महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-212, verse-41

एवं सति क उच्छेदः शाश्वतो वा कथं भवेत् ।
स्वभावाद्वर्तमानेषु सर्वभूतेषु हेतुतः ॥४१॥

41. evaṁ sati ka ucchedaḥ śāśvato vā kathaṁ bhavet ,
svabhāvādvartamāneṣu sarvabhūteṣu hetutaḥ.

41. evam sati kaḥ ucchedaḥ śāśvataḥ vā katham bhavet
svabhāvāt vartamāneṣu sarvabhūteṣu hetutaḥ

41. evam sati kaḥ ucchedaḥ vā śāśvataḥ katham bhavet?
svabhāvāt vartamāneṣu sarvabhūteṣu hetutaḥ

41. If this is so, then how can there be any destruction, or how can anything be eternal? This holds for all beings that exist according to their intrinsic nature (dharma), by virtue of a cause.

Words meanings summery:

• एवम् (evam) - thus, in this way, so

• सति (sati) - 'this being so' or 'if this is the case' (being, existing, if existing)

• कः (kaḥ) - what, who, which

• उच्छेदः (ucchedaḥ) - destruction, cutting off, cessation

• शाश्वतः (śāśvataḥ) - eternal, perpetual, permanent

• वा (vā) - or, either...or

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, would be, should be

• स्वभावात् (svabhāvāt) - by their intrinsic nature (dharma) (from its own nature, by nature, intrinsically)

• वर्तमानेषु (vartamāneṣu) - in all existing beings (in those existing, in those present)

• सर्वभूतेषु (sarvabhūteṣu) - in all living beings or existent entities (in all beings, in all elements)

• हेतुतः (hetutaḥ) - from a cause, by reason of, due to a cause

Words meanings and morphology

एवम् (evam) - thus, in this way, so

(indeclinable)

सति (sati) - 'this being so' or 'if this is the case' (being, existing, if existing)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of as

as - to be, exist

Present Participle (masc/neut locative singular)

Locative absolute construction, from the present participle 'sat'

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Part of a locative absolute construction 'evam sati' (this being so).

कः (kaḥ) - what, who, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - what, who, which (interrogative pronoun)

Note: Interrogative pronoun.

उच्छेदः (ucchedaḥ) - destruction, cutting off, cessation

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of uccheda

uccheda - cutting off, destruction, annihilation, cessation

Derived from ud-chid (to cut off)

Prefix: ud

Root: chid (class 7)

शाश्वतः (śāśvataḥ) - eternal, perpetual, permanent

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śāśvata

śāśvata - eternal, perpetual, constant, permanent

Derived from śaśvat (always)

वा (vā) - or, either...or

(indeclinable)

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, would be, should be

(verb)

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

optative 3rd singular

Root bhū, parasmaipada optative form

Root: bhū (class 1)

स्वभावात् (svabhāvāt) - by their intrinsic nature (dharma) (from its own nature, by nature, intrinsically)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of svabhāva

svabhāva - one's own nature, inherent quality, intrinsic nature (dharma)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sva+bhāva)

• sva – own, self, one's own
  adjective (masculine)
• bhāva – being, existence, nature, state
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root bhū (to be)
  Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Compound of sva (own) and bhāva (nature/state).

वर्तमानेषु (vartamāneṣu) - in all existing beings (in those existing, in those present)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, plural of vartamāna

vartamāna - existing, present, being

Present Participle (ātmanepada)

Derived from root vṛt (to exist, to be), with -āna suffix

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Modifies sarvabhūteṣu.

सर्वभूतेषु (sarvabhūteṣu) - in all living beings or existent entities (in all beings, in all elements)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of sarvabhūta

sarvabhūta - all beings, all elements, all creatures

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (sarva+bhūta)

• sarva – all, every, entire
  adjective (masculine)
• bhūta – being, creature, element, existing
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root bhū (to be)
  Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Compound of sarva (all) and bhūta (being/element).

हेतुतः (hetutaḥ) - from a cause, by reason of, due to a cause

(indeclinable)

Suffix -tas indicating 'from/by reason of'