महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-169, verse-5

धीरः किं स्वित्तात कुर्यात्प्रजानन्क्षिप्रं ह्यायुर्भ्रश्यते मानवानाम् ।
पितस्तदाचक्ष्व यथार्थयोगं ममानुपूर्व्या येन धर्मं चरेयम् ॥५॥

5. dhīraḥ kiṁ svittāta kuryātprajāna;nkṣipraṁ hyāyurbhraśyate mānavānām ,
pitastadācakṣva yathārthayogaṁ; mamānupūrvyā yena dharmaṁ careyam.

5. dhīraḥ kim svit tāta kuryāt prajānan
kṣipram hi āyuḥ bhraśyate mānavānām
pitaḥ tat ācakṣva yathārthayogam
mama anupūrvyā yena dharmam careyam

5. tāta mānavānām āyuḥ kṣipram hi
bhraśyate prajānan dhīraḥ kim svit kuryāt
pitaḥ mama anupūrvyā yena dharmam
careyam tat yathārthayogam ācakṣva

5. O father (tāta), what indeed should a steadfast person do, knowing that the lifespan of human beings swiftly diminishes? Therefore, O father (pitas), explain to me the true path in due order, by which I may practice my intrinsic nature (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• धीरः (dhīraḥ) - a steadfast one, a wise person, a firm individual

• किम् (kim) - what

• स्वित् (svit) - indeed, pray, possibly

• तात (tāta) - O father, dear one

• कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - should do, may do

• प्रजानन् (prajānan) - knowing well, understanding

• क्षिप्रम् (kṣipram) - swiftly, quickly

• हि (hi) - for, because, indeed

• आयुः (āyuḥ) - life, lifespan, duration of life

• भ्रश्यते (bhraśyate) - wastes away, falls, decays, diminishes

• मानवानाम् (mānavānām) - of human beings, of mankind

• पितः (pitaḥ) - O father

• तत् (tat) - that

• आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - tell, explain

• यथार्थयोगम् (yathārthayogam) - the true path, the proper method

• मम (mama) - for me, my

• अनुपूर्व्या (anupūrvyā) - in due order, successively

• येन (yena) - by which

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - my intrinsic nature (dharma) (natural law (dharma), duty, righteousness)

• चरेयम् (careyam) - I may practice, I may follow

Words meanings and morphology

धीरः (dhīraḥ) - a steadfast one, a wise person, a firm individual

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhīra

dhīra - firm, steady, resolute, patient, wise, brave

किम् (kim) - what

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which (interrogative pronoun)

Note: Used adverbially here as 'what indeed'.

स्वित् (svit) - indeed, pray, possibly

(indeclinable)

तात (tāta) - O father, dear one

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of tāta

tāta - father (term of endearment), dear, revered

कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - should do, may do

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of kṛ

Root: kṛ (class 8)

प्रजानन् (prajānan) - knowing well, understanding

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of prajānat

prajānat - knowing, understanding, discerning

Present Active Participle

From root 'jñā' (to know) with prefix 'pra'

Prefix: pra

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Qualifies 'dhīraḥ'.

क्षिप्रम् (kṣipram) - swiftly, quickly

(indeclinable)

Note: Used adverbially.

हि (hi) - for, because, indeed

(indeclinable)

आयुः (āyuḥ) - life, lifespan, duration of life

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of āyus

āyus - life, vital power, duration of life

भ्रश्यते (bhraśyate) - wastes away, falls, decays, diminishes

(verb)

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

Passive/Middle voice form of root bhraṃś/bhraś

Root: bhraṃś (class 1)

मानवानाम् (mānavānām) - of human beings, of mankind

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of mānava

mānava - human, belonging to Manu, son of Manu, man

Derived from 'manu' (man)

पितः (pitaḥ) - O father

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitṛ

pitṛ - father, ancestor

तत् (tat) - that

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - tell, explain

(verb)

2nd person , singular, middle, imperative (loṭ) of ācakṣ

Prefix: ā

Root: cakṣ (class 2)

यथार्थयोगम् (yathārthayogam) - the true path, the proper method

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of yathārthayoga

yathārthayoga - the proper way, the true path, right method

Compound type : Avyayībhāva-Tatpuruṣa (yathā+artha+yoga)

• yathā – as, like, according to
  indeclinable
• artha – meaning, purpose, true nature
  noun (masculine)
• yoga – method, path, discipline, union
  noun (masculine)
  Root: yuj (class 7)

मम (mama) - for me, my

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me (first person pronoun)

अनुपूर्व्या (anupūrvyā) - in due order, successively

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of anupūrvī

anupūrvī - due order, regular succession

Derived from 'anupūrva' (in regular succession)

Note: Used adverbially.

येन (yena) - by which

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, who, what (relative pronoun)

धर्मम् (dharmam) - my intrinsic nature (dharma) (natural law (dharma), duty, righteousness)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness, virtue, custom

From root 'dhṛ' (to uphold, support)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

चरेयम् (careyam) - I may practice, I may follow

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of car

Root: car (class 1)