महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-229, verse-15

पार्थिवानि द्वयान्याहुर्मध्यमान्युत्तमानि च ।
मध्यमानि विशिष्टानि जातिधर्मोपधारणात् ॥१५॥

15. pārthivāni dvayānyāhurmadhyamānyuttamāni ca ,
madhyamāni viśiṣṭāni jātidharmopadhāraṇāt.

15. pārthivāni dvayāni āhuḥ madhyamāni uttamāni ca
| madhyamāni viśiṣṭāni jāti-dharma-upadhāraṇāt

15. (te) pārthivāni madhyamāni uttamāni ca dvayāni āhuḥ
jāti-dharma-upadhāraṇāt madhyamāni viśiṣṭāni (bhavanti)

15. They declare that earthly beings (humans) are of two kinds: middling and best. The middling ones are considered superior because of their adherence to the intrinsic nature (dharma) of their birth-group.

Words meanings summery:

• पार्थिवानि (pārthivāni) - earthly beings (humans) (earthly, terrestrial, human)

• द्वयानि (dvayāni) - of two kinds (of two kinds, dual, twofold)

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they declare (they say, they declare)

• मध्यमानि (madhyamāni) - middling (human beings) (middling, intermediate, average)

• उत्तमानि (uttamāni) - best (human beings) (best, highest, supreme, superior)

• च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

• मध्यमानि (madhyamāni) - middling (human beings) (middling, intermediate, average)

• विशिष्टानि (viśiṣṭāni) - superior (distinguished, excellent, superior, special)

• जाति-धर्म-उपधारणात् (jāti-dharma-upadhāraṇāt) - because of upholding the intrinsic nature (dharma) of their birth-group (from upholding the intrinsic nature of birth/class, from observing caste duties)

Words meanings and morphology

पार्थिवानि (pārthivāni) - earthly beings (humans) (earthly, terrestrial, human)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, plural of pārthiva

pārthiva - earthly, terrestrial, relating to the earth, a human being, a king

Derived from `pṛthivī` (earth).

Note: Object of `āhuḥ`, used as a noun.

द्वयानि (dvayāni) - of two kinds (of two kinds, dual, twofold)

(adjective)

neuter, plural of dvaya

dvaya - of two kinds, twofold, dual

From `dvi` (two) + `aya` suffix.

Note: Agrees with `pārthivāni`.

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they declare (they say, they declare)

(verb)

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

Irregular perfect form, or present tense of root `brū` (to speak, say).

Root: vac (class 2)

मध्यमानि (madhyamāni) - middling (human beings) (middling, intermediate, average)

(adjective)

neuter, plural of madhyama

madhyama - middle, intermediate, average, middling

Derived from `madhya` (middle).

Note: Used as a noun, referring to a category of humans.

उत्तमानि (uttamāni) - best (human beings) (best, highest, supreme, superior)

(adjective)

neuter, plural of uttama

uttama - highest, best, supreme, principal

Superlative of `ud` (up) or related to `ut`.

Note: Used as a noun, referring to a category of humans.

च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction.

मध्यमानि (madhyamāni) - middling (human beings) (middling, intermediate, average)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of madhyama

madhyama - middle, intermediate, average, middling

Derived from `madhya` (middle).

Note: Subject of the superiority statement, used as a noun.

विशिष्टानि (viśiṣṭāni) - superior (distinguished, excellent, superior, special)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of viśiṣṭa

viśiṣṭa - distinguished, superior, excellent, specific

Past Passive Participle

From root `śiṣ` (to be eminent, to distinguish) with prefix `vi-`.

Prefix: vi

Root: śiṣ (class 7)

Note: Predicate to `madhyamāni`.

जाति-धर्म-उपधारणात् (jāti-dharma-upadhāraṇāt) - because of upholding the intrinsic nature (dharma) of their birth-group (from upholding the intrinsic nature of birth/class, from observing caste duties)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of jāti-dharma-upadhāraṇa

jāti-dharma-upadhāraṇa - upholding the intrinsic nature of one's birth/class, observing caste duties

Tatpuruṣa compound.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (jāti+dharma+upadhāraṇa)

• jāti – birth, species, race, caste, class
  noun (feminine)
  Root: jan (class 4)
• dharma – natural law, intrinsic nature, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• upadhāraṇa – upholding, maintaining, observing, ascertaining
  noun (neuter)
  action noun
  From root `dhṛ` with `upa-ā-` prefixes.
  Prefixes: upa+ā
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Indicates the reason for superiority.