महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-260, verse-29

यज्ञार्थानि हि सृष्टानि यथा वै श्रूयते श्रुतिः ।
एवं पूर्वे पूर्वतराः प्रवृत्ताश्चैव मानवाः ॥२९॥

29. yajñārthāni hi sṛṣṭāni yathā vai śrūyate śrutiḥ ,
evaṁ pūrve pūrvatarāḥ pravṛttāścaiva mānavāḥ.

29. yājñārthāni hi sṛṣṭāni yathā vai śrūyate śrutiḥ
| evam pūrve pūrvatarāḥ pravṛttāḥ ca eva mānavāḥ

29. śrutiḥ yathā vai śrūyate,
hi sṛṣṭāni yājñārthāni.
evam ca eva pūrve pūrvatarāḥ mānavāḥ pravṛttāḥ.

29. Indeed, creations were made for the purpose of Vedic ritual (yajña), as is heard in the sacred texts (Śruti). In the same manner, earlier generations and even more ancient human beings were engaged.

Words meanings summery:

• याज्ञार्थानि (yājñārthāni) - for the purpose of Vedic ritual, intended for yajna

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely

• सृष्टानि (sṛṣṭāni) - created things or beings, creations

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as, according to

• वै (vai) - indeed, surely (particle)

• श्रूयते (śrūyate) - it is heard, it is taught

• श्रुतिः (śrutiḥ) - the body of Vedic texts (Śruti) (sacred text, Vedic revelation)

• एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner, similarly

• पूर्वे (pūrve) - earlier ones, former ones

• पूर्वतराः (pūrvatarāḥ) - more ancient ones, even earlier ones

• प्रवृत्ताः (pravṛttāḥ) - engaged, active, commenced

• च (ca) - and

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, just

• मानवाः (mānavāḥ) - human beings

Words meanings and morphology

याज्ञार्थानि (yājñārthāni) - for the purpose of Vedic ritual, intended for yajna

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of yājñārtha

yājñārtha - for the purpose of Vedic ritual; intended for yajna

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (yājña+artha)

• yājña – related to yajna; sacrificial; a yajña itself
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from yajña.
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, object
  noun (masculine)

हि (hi) - indeed, surely

(indeclinable)

सृष्टानि (sṛṣṭāni) - created things or beings, creations

(participle)

Nominative, neuter, plural of sṛṣṭa

sṛṣṭa - created, brought forth, produced

Past Passive Participle

Root: sṛj (class 6)

Note: Used as a noun meaning 'creations' or 'beings'.

यथा (yathā) - as, just as, according to

(indeclinable)

वै (vai) - indeed, surely (particle)

(indeclinable)

श्रूयते (śrūyate) - it is heard, it is taught

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present indicative (laṭ) of śrū

Root: śru (class 5)

श्रुतिः (śrutiḥ) - the body of Vedic texts (Śruti) (sacred text, Vedic revelation)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of śruti

śruti - hearing, sacred tradition, Vedic revelation, Veda

Root: śru (class 5)

एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner, similarly

(indeclinable)

पूर्वे (pūrve) - earlier ones, former ones

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of pūrva

pūrva - former, prior, ancient, eastern

Note: Used as a noun referring to earlier generations.

पूर्वतराः (pūrvatarāḥ) - more ancient ones, even earlier ones

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of pūrvatara

pūrvatara - more former, more prior, more ancient

Comparative form of pūrva, using suffix -tara.

Note: Used as a noun referring to even more ancient generations.

प्रवृत्ताः (pravṛttāḥ) - engaged, active, commenced

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of pravṛtta

pravṛtta - engaged, begun, active, proceeded

Past Passive Participle

Prefix: pra

Root: vṛt (class 1)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, only, just

(indeclinable)

मानवाः (mānavāḥ) - human beings

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mānava

mānava - human, descendant of Manu, man