महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-161, verse-8

धर्मो राजन्गुणश्रेष्ठो मध्यमो ह्यर्थ उच्यते ।
कामो यवीयानिति च प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः ।
तस्माद्धर्मप्रधानेन भवितव्यं यतात्मना ॥८॥

8. dharmo rājanguṇaśreṣṭho madhyamo hyartha ucyate ,
kāmo yavīyāniti ca pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ ,
tasmāddharmapradhānena bhavitavyaṁ yatātmanā.

8. dharmaḥ rājan guṇaśreṣṭhaḥ madhyamaḥ
hi arthaḥ ucyate kāmaḥ yavīyān iti
ca pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ tasmāt
dharma-pradhānena bhavitavyam yatātmanā

8. rājan dharmaḥ guṇaśreṣṭhaḥ hi arthaḥ
madhyamaḥ ucyate manīṣiṇaḥ ca kāmaḥ
yavīyān iti pravadanti tasmāt
yatātmanā dharma-pradhānena bhavitavyam

8. O King, natural law (dharma) is considered the foremost virtue; material prosperity (artha) is declared to be of middle importance. The wise (manīṣiṇaḥ) assert that desire (kāma) is the least significant. Therefore, one whose self is controlled (yatātman) must prioritize natural law (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, righteousness)

• राजन् (rājan) - O King

• गुणश्रेष्ठः (guṇaśreṣṭhaḥ) - the foremost virtue (best of qualities, highest virtue)

• मध्यमः (madhyamaḥ) - of middle importance, middling (middle, middling, intermediate)

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

• अर्थः (arthaḥ) - material prosperity (artha) (purpose, material prosperity)

• उच्यते (ucyate) - is declared to be (is said, is declared)

• कामः (kāmaḥ) - desire (kāma) (desire, pleasure, love)

• यवीयान् (yavīyān) - the least significant, inferior (younger, smaller, more insignificant)

• इति (iti) - thus, that (thus, so, this is what is said)

• च (ca) - and, also

• प्रवदन्ति (pravadanti) - they assert (they say, they declare, they assert)

• मनीषिणः (manīṣiṇaḥ) - the wise (manīṣiṇaḥ) (the wise, thinkers, intelligent ones)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

• धर्म-प्रधानेन (dharma-pradhānena) - having natural law (dharma) as the primary (goal) (with dharma as primary, prioritizing dharma)

• भवितव्यम् (bhavitavyam) - one must prioritize, one must become (one should be, it must be, one must exist)

• यतात्मना (yatātmanā) - by one whose self (ātman) is controlled (by the self-controlled, by one whose self is restrained)

Words meanings and morphology

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, righteousness)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, righteousness, duty, virtue, cosmic order, proper conduct

From root `dhṛ` (to hold, support).

Root: dhṛ

Note: Subject.

राजन् (rājan) - O King

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

`n`-stem masculine noun.

Root: rāj

गुणश्रेष्ठः (guṇaśreṣṭhaḥ) - the foremost virtue (best of qualities, highest virtue)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of guṇaśreṣṭha

guṇaśreṣṭha - best of qualities, highest virtue

Compound `guṇa` (quality) + `śreṣṭha` (best).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (guṇa+śreṣṭha)

• guṇa – quality, virtue, attribute, constituent
  noun (masculine)
• śreṣṭha – best, excellent, superior, chief
  adjective (masculine)
  superlative suffix
  Superlative of `praśasya` (praiseworthy).

Note: Predicate adjective for `dharmaḥ`.

मध्यमः (madhyamaḥ) - of middle importance, middling (middle, middling, intermediate)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of madhyama

madhyama - middle, intermediate, mediocre, central

From `madhya` (middle) + `ma` suffix.

Note: Predicate adjective for `arthaḥ`.

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

(indeclinable)

अर्थः (arthaḥ) - material prosperity (artha) (purpose, material prosperity)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - purpose, goal, meaning, wealth, material prosperity, object

From root `ṛ` (to go, move, attain).

Root: ṛ

Note: Subject.

उच्यते (ucyate) - is declared to be (is said, is declared)

(verb)

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

Root `vac` (2nd class `vakti`). Passive form `ucyate`.

Root: vac (class 2)

कामः (kāmaḥ) - desire (kāma) (desire, pleasure, love)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kāma

kāma - desire, wish, longing, pleasure, love

From root `kam` (to desire).

Root: kam (class 1)

Note: Subject.

यवीयान् (yavīyān) - the least significant, inferior (younger, smaller, more insignificant)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yavīyas

yavīyas - younger, smaller, weaker, more insignificant, inferior

comparative

Comparative degree of `yuvan` (young).

Note: Predicate adjective for `kāmaḥ`.

इति (iti) - thus, that (thus, so, this is what is said)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

Root: i

Note: Introduces the direct speech or thought.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

प्रवदन्ति (pravadanti) - they assert (they say, they declare, they assert)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of pravad

Root `vad` (1st class `vadati`) with `pra` prefix.

Prefix: pra

Root: vad (class 1)

मनीषिणः (manīṣiṇaḥ) - the wise (manīṣiṇaḥ) (the wise, thinkers, intelligent ones)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of manīṣin

manīṣin - wise, intelligent, sagacious, a sage, a thinker

`in`-stem masculine noun.

Root: man

Note: Subject of `pravadanti`.

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

(indeclinable)

Ablative singular of demonstrative pronoun `tad`.

धर्म-प्रधानेन (dharma-pradhānena) - having natural law (dharma) as the primary (goal) (with dharma as primary, prioritizing dharma)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma-pradhāna

dharma-pradhāna - having dharma as the chief or principal object, predominantly dharma

Compound `dharma` (natural law) + `pradhāna` (principal, chief).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dharma+pradhāna)

• dharma – natural law, righteousness, duty
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ
• pradhāna – chief, principal, main, preeminent
  adjective/noun (neuter)
  From `pra` + `dhā` + `ana` suffix.
  Prefix: pra
  Root: dhā (class 3)

भवितव्यम् (bhavitavyam) - one must prioritize, one must become (one should be, it must be, one must exist)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of bhavitavya

bhavitavya - to be, become, ought to be, must be, should happen

Gerundive (Potential Passive Participle)

From root `bhū` (to be) + `tavya` suffix.

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Impersonal construction, 'it should be by (instrumental agent)'.

यतात्मना (yatātmanā) - by one whose self (ātman) is controlled (by the self-controlled, by one whose self is restrained)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of yatātman

yatātman - self-controlled, restrained in self, disciplined spirit

Compound `yata` (controlled, restrained) + `ātman` (self). Bahuvrīhi compound.

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (yata+ātman)

• yata – controlled, restrained, self-restrained
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  From root `yam` (to restrain, control) + `kta` suffix.
  Root: yam (class 1)
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence, ego
  noun (masculine)
  `n`-stem masculine noun.
  Root: an

Note: Agent in impersonal `bhavitavyam`.