महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-259, verse-32

एतत्प्रथमकल्पेन राजा कृतयुगेऽभजत् ।
पादोनेनापि धर्मेण गच्छेत्त्रेतायुगे तथा ।
द्वापरे तु द्विपादेन पादेन त्वपरे युगे ॥३२॥

32. etatprathamakalpena rājā kṛtayuge'bhajat ,
pādonenāpi dharmeṇa gacchettretāyuge tathā ,
dvāpare tu dvipādena pādena tvapare yuge.

32. etat prathamakalpena rājā kṛtayuge
abhajāt pādonena api dharmeṇa
gacchet tretāyuge tathā dvāpare
tu dvipādena pādena tu apare yuge

32. rājā etat prathamakalpena kṛtayuge
abhajāt tathā tretāyuge pādonena
api dharmeṇa gacchet tu dvāpare
dvipādena tu apare yuge pādena

32. According to this initial arrangement, a king would govern (abide by natural law) in the Kṛta Yuga with dharma (natural law) intact. In the Tretā Yuga, he would proceed with dharma diminished by one-quarter. In the Dvāpara Yuga, it would be by half, and in the final age, by only a quarter.

Words meanings summery:

• एतत् (etat) - this, this one, by this

• प्रथमकल्पेन (prathamakalpena) - by the first arrangement, by the initial rule

• राजा (rājā) - a king

• कृतयुगे (kṛtayuge) - in the Kṛta age

• अभजात् (abhajāt) - he governed (according to dharma) (he ruled, he possessed, he served, he resorted to)

• पादोनेन (pādonena) - by one quarter less, diminished by a quarter

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by dharma (natural law) (by dharma, by natural law, by constitution)

• गच्छेत् (gacchet) - he would proceed (in his governance) (he would go, he would proceed)

• त्रेतायुगे (tretāyuge) - in the Tretā age

• तथा (tathā) - thus, in that manner, so also

• द्वापरे (dvāpare) - in the Dvāpara Yuga (in the Dvāpara (age))

• तु (tu) - but, on the other hand, however

• द्विपादेन (dvipādena) - with dharma diminished by half (two quarters remaining) (by two quarters, by half, by two parts)

• पादेन (pādena) - with dharma diminished to one quarter (one part remaining) (by one quarter, by one part)

• तु (tu) - but, on the other hand, however

• अपरे (apare) - in the final (age) (in the other, in the subsequent, in the final)

• युगे (yuge) - in the (final) age (in the age)

Words meanings and morphology

एतत् (etat) - this, this one, by this

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of etas

etas - this, that

Note: Used here in an instrumental sense, combining with the following word to mean 'by this first arrangement'.

प्रथमकल्पेन (prathamakalpena) - by the first arrangement, by the initial rule

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of prathamakalpa

prathamakalpa - first arrangement, primary rule, initial precedent

Compound type : tatpurusha (prathama+kalpa)

• prathama – first, foremost
  adjective (masculine)
• kalpa – rule, ordinance, arrangement, ritual precept
  noun (masculine)
  From √kḷp (to be arranged, to be fit) + -a suffix.
  Root: kḷp (class 1)

राजा (rājā) - a king

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

कृतयुगे (kṛtayuge) - in the Kṛta age

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of kṛtayuga

kṛtayuga - the Kṛta Yuga (the golden age, the first of the four yugas)

Compound type : tatpurusha (kṛta+yuga)

• kṛta – done, made, perfect, good
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From √kṛ (to do, make) + -ta suffix.
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• yuga – age, epoch, yoke
  noun (masculine)

अभजात् (abhajāt) - he governed (according to dharma) (he ruled, he possessed, he served, he resorted to)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of bhaj

Imperfect Active

Root √bhaj, 1st conjugation, parasmaipada. Imperfect 3rd singular active.

Root: bhaj (class 1)

पादोनेन (pādonena) - by one quarter less, diminished by a quarter

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of pādona

pādona - one quarter less, lacking a fourth part

Compound type : tatpurusha (pāda+ūna)

• pāda – foot, quarter, part
  noun (masculine)
• ūna – less, deficient, diminished
  adjective (neuter)

Note: Agrees with `dharmeṇa`.

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by dharma (natural law) (by dharma, by natural law, by constitution)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, intrinsic nature, virtue

From √dhṛ (to hold, support) + -man suffix.

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

गच्छेत् (gacchet) - he would proceed (in his governance) (he would go, he would proceed)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of gam

Optative Active

Root √gam, 1st conjugation, parasmaipada. Optative 3rd singular active.

Root: gam (class 1)

त्रेतायुगे (tretāyuge) - in the Tretā age

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of tretāyuga

tretāyuga - the Tretā Yuga (the second of the four yugas)

Compound type : tatpurusha (tretā+yuga)

• tretā – group of three, a particular yuga (Tretā)
  noun (feminine)
• yuga – age, epoch, yoke
  noun (masculine)

तथा (tathā) - thus, in that manner, so also

(indeclinable)

द्वापरे (dvāpare) - in the Dvāpara Yuga (in the Dvāpara (age))

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of dvāpara

dvāpara - the Dvāpara Yuga (the third of the four yugas)

तु (tu) - but, on the other hand, however

(indeclinable)

द्विपादेन (dvipādena) - with dharma diminished by half (two quarters remaining) (by two quarters, by half, by two parts)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dvipāda

dvipāda - two-footed, having two quarters/parts

Compound type : bahuvrihi (dvi+pāda)

• dvi – two
  numeral
• pāda – foot, quarter, part
  noun (masculine)

Note: Agrees with implied `dharmeṇa` (natural law).

पादेन (pādena) - with dharma diminished to one quarter (one part remaining) (by one quarter, by one part)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of pāda

pāda - foot, quarter, part

Note: Agrees with implied `dharmeṇa` (natural law).

तु (tu) - but, on the other hand, however

(indeclinable)

अपरे (apare) - in the final (age) (in the other, in the subsequent, in the final)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of apara

apara - other, subsequent, later, western, final

Note: Agrees with `yuge`.

युगे (yuge) - in the (final) age (in the age)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of yuga

yuga - age, epoch, yoke