महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-251, verse-3

भीष्म उवाच ।
सदाचारः स्मृतिर्वेदास्त्रिविधं धर्मलक्षणम् ।
चतुर्थमर्थमित्याहुः कवयो धर्मलक्षणम् ॥३॥

3. bhīṣma uvāca ,
sadācāraḥ smṛtirvedāstrividhaṁ dharmalakṣaṇam ,
caturthamarthamityāhuḥ kavayo dharmalakṣaṇam.

3. bhīṣma uvāca sadācāraḥ smṛtiḥ vedāḥ tri-vidham dharma-lakṣaṇam
caturtham artham iti āhuḥ kavayaḥ dharma-lakṣaṇam

3. bhīṣma uvāca sadācāraḥ smṛtiḥ vedāḥ tri-vidham dharma-lakṣaṇam
kavayaḥ caturtham artham iti dharma-lakṣaṇam āhuḥ

3. Bhishma said: Good conduct, sacred tradition, and the Vedas are declared as the three characteristics of (dharma). The wise also state 'artha' (purpose or material prosperity) to be the fourth characteristic of (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• सदाचारः (sadācāraḥ) - good conduct, virtuous behavior

• स्मृतिः (smṛtiḥ) - sacred tradition, memory, recollection

• वेदाः (vedāḥ) - the Vedas (sacred texts)

• त्रि-विधम् (tri-vidham) - threefold, of three kinds

• धर्म-लक्षणम् (dharma-lakṣaṇam) - characteristic of dharma, definition of dharma

• चतुर्थम् (caturtham) - fourth

• अर्थम् (artham) - purpose, wealth, material prosperity

• इति (iti) - thus, so

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare

• कवयः (kavayaḥ) - poets, wise persons, seers

• धर्म-लक्षणम् (dharma-lakṣaṇam) - characteristic of dharma, definition of dharma

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhishma (a proper name, son of Shantanu)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of vac

Root: vac (class 2)

सदाचारः (sadācāraḥ) - good conduct, virtuous behavior

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sadācāra

sadācāra - good conduct, virtuous behavior, customary law

Compound type : Karmaṇi-Tatpuruṣa (sat+ācāra)

• sat – good, true, existing
  adjective (masculine)
  Present Active Participle
  From root as (to be) + śatṛ suffix
  Root: as (class 2)
• ācāra – conduct, custom, rule
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: ā
  Root: car (class 1)

स्मृतिः (smṛtiḥ) - sacred tradition, memory, recollection

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of smṛti

smṛti - memory, recollection, sacred tradition (e.g., Dharmaśāstras)

Derived from root smṛ + kti suffix, forming a feminine abstract noun

Root: smṛ (class 1)

वेदाः (vedāḥ) - the Vedas (sacred texts)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of veda

veda - sacred knowledge, a Veda (one of the four canonical texts of Hinduism)

त्रि-विधम् (tri-vidham) - threefold, of three kinds

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of trividha

trividha - threefold, of three kinds or sorts

Compound type : Bahuvrīhi (tri+vidha)

• tri – three
  numeral
• vidha – kind, sort, manner
  noun (masculine)

Note: Agrees with 'dharma-lakṣaṇam'

धर्म-लक्षणम् (dharma-lakṣaṇam) - characteristic of dharma, definition of dharma

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of dharmalakṣaṇa

dharmalakṣaṇa - characteristic of dharma, sign of duty

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (dharma+lakṣaṇa)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, virtue, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
• lakṣaṇa – sign, mark, characteristic, definition
  noun (neuter)

चतुर्थम् (caturtham) - fourth

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of caturtha

caturtha - fourth

Note: Agrees with implied 'lakṣaṇam' or 'vastu'

अर्थम् (artham) - purpose, wealth, material prosperity

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - purpose, meaning, object, wealth, material prosperity

इति (iti) - thus, so

(indeclinable)

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, perfect (lit) of ah

Root: ah (class 2)

Note: Often used in the sense of present tense for 'say'

कवयः (kavayaḥ) - poets, wise persons, seers

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kavi

kavi - poet, sage, wise man, seer

धर्म-लक्षणम् (dharma-lakṣaṇam) - characteristic of dharma, definition of dharma

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of dharmalakṣaṇa

dharmalakṣaṇa - characteristic of dharma, sign of duty

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (dharma+lakṣaṇa)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, virtue, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
• lakṣaṇa – sign, mark, characteristic, definition
  noun (neuter)