महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-152, verse-2

भीष्म उवाच ।
पापस्य यदधिष्ठानं तच्छृणुष्व नराधिप ।
एको लोभो महाग्राहो लोभात्पापं प्रवर्तते ॥२॥

2. bhīṣma uvāca ,
pāpasya yadadhiṣṭhānaṁ tacchṛṇuṣva narādhipa ,
eko lobho mahāgrāho lobhātpāpaṁ pravartate.

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca pāpasya yat adhiṣṭhānam tat śṛṇuṣva
narādhipa ekaḥ lobhaḥ mahāgrāhaḥ lobhāt pāpam pravartate

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca narādhipa pāpasya yat adhiṣṭhānam tat
śṛṇuṣva ekaḥ lobhaḥ mahāgrāhaḥ lobhāt pāpam pravartate

2. Bhīṣma said: 'O king of men, listen to what is the basis of sin. Greed is the sole great monster; from greed, sin originates.'

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhīṣma

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• पापस्य (pāpasya) - of sin, of evil

• यत् (yat) - which, what

• अधिष्ठानम् (adhiṣṭhānam) - basis, seat, support, location

• तत् (tat) - that

• शृणुष्व (śṛṇuṣva) - listen, hear

• नराधिप (narādhipa) - O Yudhiṣṭhira (O king of men, O ruler of men)

• एकः (ekaḥ) - one, sole, only

• लोभः (lobhaḥ) - greed, covetousness

• महाग्राहः (mahāgrāhaḥ) - great monster, great captor, great crocodile

• लोभात् (lobhāt) - from greed

• पापम् (pāpam) - sin, evil

• प्रवर्तते (pravartate) - proceeds, originates, arises

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhīṣma

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - terrible, formidable (a proper noun)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of vac

Root: vac (class 2)

पापस्य (pāpasya) - of sin, of evil

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of pāpa

pāpa - sin, evil, wickedness, bad action

यत् (yat) - which, what

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what, that

Note: Relative pronoun introducing a clause.

अधिष्ठानम् (adhiṣṭhānam) - basis, seat, support, location

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of adhiṣṭhāna

adhiṣṭhāna - a standing or staying upon, superintendence, residence, basis, seat, support

Derived from root sthā (to stand) with prefix adhi-.

Prefix: adhi

Root: sthā (class 1)

तत् (tat) - that

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this

Note: Refers to the basis of sin (yad adhiṣṭhānam).

शृणुष्व (śṛṇuṣva) - listen, hear

(verb)

2nd person , singular, middle, imperative (lot) of śru

Root: śru (class 5)

नराधिप (narādhipa) - O Yudhiṣṭhira (O king of men, O ruler of men)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of narādhipa

narādhipa - king of men, ruler of men

Compound type : tatpurusha (nara+adhipa)

• nara – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• adhipa – ruler, lord, master
  noun (masculine)

Note: Used as an address to Yudhiṣṭhira.

एकः (ekaḥ) - one, sole, only

(numeral)

Note: Agrees with lobhaḥ.

लोभः (lobhaḥ) - greed, covetousness

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of lobha

lobha - greed, covetousness, desire

Derived from root lubh (to covet, be greedy)

Root: lubh (class 4)

महाग्राहः (mahāgrāhaḥ) - great monster, great captor, great crocodile

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mahāgrāha

mahāgrāha - a great crocodile or monster, a great captor

Compound type : karmadharaya (mahā+grāha)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• grāha – seizer, captor, crocodile, monster
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root grah (to seize, take)
  Root: grah (class 9)

Note: Metaphorically, greed is compared to a dangerous monster.

लोभात् (lobhāt) - from greed

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of lobha

lobha - greed, covetousness, desire

Derived from root lubh (to covet, be greedy)

Root: lubh (class 4)

पापम् (pāpam) - sin, evil

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pāpa

pāpa - sin, evil, wickedness, bad action

प्रवर्तते (pravartate) - proceeds, originates, arises

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (lat) of pravṛt

Prefix: pra

Root: vṛt (class 1)