महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-154, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
स्वाध्यायकृतयत्नस्य ब्राह्मणस्य पितामह ।
धर्मकामस्य धर्मात्मन्किं नु श्रेय इहोच्यते ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
svādhyāyakṛtayatnasya brāhmaṇasya pitāmaha ,
dharmakāmasya dharmātmankiṁ nu śreya ihocyate.

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca | svādhyāyakṛtayatnasya brāhmaṇasya
pitāmaha | dharmakāmasya dharmātman kim nu śreyaḥ iha ucyate

1. pitāmaha dharmātman yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca svādhyāyakṛtayatnasya
dharmakāmasya brāhmaṇasya iha kim nu śreyaḥ ucyate

1. Yudhishthira said: O Grandfather, O righteous one (dharma-ātman), what indeed is declared here as the highest good for a Brahmin who has made diligent effort in self-study (svādhyāya) and is desirous of upholding the natural law (dharma)?

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhishthira

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• स्वाध्यायकृतयत्नस्य (svādhyāyakṛtayatnasya) - of one who has made effort in self-study

• ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of a Brahmin

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Grandfather Bhishma (O Grandfather)

• धर्मकामस्य (dharmakāmasya) - of one desirous of natural law/righteousness

• धर्मात्मन् (dharmātman) - O righteous one

• किम् (kim) - what

• नु (nu) - indeed, surely

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - highest good, auspiciousness, welfare

• इह (iha) - here, in this world

• उच्यते (ucyate) - is said, is declared

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhishthira

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhishthira (name of the eldest Pandava brother)

Compound type : aluk tatpuruṣa (yudhi+sthira)

• yudh – battle, fight
  noun (feminine)
• sthira – firm, steady, stable
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root 'sthā' (to stand)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect tense form (liṭ)

Root: vac (class 2)

स्वाध्यायकृतयत्नस्य (svādhyāyakṛtayatnasya) - of one who has made effort in self-study

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of svādhyāyakṛtayatna

svādhyāyakṛtayatna - one who has made effort in self-study/recitation of sacred texts

Compound describing a person whose effort is dedicated to svādhyāya

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (svādhyāya+kṛta+yatna)

• svādhyāya – self-study, recitation of sacred texts, Vedic study
  noun (masculine)
  Compound of 'sva' (self) and 'adhyāya' (study)
  Prefix: adhi
  Root: i (class 2)
• kṛta – done, made, performed
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'kṛ' (to do, to make)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• yatna – effort, exertion, endeavor
  noun (masculine)
  Root: yat (class 1)

ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of a Brahmin

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class; relating to Brahman or the Vedas

Derived from 'brahman' (Vedic text, sacred power)

पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Grandfather Bhishma (O Grandfather)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather, a venerable elder

Compound of 'pitṛ' (father) and 'maha' (great)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pitṛ+maha)

• pitṛ – father
  noun (masculine)
• maha – great
  adjective (masculine)

धर्मकामस्य (dharmakāmasya) - of one desirous of natural law/righteousness

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of dharmakāma

dharmakāma - desirous of dharma, wishing for righteousness

Compound describing a person whose desire is dharma

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dharma+kāma)

• dharma – natural law, righteousness, duty, constitution, virtue
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• kāma – desire, wish, love; desirous
  noun (masculine)
  Root: kam (class 1)

धर्मात्मन् (dharmātman) - O righteous one

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of dharmātman

dharmātman - righteous-souled, one whose soul/nature is dharma

Compound describing a person with a righteous nature

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dharma+ātman)

• dharma – natural law, righteousness, duty, constitution, virtue
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence
  noun (masculine)

किम् (kim) - what

(interrogative pronoun)

नु (nu) - indeed, surely

(indeclinable)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - highest good, auspiciousness, welfare

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, more excellent, highest good, welfare, ultimate advantage

Comparative form of 'śrī' or 'praśasya'

इह (iha) - here, in this world

(indeclinable)

उच्यते (ucyate) - is said, is declared

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of vac

Present tense, ātmanepada (middle voice) passive form

Root: vac (class 2)