महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-254, verse-27

सहायवान्द्रव्यवान्यः सुभगोऽन्योऽपरस्तथा ।
ततस्तानेव कवयः शास्त्रेषु प्रवदन्त्युत ।
कीर्त्यर्थमल्पहृल्लेखाः पटवः कृत्स्ननिर्णयाः ॥२७॥

27. sahāyavāndravyavānyaḥ subhago'nyo'parastathā ,
tatastāneva kavayaḥ śāstreṣu pravadantyuta ,
kīrtyarthamalpahṛllekhāḥ paṭavaḥ kṛtsnanirṇayāḥ.

27. sahāyavān dravyavān yaḥ subhagaḥ anyaḥ
aparaḥ tathā tatas tān eva kavayaḥ
śāstreṣu pravadanti uta kīrtyartham
alpahṛllekhāḥ paṭavaḥ kṛtsnanirṇayāḥ

27. yaḥ sahāyavān dravyavān subhagaḥ anyaḥ aparaḥ tathā.
tatas kavayaḥ alpahṛllekhāḥ paṭavaḥ kṛtsnanirṇayāḥ,
kīrtyartham śāstreṣu tān eva uta pravadanti.

27. He who has allies, is wealthy, and is fortunate – and others of that sort – these are the very individuals whom the poets praise in their scriptures. These poets, for the sake of their own fame, are clever but possess meager understanding and claim to offer conclusive judgments.

Words meanings summery:

• सहायवान् (sahāyavān) - one who has allies/support (having help, having allies, assisted)

• द्रव्यवान् (dravyavān) - one who is wealthy (wealthy, rich, possessing property)

• यः (yaḥ) - he who (introduces a relative clause) (who, which (masculine nominative singular))

• सुभगः (subhagaḥ) - one who is fortunate (fortunate, beloved, charming, handsome)

• अन्यः (anyaḥ) - another (such person) (another, other)

• अपरः (aparaḥ) - still another (such person), a different type (another, different, subsequent, inferior)

• तथा (tathā) - and similarly, and so on (likewise, so, thus, in that manner)

• ततस् (tatas) - then, consequently (thence, therefore, then)

• तान् (tān) - those very individuals (referring to sahāyavān etc.) (those (masculine accusative plural))

• एव (eva) - very, only (indeed, truly, just, only)

• कवयः (kavayaḥ) - poets (who write scriptures) (poets, sages, wise persons)

• शास्त्रेषु (śāstreṣu) - in the scriptures/treatises (in the scriptures, in treatises, in sciences)

• प्रवदन्ति (pravadanti) - they praise/mention (they declare, they speak, they say)

• उत (uta) - and, moreover (emphasizing the statement) (and, moreover, or, but)

• कीर्त्यर्थम् (kīrtyartham) - for the sake of their (own) fame (for the sake of fame/renown, for glorification)

• अल्पहृल्लेखाः (alpahṛllekhāḥ) - (poets) with meager understanding (those with meager intellect/understanding)

• पटवः (paṭavaḥ) - (poets who are) clever (clever, skilled, expert, able)

• कृत्स्ननिर्णयाः (kṛtsnanirṇayāḥ) - (poets) claiming conclusive judgments (those with complete decisions/judgments)

Words meanings and morphology

सहायवान् (sahāyavān) - one who has allies/support (having help, having allies, assisted)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sahāyavat

sahāyavat - having help, having allies, assisted, accompanied by

From sahāya (help, companion) + matup suffix.

द्रव्यवान् (dravyavān) - one who is wealthy (wealthy, rich, possessing property)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dravyavat

dravyavat - wealthy, rich, possessing property, material

From dravya (wealth, substance) + matup suffix.

यः (yaḥ) - he who (introduces a relative clause) (who, which (masculine nominative singular))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, who, what

Note: Connects to tān eva later in the verse.

सुभगः (subhagaḥ) - one who is fortunate (fortunate, beloved, charming, handsome)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of subhaga

subhaga - fortunate, beloved, charming, handsome

Compound of su (good) + bhaga (fortune).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (su+bhaga)

• su – good, well, excellent
  indeclinable
  Prefix indicating 'good'.
• bhaga – fortune, prosperity, wealth
  noun (masculine)
  Root: bhaj (class 1)

अन्यः (anyaḥ) - another (such person) (another, other)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of anya

anya - another, other, different

अपरः (aparaḥ) - still another (such person), a different type (another, different, subsequent, inferior)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of apara

apara - another, different, subsequent, inferior

तथा (tathā) - and similarly, and so on (likewise, so, thus, in that manner)

(indeclinable)

From tad (that) + thā (suffix indicating manner).

ततस् (tatas) - then, consequently (thence, therefore, then)

(indeclinable)

Derived from tad (that) + tasil (suffix indicating origin/source).

तान् (tān) - those very individuals (referring to sahāyavān etc.) (those (masculine accusative plural))

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Correlates with the yaḥ clause.

एव (eva) - very, only (indeed, truly, just, only)

(indeclinable)

कवयः (kavayaḥ) - poets (who write scriptures) (poets, sages, wise persons)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kavi

kavi - poet, sage, wise person, seer

Root: kū (class 1)

Note: These are the ones being critiqued by the subsequent adjectives.

शास्त्रेषु (śāstreṣu) - in the scriptures/treatises (in the scriptures, in treatises, in sciences)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of śāstra

śāstra - scripture, treatise, science, sacred book

From root śās (to teach, instruct) + tra suffix.

Root: śās (class 2)

प्रवदन्ति (pravadanti) - they praise/mention (they declare, they speak, they say)

(verb)

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

From prefix pra + root vad (to speak).

Prefix: pra

Root: vad (class 1)

उत (uta) - and, moreover (emphasizing the statement) (and, moreover, or, but)

(indeclinable)

कीर्त्यर्थम् (kīrtyartham) - for the sake of their (own) fame (for the sake of fame/renown, for glorification)

(indeclinable)

Tatpuruṣa compound of kīrti (fame) + artha (purpose).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kīrti+artha)

• kīrti – fame, glory, renown
  noun (feminine)
  From root kṛt (to mention, praise).
  Root: kṛt (class 6)
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth
  noun (masculine)

अल्पहृल्लेखाः (alpahṛllekhāḥ) - (poets) with meager understanding (those with meager intellect/understanding)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of alpahṛllekha

alpahṛllekha - having meager intellect, shallow-minded, whose writings are few

Bahuvrīhi compound: alpa (little) + hṛd (heart/mind) + lekha (writing/intellect).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (alpa+hṛd+lekha)

• alpa – small, little, meager
  adjective (masculine)
• hṛd – heart, mind, intellect
  noun (neuter)
• lekha – writing, line, intellect, description
  noun (masculine)
  Root: likh (class 6)

पटवः (paṭavaḥ) - (poets who are) clever (clever, skilled, expert, able)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of paṭu

paṭu - clever, skilled, expert, able, keen, acute

कृत्स्ननिर्णयाः (kṛtsnanirṇayāḥ) - (poets) claiming conclusive judgments (those with complete decisions/judgments)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kṛtsnanirṇaya

kṛtsnanirṇaya - having complete decisions/judgments, making thorough determinations

Bahuvrīhi compound: kṛtsna (complete) + nirṇaya (decision).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (kṛtsna+nirṇaya)

• kṛtsna – whole, entire, complete
  adjective (masculine)
• nirṇaya – decision, ascertainment, definite conclusion
  noun (masculine)
  From prefix nir + root ṇī (to lead) or nṛ (to guide).
  Prefix: nir
  Root: ṇī (class 1)