महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-155, verse-1

भीष्म उवाच ।
सर्वमेतत्तपोमूलं कवयः परिचक्षते ।
न ह्यतप्ततपा मूढः क्रियाफलमवाप्यते ॥१॥

1. bhīṣma uvāca ,
sarvametattapomūlaṁ kavayaḥ paricakṣate ,
na hyataptatapā mūḍhaḥ kriyāphalamavāpyate.

1. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca sarvam etat tapomūlam kavayaḥ paricakṣate
na hi ataptatapāḥ mūḍhaḥ kriyāphalam avāpyate

1. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca kavayaḥ etat sarvam tapomūlam paricakṣate.
hi ataptatapāḥ mūḍhaḥ kriyāphalam na avāpyate

1. Bhishma said: The wise (kavayaḥ) declare that all this (existence) has its root in asceticism (tapas). For indeed, a deluded person (mūḍhaḥ) who has not performed asceticism (tapas) does not attain the fruit of action (karma).

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma (the speaker) (Bhishma)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• सर्वम् (sarvam) - all this (existence) (all, whole, everything)

• एतत् (etat) - this (modifies 'sarvam') (this)

• तपोमूलम् (tapomūlam) - has its root in asceticism (tapas) (having its root in asceticism (tapas))

• कवयः (kavayaḥ) - the wise (kavayaḥ) (poets, sages, the wise)

• परिचक्षते (paricakṣate) - they declare (they declare, they explain, they teach)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

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

• अतप्ततपाः (ataptatapāḥ) - one who has not performed asceticism (tapas) (one whose asceticism (tapas) has not been performed)

• मूढः (mūḍhaḥ) - a deluded person (mūḍhaḥ) (foolish, deluded, stupid person)

• क्रियाफलम् (kriyāphalam) - the fruit of his actions (karma) (fruit of action, result of deed)

• अवाप्यते (avāpyate) - does not attain (is obtained, is achieved, is gained)

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma (the speaker) (Bhishma)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhishma (a prominent character in the Mahābhārata)

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

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

Perfect active

Third person singular, Perfect active, of root √vac

Root: vac (class 2)

सर्वम् (sarvam) - all this (existence) (all, whole, everything)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, entire

Note: Also accusative singular neuter. Here as subject.

एतत् (etat) - this (modifies 'sarvam') (this)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, that

Note: Qualifies 'sarvam'.

तपोमूलम् (tapomūlam) - has its root in asceticism (tapas) (having its root in asceticism (tapas))

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tapomūla

tapomūla - having asceticism as its root, based on penance

Compound: tapas (asceticism) + mūla (root)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tapas+mūla)

• tapas – asceticism, penance, heat
  noun (neuter)
  Root: tap
• mūla – root, origin, foundation, base
  noun (neuter)

Note: Predicate adjective for 'sarvam etat'.

कवयः (kavayaḥ) - the wise (kavayaḥ) (poets, sages, the wise)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kavi

kavi - poet, sage, wise person, seer

Note: Subject of 'paricakṣate'.

परिचक्षते (paricakṣate) - they declare (they declare, they explain, they teach)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (lat) of cakṣ

Present Middle

Third person plural, Present Middle, of root √cakṣ with prefix 'pari'

Prefix: pari

Root: cakṣ (class 2)

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Negating particle

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

(indeclinable)

Particle indicating emphasis or cause

अतप्ततपाः (ataptatapāḥ) - one who has not performed asceticism (tapas) (one whose asceticism (tapas) has not been performed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ataptatapas

ataptatapas - one who has not performed asceticism, without penance

Bahuvrīhi compound: a (not) + tapta (performed/heated) + tapas (asceticism).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+tapta+tapas)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  negative prefix
• tapta – heated, performed, undergone
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  from √tap (to heat, to perform penance)
  Root: tap
• tapas – asceticism, penance, heat
  noun (neuter)
  Root: tap

Note: Qualifies 'mūḍhaḥ'.

मूढः (mūḍhaḥ) - a deluded person (mūḍhaḥ) (foolish, deluded, stupid person)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mūḍha

mūḍha - foolish, deluded, bewildered, stupid

Past Passive Participle

From √muh (to be bewildered, to err)

Root: muh (class 4)

Note: Subject of 'avāpyate'.

क्रियाफलम् (kriyāphalam) - the fruit of his actions (karma) (fruit of action, result of deed)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kriyāphala

kriyāphala - fruit of action, result of work

Compound: kriyā (action) + phala (fruit/result)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kriyā+phala)

• kriyā – action, deed, ritual, performance
  noun (feminine)
  from √kṛ (to do)
  Root: kṛ
• phala – fruit, result, consequence, reward
  noun (neuter)

Note: Object of 'avāpyate'.

अवाप्यते (avāpyate) - does not attain (is obtained, is achieved, is gained)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (lat) of āp

Present Passive

Third person singular, Present Passive, of root √āp with prefix 'ava'

Prefix: ava

Root: āp (class 5)

Note: Combined with 'na' for negation.