महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-170, verse-6

न वै चरसि यच्छ्रेय आत्मनो वा यदीहसे ।
अकामात्मापि हि सदा धुरमुद्यम्य चैव हि ॥६॥

6. na vai carasi yacchreya ātmano vā yadīhase ,
akāmātmāpi hi sadā dhuramudyamya caiva hi.

6. na vai carasi yat śreyaḥ ātmanaḥ vā yat īhase
akāmātmā api hi sadā dhuram udyamya ca eva hi

6. ātmanaḥ yat śreyaḥ vā yat īhase na vai carasi
hi akāmātmā api sadā dhuram udyamya ca eva hi

6. You certainly do not pursue what is truly beneficial for your self (ātman), nor what you desire. Yet, even one whose self (ātman) is free from desire (akāmātman) always undertakes a burden.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• वै (vai) - indeed, certainly (emphatic particle)

• चरसि (carasi) - you pursue, you practice (you move, you practice, you perform)

• यत् (yat) - what (which, what, that)

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - truly beneficial (good, better, welfare, ultimate good)

• आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of your self (ātman) (of the self, of oneself, of the soul)

• वा (vā) - nor (or, either...or)

• यत् (yat) - what (which, what, that)

• ईहसे (īhase) - you desire (you desire, you strive, you wish)

• अकामात्मा (akāmātmā) - one whose self (ātman) is free from desire (akāmātman) (one whose self is free from desire, desireless soul)

• अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

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

• सदा (sadā) - always (always, ever)

• धुरम् (dhuram) - a burden (burden, yoke, responsibility)

• उद्यम्य (udyamya) - undertakes (having taken up, having undertaken, having lifted)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• एव (eva) - indeed (only, indeed, just)

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

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

वै (vai) - indeed, certainly (emphatic particle)

(indeclinable)

चरसि (carasi) - you pursue, you practice (you move, you practice, you perform)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of car

Present Active Indicative

2nd person singular

Root: car (class 1)

यत् (yat) - what (which, what, that)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what, that

Note: Used here as a relative pronoun functioning as object of carasi.

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - truly beneficial (good, better, welfare, ultimate good)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, superior, welfare, ultimate good, auspicious

Comparative form of śrī

आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of your self (ātman) (of the self, of oneself, of the soul)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, essence, breath

वा (vā) - nor (or, either...or)

(indeclinable)

Note: Used here in conjunction with 'na' to mean 'nor'.

यत् (yat) - what (which, what, that)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what, that

Note: Used here as a relative pronoun functioning as object of īhase.

ईहसे (īhase) - you desire (you desire, you strive, you wish)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of īh

Present Middle Indicative

2nd person singular

Root: īh (class 1)

अकामात्मा (akāmātmā) - one whose self (ātman) is free from desire (akāmātman) (one whose self is free from desire, desireless soul)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of akāmātman

akāmātman - one whose self is free from desire, desireless

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+kāma+ātman)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
• kāma – desire, wish, love
  noun (masculine)
• ātman – self, soul, essence, breath
  noun (masculine)

Note: Formed from 'a' (negation), 'kāma' (desire) and 'ātman' (self).

अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

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

(indeclinable)

Note: Acts as an emphatic or explanatory particle.

सदा (sadā) - always (always, ever)

(indeclinable)

धुरम् (dhuram) - a burden (burden, yoke, responsibility)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of dhur

dhur - yoke, burden, responsibility, chief part

उद्यम्य (udyamya) - undertakes (having taken up, having undertaken, having lifted)

(indeclinable)

absolutive (gerund)

From verb root 'yam' with prefix 'ud'

Prefix: ud

Root: yam (class 1)

Note: Functions as a verbal adverb, indicating a completed action that precedes the main verb. In this context, it takes 'dhuram' as its object.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed (only, indeed, just)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

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

(indeclinable)

Note: Acts as an emphatic or explanatory particle.