महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-254, verse-20

यथावद्वर्तमानानां वृद्धानां पुत्रपौत्रिणाम् ।
अनुवर्तामहे वृत्तमहिंस्राणां महात्मनाम् ॥२०॥

20. yathāvadvartamānānāṁ vṛddhānāṁ putrapautriṇām ,
anuvartāmahe vṛttamahiṁsrāṇāṁ mahātmanām.

20. yathāvat vartamānānām vṛddhānām putrapautriṇām
anuvarthāmahe vṛttam ahiṃsrāṇām mahātmanām

20. vayam ahiṃsrāṇām mahātmanām putrapautriṇām
vṛddhānām yathāvat vartamānānām vṛttam anuvarthāmahe

20. We follow the conduct of the great-souled ones who are non-violent, who behave properly, and who have sons and grandsons among the elders.

Words meanings summery:

• यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, exactly, as it should be

• वर्तमानानाम् (vartamānānām) - of those who are conducting themselves (of those who are existing, of those who are behaving)

• वृद्धानाम् (vṛddhānām) - of the old ones, of the elders

• पुत्रपौत्रिणाम् (putrapautriṇām) - of those having sons and grandsons

• अनुवर्थामहे (anuvarthāmahe) - we follow, we imitate, we comply

• वृत्तम् (vṛttam) - conduct, behavior, act, event

• अहिंस्राणाम् (ahiṁsrāṇām) - of the non-violent ones, of the harmless

• महात्मनाम् (mahātmanām) - of the great-souled ones, of noble persons

Words meanings and morphology

यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly, exactly, as it should be

(indeclinable)

From yathā (as) + vat (like)

वर्तमानानाम् (vartamānānām) - of those who are conducting themselves (of those who are existing, of those who are behaving)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of vartamāna

vartamāna - existing, being, present, behaving, acting

Present Active Participle

From root vṛt (to be, to exist, to turn) + śānac suffix.

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Qualifies vṛddhānām.

वृद्धानाम् (vṛddhānām) - of the old ones, of the elders

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of vṛddha

vṛddha - old, aged, grown, increased, an elder

Past Passive Participle

From root vṛdh (to grow, increase) + kta suffix.

Root: vṛdh (class 1)

पुत्रपौत्रिणाम् (putrapautriṇām) - of those having sons and grandsons

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of putrapautrin

putrapautrin - having sons and grandsons

From putrapautra + inī suffix for possession.

Compound type : Dvandva (putra+pautra)

• putra – son, child
  noun (masculine)
• pautra – grandson, son's son
  noun (masculine)
  From putra + aṇ suffix.

Note: Qualifies vṛddhānām.

अनुवर्थामहे (anuvarthāmahe) - we follow, we imitate, we comply

(verb)

1st person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of anu-vṛt

Prefix: anu

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: The form is ātmanepada.

वृत्तम् (vṛttam) - conduct, behavior, act, event

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vṛtta

vṛtta - conduct, behavior, act, event, occurrence

Past Passive Participle

From root vṛt (to be, to exist) + kta suffix. Here used as a noun.

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Object of anuvarthāmahe.

अहिंस्राणाम् (ahiṁsrāṇām) - of the non-violent ones, of the harmless

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of ahiṃsra

ahiṁsra - non-violent, harmless, not injuring

a (not) + hiṃsra (injuring).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+hiṃsra)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negation prefix.
• hiṃsra – injuring, violent, cruel
  adjective (masculine/feminine/neuter)
  From root hiṃs (to injure) + ra suffix.
  Root: hiṃs (class 7)

Note: Qualifies mahātmanām.

महात्मनाम् (mahātmanām) - of the great-souled ones, of noble persons

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of mahātman

mahātman - great-souled, magnanimous, noble-minded, a great person

mahā (great) + ātman (self/soul).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+ātman)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• ātman – self, soul (ātman), spirit, essence
  noun (masculine)