only

• च (ca) - and, also

• अनुग्रम् (anugram) - not harsh, mild

• धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by dharma, according to natural law

• इह (iha) - here, in this world/matter

• प्रशस्यते (praśasyate) - is praised, is recommended

• उभयम् (ubhayam) - both (harshness and leniency)

• न (na) - not

• व्यतिक्रामेत् (vyatikrāmet) - should transgress, should go beyond, should deviate from

• उग्रः (ugraḥ) - fierce, harsh

• भूत्वा (bhūtvā) - having been, after being

• मृदुः (mṛduḥ) - gentle, soft, mild

• भव (bhava) - be, become

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, neither

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, only, very

(indeclinable)

उग्रम् (ugram) - harshness, severity, fierce

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of ugra

ugra - fierce, terrible, severe, harsh, powerful

Note: Used adverbially or as the object of implied 'praising'.

न (na) - not, neither

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, only

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

अनुग्रम् (anugram) - not harsh, mild

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of anugra

anugra - not fierce, mild, gentle

Compound type : Nañ-Tatpurusha (an+ugra)

• an – not, non-, un- (negative prefix, used before vowels)
  indeclinable
• ugra – fierce, harsh, severe
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Used adverbially or as the object of implied 'praising'.

धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by dharma, according to natural law

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma

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

Root: dhṛ

इह (iha) - here, in this world/matter

(indeclinable)

प्रशस्यते (praśasyate) - is praised, is recommended

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, Present (Laṭ) of praśas

Present tense, 3rd person singular

Prefix: pra

Root: śas (class 2)

उभयम् (ubhayam) - both (harshness and leniency)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of ubhaya

ubhaya - both

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

व्यतिक्रामेत् (vyatikrāmet) - should transgress, should go beyond, should deviate from

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, Optative (Vidhiliṅ) of vyatikram

Optative, 3rd person singular

Prefixes: vi+ati

Root: kram (class 1)

उग्रः (ugraḥ) - fierce, harsh

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ugra

ugra - fierce, terrible, severe, harsh, powerful

भूत्वा (bhūtvā) - having been, after being

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Absolutive form

मृदुः (mṛduḥ) - gentle, soft, mild

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mṛdu

mṛdu - soft, tender, gentle, mild, weak

भव (bhava) - be, become

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, Imperative (Loṭ) of bhū

Imperative, 2nd person singular

Root: bhū (class 1)