महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-260, verse-16

अनारम्भे ह्यदोषः स्यादारम्भेऽदोष उत्तमः ।
एवं स्थितस्य शास्त्रस्य दुर्विज्ञेयं बलाबलम् ॥१६॥

16. anārambhe hyadoṣaḥ syādārambhe'doṣa uttamaḥ ,
evaṁ sthitasya śāstrasya durvijñeyaṁ balābalam.

16. anārambhe hi adoṣaḥ syāt ārambhe adoṣaḥ uttamaḥ
evam sthitasya śāstrasya durvijñeyam balābalam

16. hi anārambhe adoṣaḥ syāt ārambhe uttamaḥ adoṣaḥ
(syāt) evam sthitasya śāstrasya balābalam durvijñeyam

16. Indeed, in non-commencement, there would be no fault. However, in commencement, there is a supreme absence of fault (adoṣa uttamaḥ). For a scripture (śāstra) that is established in this way, the relative strength and weakness (balābalam) of these two positions are difficult to discern.

Words meanings summery:

• अनारम्भे (anārambhe) - in non-commencement (in non-commencement, in not beginning)

• हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, surely, for)

• अदोषः (adoṣaḥ) - no fault, absence of fault (faultless, without defect, absence of fault)

• स्यात् (syāt) - would be (would be, might be, should be)

• आरम्भे (ārambhe) - in commencement (in commencement, in beginning)

• अदोषः (adoṣaḥ) - absence of fault (faultless, without defect, absence of fault)

• उत्तमः (uttamaḥ) - supreme (best, excellent, supreme, highest)

• एवम् (evam) - in this way (thus, in this manner, so)

• स्थितस्य (sthitasya) - of that which is established (of one who stands, of one who is established, of one who exists)

• शास्त्रस्य (śāstrasya) - of a scripture (śāstra) (of scripture, of a treatise, of a teaching)

• दुर्विज्ञेयम् (durvijñeyam) - difficult to discern (difficult to know, hard to discern)

• बलाबलम् (balābalam) - the relative strength and weakness (balābalam) (strength and weakness, relative strength)

Words meanings and morphology

अनारम्भे (anārambhe) - in non-commencement (in non-commencement, in not beginning)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of anārambha

anārambha - non-commencement, not beginning, abstaining from undertaking

Negative compound (nañ-tatpuruṣa) of ārambha (beginning, undertaking).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (an+ārambha)

• an – not, un-, non-
  prefix (negative)
• ārambha – beginning, undertaking, enterprise
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from ā-rabh (to begin).
  Prefix: ā
  Root: rabh (class 1)

Note: Refers to the state of not starting or undertaking action.

हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, surely, for)

(indeclinable)

अदोषः (adoṣaḥ) - no fault, absence of fault (faultless, without defect, absence of fault)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of adoṣa

adoṣa - faultless, free from defect, absence of fault

Negative compound (nañ-tatpuruṣa) of doṣa (fault, defect).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+doṣa)

• a – not, un-, non-
  prefix (negative)
• doṣa – fault, defect, vice
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from duṣ (to be bad, fail)
  Root: duṣ (class 4)

Note: Subject of `syāt`.

स्यात् (syāt) - would be (would be, might be, should be)

(verb)

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

Optative Mood

3rd person singular, Paras.pada, Optative Mood.

Root: as (class 2)

आरम्भे (ārambhe) - in commencement (in commencement, in beginning)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of ārambha

ārambha - beginning, undertaking, enterprise, commencement

Derived from ā-rabh (to begin).

Prefix: ā

Root: rabh (class 1)

Note: Refers to the state of starting or undertaking action.

अदोषः (adoṣaḥ) - absence of fault (faultless, without defect, absence of fault)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of adoṣa

adoṣa - faultless, free from defect, absence of fault

Negative compound (nañ-tatpuruṣa) of doṣa (fault, defect).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+doṣa)

• a – not, un-, non-
  prefix (negative)
• doṣa – fault, defect, vice
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from duṣ (to be bad, fail)
  Root: duṣ (class 4)

उत्तमः (uttamaḥ) - supreme (best, excellent, supreme, highest)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of uttama

uttama - best, excellent, supreme, highest, principal

Superlative Adjective

Superlative of ud (up) or va (good), meaning 'highest'.

Note: Modifies `adoṣaḥ`.

एवम् (evam) - in this way (thus, in this manner, so)

(indeclinable)

स्थितस्य (sthitasya) - of that which is established (of one who stands, of one who is established, of one who exists)

(adjective)

Genitive, neuter, singular of sthita

sthita - standing, situated, existing, established, abiding

Past Passive Participle

Derived from the root sthā (to stand, to be).

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Modifies `śāstrasya`.

शास्त्रस्य (śāstrasya) - of a scripture (śāstra) (of scripture, of a treatise, of a teaching)

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of śāstra

śāstra - scripture, sacred book, teaching, treatise, rule

Derived from śās (to teach, instruct).

Root: śās (class 2)

Note: Dependent on `durvijñeyam balābalam`.

दुर्विज्ञेयम् (durvijñeyam) - difficult to discern (difficult to know, hard to discern)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of durvijñeya

durvijñeya - difficult to know, hard to understand, incomprehensible

Gerundive (Future Passive Participle)

Compound of dur (difficult) + vi (prefix) + jñeya (knowable, derivable from jñā + ya).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (dur+vijñeya)

• dur – hard, difficult, bad
  prefix
• vijñeya – knowable, to be known, comprehensible
  adjective (neuter)
  Gerundive
  Derived from vi-jñā + ya
  Prefix: vi
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Predicative adjective for `balābalam`.

बलाबलम् (balābalam) - the relative strength and weakness (balābalam) (strength and weakness, relative strength)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of balābala

balābala - strength and weakness, relative strength, power and weakness

Dvandva compound of bala (strength) and abala (weakness, no strength).

Compound type : dvandva (bala+abala)

• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)
• abala – weakness, lack of strength
  noun (neuter)
  Negative compound (nañ-tatpuruṣa) of 'bala'

Note: Subject of the implicit verb "is" with `durvijñeyam`.