महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-229, verse-5

ये चैनं पक्षमाश्रित्य वर्तयन्त्यल्पचेतसः ।
स्वभावं कारणं ज्ञात्वा न श्रेयः प्राप्नुवन्ति ते ॥५॥

5. ye cainaṁ pakṣamāśritya vartayantyalpacetasaḥ ,
svabhāvaṁ kāraṇaṁ jñātvā na śreyaḥ prāpnuvanti te.

5. ye ca enam pakṣam āśritya vartayanti alpacetasaḥ
svabhāvam kāraṇam jñātvā na śreyaḥ prāpnuvanti te

5. ca ye alpacetasaḥ enam pakṣam āśritya svabhāvam kāraṇam jñātvā vartayanti,
te śreyaḥ na prāpnuvanti.

5. And those small-minded individuals (alpacetas) who, adopting this doctrine and believing intrinsic nature (svabhāva) to be the cause, act accordingly, they do not attain the highest good (śreyas).

Words meanings summery:

• ये (ye) - who, those who

• च (ca) - and, also

• एनम् (enam) - refers to the doctrine/view mentioned previously (this, this one (masculine accusative singular))

• पक्षम् (pakṣam) - doctrine or view (side, view, doctrine, party, fortnight)

• आश्रित्य (āśritya) - having resorted to, having adopted, depending on

• वर्तयन्ति (vartayanti) - they act, they behave, they proceed

• अल्पचेतसः (alpacetasaḥ) - small-minded, foolish, ignorant (nominative plural)

• स्वभावम् (svabhāvam) - intrinsic nature (svabhāva)

• कारणम् (kāraṇam) - cause, reason

• ज्ञात्वा (jñātvā) - having known, understanding, having realized

• न (na) - not, no

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - ultimate good, spiritual benefit, welfare

• प्राप्नुवन्ति (prāpnuvanti) - they obtain, they attain, they reach

• ते (te) - they, those

Words meanings and morphology

ये (ye) - who, those who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of yad

yad - which, who, what

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

एनम् (enam) - refers to the doctrine/view mentioned previously (this, this one (masculine accusative singular))

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of enad

enad - this, this one

पक्षम् (pakṣam) - doctrine or view (side, view, doctrine, party, fortnight)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pakṣa

pakṣa - side, view, doctrine, party, fortnight

Note: Object of āśritya.

आश्रित्य (āśritya) - having resorted to, having adopted, depending on

(indeclinable)

absolutive (gerund)

from root śri (to resort to, serve) with upasarga ā- and suffix -tya

Prefix: ā

Root: śri (class 1)

वर्तयन्ति (vartayanti) - they act, they behave, they proceed

(verb)

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

causative form of vṛt, meaning to cause to be, to manage, or simply to act/proceed

Root: vṛt (class 1)

अल्पचेतसः (alpacetasaḥ) - small-minded, foolish, ignorant (nominative plural)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of alpacetas

alpacetas - small-minded, foolish, ignorant

Compound type : bahuvrihi (alpa+cetas)

• alpa – small, little, few
  adjective
• cetas – mind, intellect, consciousness
  noun (neuter)

Note: Subject of `vartayanti`.

स्वभावम् (svabhāvam) - intrinsic nature (svabhāva)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of svabhāva

svabhāva - one's own intrinsic nature, inherent disposition, self-existence

Compound type : tatpurusha (sva+bhāva)

• sva – one's own, self
  pronoun
• bhāva – state, condition, nature, feeling, attitude
  noun (masculine)
  Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Object of `jñātvā`, referring to what is known.

कारणम् (kāraṇam) - cause, reason

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kāraṇa

kāraṇa - cause, reason, instrument

derived from root kṛ with suffix -ana

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Predicate accusative agreeing with `svabhāvam`.

ज्ञात्वा (jñātvā) - having known, understanding, having realized

(indeclinable)

absolutive (gerund)

from root jñā (to know) with suffix -tvā

Root: jñā (class 9)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - ultimate good, spiritual benefit, welfare

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - ultimate good, spiritual benefit, welfare, superior

comparative form of śrī (prosperity) or praśasya (excellent)

Note: Object of `prāpnuvanti`.

प्राप्नुवन्ति (prāpnuvanti) - they obtain, they attain, they reach

(verb)

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

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

ते (te) - they, those

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to "ye alpacetasaḥ".