महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-156, verse-26

अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम् ।
अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेवातिरिच्यते ॥२६॥

26. aśvamedhasahasraṁ ca satyaṁ ca tulayā dhṛtam ,
aśvamedhasahasrāddhi satyamevātiricyate.

26. aśvamedhasahasram ca satyam ca tulayā dhṛtam
aśvamedhasahasrāt hi satyam eva atiricyate

26. aśvamedhasahasram ca satyam ca tulayā dhṛtam
hi aśvamedhasahasrāt satyam eva atiricyate

26. A thousand horse sacrifices and truth (satya) were weighed on a balance. Indeed, truth alone surpasses a thousand horse sacrifices.

Words meanings summery:

• अश्वमेधसहस्रम् (aśvamedhasahasram) - a thousand horse sacrifices

• च (ca) - and

• सत्यम् (satyam) - truth

• च (ca) - and

• तुलया (tulayā) - by a balance, with a scale

• धृतम् (dhṛtam) - held or weighed (on a balance) (held, supported, borne, weighed)

• अश्वमेधसहस्रात् (aśvamedhasahasrāt) - from a thousand horse sacrifices

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

• सत्यम् (satyam) - truth

• एव (eva) - alone, only, indeed

• अतिरिच्यते (atiricyate) - surpasses (in importance) (surpasses, excels, remains over)

Words meanings and morphology

अश्वमेधसहस्रम् (aśvamedhasahasram) - a thousand horse sacrifices

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of aśvamedhasahasra

aśvamedhasahasra - a thousand horse sacrifices

Dvigu compound indicating a collection of a thousand horse sacrifices.

Compound type : dvigu (aśvamedha+sahasra)

• aśvamedha – horse sacrifice (a grand Vedic ritual)
  noun (masculine)
• sahasra – a thousand
  noun (neuter)

Note: Also accusative singular neuter, but contextually functions as one of the subjects being weighed.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

सत्यम् (satyam) - truth

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of satya

satya - truth, reality, sincerity

Derived from 'sat' (being, existence, good).

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Also accusative singular neuter, but contextually functions as one of the subjects being weighed.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

तुलया (tulayā) - by a balance, with a scale

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of tulā

tulā - balance, scale, equality, similarity

Root: tul (class 1)

Note: Indicates the instrument by which the action is performed.

धृतम् (dhṛtam) - held or weighed (on a balance) (held, supported, borne, weighed)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of dhṛta

dhṛta - held, borne, supported, maintained, weighed

Past Passive Participle

Derived from the root 'dhṛ' (to hold, bear).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'aśvamedhasahasram' and 'satyam'.

अश्वमेधसहस्रात् (aśvamedhasahasrāt) - from a thousand horse sacrifices

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of aśvamedhasahasra

aśvamedhasahasra - a thousand horse sacrifices

Dvigu compound indicating a collection of a thousand horse sacrifices.

Compound type : dvigu (aśvamedha+sahasra)

• aśvamedha – horse sacrifice (a grand Vedic ritual)
  noun (masculine)
• sahasra – a thousand
  noun (neuter)

Note: Used to express comparison, meaning 'than a thousand horse sacrifices'.

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

सत्यम् (satyam) - truth

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of satya

satya - truth, reality, sincerity

Derived from 'sat' (being, existence, good).

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Subject of 'atiricyate'.

एव (eva) - alone, only, indeed

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle, highlights 'satyam'.

अतिरिच्यते (atiricyate) - surpasses (in importance) (surpasses, excels, remains over)

(verb)

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

Present tense, 3rd person singular, passive voice

Root 'ric' (to leave) with prefix 'ati' (over, beyond). The passive form often takes an ablative to mean 'surpasses'.

Prefix: ati

Root: ric (class 7)

Note: The passive form 'atiricyate' can convey an active sense of 'surpassing' when combined with an ablative of comparison.