महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-154, verse-3

महानयं धर्मपथो बहुशाखश्च भारत ।
किं स्विदेवेह धर्माणामनुष्ठेयतमं मतम् ॥३॥

3. mahānayaṁ dharmapatho bahuśākhaśca bhārata ,
kiṁ svideveha dharmāṇāmanuṣṭheyatamaṁ matam.

3. mahān ayam dharmapathaḥ bahuśākhaḥ ca bhārata |
kim svit eva iha dharmāṇām anuṣṭheyatamam matam

3. bhārata ayam mahān ca bahuśākhaḥ dharmapathaḥ
iha dharmāṇām kim svit eva anuṣṭheyatamam matam?

3. This path of natural law (dharma) is vast and multi-branched, O Bhārata. What then, among these numerous aspects of natural law (dharma), is considered the most important to be observed here?

Words meanings summery:

• महान् (mahān) - great, large, mighty

• अयम् (ayam) - this

• धर्मपथः (dharmapathaḥ) - path of natural law

• बहुशाखः (bahuśākhaḥ) - multi-branched, having many branches

• च (ca) - and, also

• भारत (bhārata) - O Yudhishthira (as a descendant of Bharata) (O Bhārata (descendant of Bharata))

• किम् (kim) - what

• स्वित् (svit) - indeed, pray, then

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly

• इह (iha) - here, in this world

• धर्माणाम् (dharmāṇām) - among the natural laws, of the dharmas

• अनुष्ठेयतमम् (anuṣṭheyatamam) - the most to be practiced/observed

• मतम् (matam) - considered, thought, opinion

Words meanings and morphology

महान् (mahān) - great, large, mighty

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, extensive, mighty, noble

अयम् (ayam) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this (demonstrative pronoun)

धर्मपथः (dharmapathaḥ) - path of natural law

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharmapatha

dharmapatha - path of dharma/righteousness, virtuous path

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (dharma+patha)

• dharma – natural law, righteousness, duty, constitution, virtue
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• patha – path, road, way
  noun (masculine)

बहुशाखः (bahuśākhaḥ) - multi-branched, having many branches

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bahuśākha

bahuśākha - having many branches

Compound describing something with numerous branches

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (bahu+śākha)

• bahu – many, much, numerous
  adjective
• śākha – branch, bough
  noun (feminine)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

भारत (bhārata) - O Yudhishthira (as a descendant of Bharata) (O Bhārata (descendant of Bharata))

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bhārata

bhārata - descendant of Bharata, relating to Bharata, an inhabitant of Bhāratavarṣa

किम् (kim) - what

(interrogative pronoun)

स्वित् (svit) - indeed, pray, then

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly

(indeclinable)

इह (iha) - here, in this world

(indeclinable)

धर्माणाम् (dharmāṇām) - among the natural laws, of the dharmas

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of dharma

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

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

अनुष्ठेयतमम् (anuṣṭheyatamam) - the most to be practiced/observed

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anuṣṭheyatama

anuṣṭheyatama - most to be performed, most commendable for practice, most proper to be observed

Superlative form of 'anuṣṭheya' (gerundive)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (anuṣṭheya+tama)

• anuṣṭheya – to be practiced, to be performed, to be observed
  adjective (neuter)
  Gerundive (Potential Passive Participle)
  From root 'sthā' with prefix 'anu', + '-eya' suffix
  Prefix: anu
  Root: sthā (class 1)
• tama – most, extremely (superlative suffix)
  suffix (neuter)

मतम् (matam) - considered, thought, opinion

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mata

mata - thought, considered, approved, opinion, belief

Past Passive Participle

From root 'man' (to think)

Root: man (class 4)