महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-161, verse-35

श्रेयः पुष्पफलं काष्ठात्कामो धर्मार्थयोर्वरः ।
पुष्पतो मध्विव रसः कामात्संजायते सुखम् ॥३५॥

35. śreyaḥ puṣpaphalaṁ kāṣṭhātkāmo dharmārthayorvaraḥ ,
puṣpato madhviva rasaḥ kāmātsaṁjāyate sukham.

35. śreyaḥ puṣpaphalam kāṣṭhāt kāmaḥ dharmārthayoḥ varaḥ
puṣpataḥ madhu iva rasaḥ kāmāt saṃjāyate sukham

35. kāṣṭhāt puṣpaphalam śreyaḥ.
dharmārthayoḥ kāmaḥ varaḥ.
puṣpataḥ madhu iva rasaḥ,
kāmāt sukham saṃjāyate.

35. Flowers and fruits are superior to mere wood. Among righteous conduct (dharma) and material prosperity (artha), pleasure (kāma) is the best. Just as the essence (rasa) of flowers (like honey) is extracted, so too happiness (sukham) arises from pleasure (kāma).

Words meanings summery:

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, superior, more excellent

• पुष्पफलम् (puṣpaphalam) - flower and fruit, fruit of flowering plants

• काष्ठात् (kāṣṭhāt) - from wood, from a piece of wood

• कामः (kāmaḥ) - desire, pleasure, love

• धर्मार्थयोः (dharmārthayoḥ) - among dharma and artha, concerning dharma and artha

• वरः (varaḥ) - best, excellent, superior

• पुष्पतः (puṣpataḥ) - from flowers

• मधु (madhu) - honey, sweet, nectar

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• रसः (rasaḥ) - essence, juice, taste, sentiment

• कामात् (kāmāt) - from desire, from pleasure

• संजायते (saṁjāyate) - is born, arises, originates

• सुखम् (sukham) - happiness, joy, comfort

Words meanings and morphology

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, superior, more excellent

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, superior, more excellent, welfare, good fortune

Comparative form of śrī (fortune) or praśasya (excellent)

पुष्पफलम् (puṣpaphalam) - flower and fruit, fruit of flowering plants

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of puṣpaphala

puṣpaphala - flowers and fruits, fruit of flowering plants

Compound type : dvandva (puṣpa+phala)

• puṣpa – flower, blossom
  noun (neuter)
  Root: puṣ (class 4)
• phala – fruit, result, consequence
  noun (neuter)
  Root: phal (class 1)

काष्ठात् (kāṣṭhāt) - from wood, from a piece of wood

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of kāṣṭha

kāṣṭha - wood, piece of wood, timber

कामः (kāmaḥ) - desire, pleasure, love

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kāma

kāma - desire, wish, longing, love, pleasure, enjoyment

From root KAM (to desire)

Root: kam (class 1)

धर्मार्थयोः (dharmārthayoḥ) - among dharma and artha, concerning dharma and artha

(noun)

Locative, masculine, dual of dharma-artha

dharma-artha - righteousness and wealth, virtue and prosperity

Compound type : dvandva (dharma+artha)

• dharma – intrinsic nature, law, duty, righteousness, virtue, religion, constitution
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• artha – aim, purpose, meaning, wealth, material possession, prosperity
  noun (masculine)

Note: Refers to the two goals of human life (puruṣārthas).

वरः (varaḥ) - best, excellent, superior

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, principal, choice, boon, bridegroom

From root VṚ (to choose)

Root: vṛ (class 9)

पुष्पतः (puṣpataḥ) - from flowers

(indeclinable)

Root: puṣ (class 4)

Note: The suffix `-tas` (तस्) is added to the noun to give it an ablative sense, thus making the resulting form function as an indeclinable adverbial expression.

मधु (madhu) - honey, sweet, nectar

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of madhu

madhu - honey, sweet, nectar, wine

Note: Here used in simile, 'like honey'.

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

रसः (rasaḥ) - essence, juice, taste, sentiment

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rasa

rasa - juice, sap, essence, taste, fluid, sentiment, emotion

From root RAS (to taste, feel)

Root: ras (class 1)

कामात् (kāmāt) - from desire, from pleasure

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of kāma

kāma - desire, wish, longing, love, pleasure, enjoyment

From root KAM (to desire)

Root: kam (class 1)

संजायते (saṁjāyate) - is born, arises, originates

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of jan

From root JAN, with prefix SAM. The verb `jāyate` itself is an atmanepada form. Saṃ-jāyate implies 'is born together/fully/completely'.

Prefix: sam

Root: jan (class 4)

सुखम् (sukham) - happiness, joy, comfort

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sukha

sukha - happiness, joy, pleasure, comfort, ease