महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-261, verse-28

मोघान्यगुप्तद्वारस्य सर्वाण्येव भवन्त्युत ।
किं तस्य तपसा कार्यं किं यज्ञेन किमात्मना ॥२८॥

28. moghānyaguptadvārasya sarvāṇyeva bhavantyuta ,
kiṁ tasya tapasā kāryaṁ kiṁ yajñena kimātmanā.

28. moghāni aguptadvārasya sarvāṇi eva bhavanti uta
kim tasya tapasā kāryam kim yajñena kim ātmanā

28. aguptadvārasya sarvāṇi eva moghāni bhavanti uta
tasya tapasā kim kāryam yajñena kim ātmanā kim

28. Indeed, all actions of one whose 'doors' (dvāra) are not guarded become fruitless (mogha). What is the purpose of penance (tapas) for him? What is the purpose of a Vedic ritual (yajña) or the self (ātman) for him?

Words meanings summery:

• मोघानि (moghāni) - fruitless, vain, useless

• अगुप्तद्वारस्य (aguptadvārasya) - of one whose doors are not guarded, of an unguarded person

• सर्वाणि (sarvāṇi) - all (things, actions)

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

• भवन्ति (bhavanti) - they become, they are

• उत (uta) - indeed, moreover, and, or

• किम् (kim) - what, why (as an interrogative particle implying uselessness)

• तस्य (tasya) - of him, his

• तपसा (tapasā) - by penance (tapas)

• कार्यम् (kāryam) - action, deed, purpose (to be done)

• किम् (kim) - what, why (as an interrogative particle implying uselessness)

• यज्ञेन (yajñena) - by the Vedic ritual (yajña)

• किम् (kim) - what, why (as an interrogative particle implying uselessness)

• आत्मना (ātmanā) - by the self (ātman), by oneself

Words meanings and morphology

मोघानि (moghāni) - fruitless, vain, useless

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of mogha

mogha - empty, vain, fruitless, useless

Root: muh (class 4)

Note: Refers to the consequences of actions, rendering them pointless.

अगुप्तद्वारस्य (aguptadvārasya) - of one whose doors are not guarded, of an unguarded person

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of aguptadvāra

aguptadvāra - one whose doors are not protected

Compound: A-GUPTA-DVĀRA, meaning 'one for whom the doors are not guarded'. Bahuvrīhi compound.

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+gupta+dvāra)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  negative prefix
• gupta – protected, hidden
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root GUP (to protect).
  Root: gup (class 1)
• dvāra – door, gate
  noun (neuter)

Note: Refers to the individual in question.

सर्वाणि (sarvāṇi) - all (things, actions)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

Note: Modifies an implied 'karmāṇi' or 'phalāni'.

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

(indeclinable)

An emphatic particle.

भवन्ति (bhavanti) - they become, they are

(verb)

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

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Subject is 'sarvāṇi' (implied 'actions').

उत (uta) - indeed, moreover, and, or

(indeclinable)

An emphatic or conjunctive particle.

किम् (kim) - what, why (as an interrogative particle implying uselessness)

(indeclinable)

Interrogative pronoun/adverb. Often used with instrumental to imply 'what is the use of?'. Used as an indeclinable here too.

Note: Used adverbially as 'what is the purpose/use?'.

तस्य (tasya) - of him, his

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun. Forms of 'tad' can also serve as third-person pronouns.

तपसा (tapasā) - by penance (tapas)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - penance, austerity, spiritual fervor

Root: tap (class 1)

कार्यम् (kāryam) - action, deed, purpose (to be done)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kārya

kārya - to be done, duty, action, purpose

Gerundive

From root KṚ (to do) with suffix -ya.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Often used idiomatically with 'kim' and instrumental, meaning 'What is the purpose/business with X?'

किम् (kim) - what, why (as an interrogative particle implying uselessness)

(indeclinable)

Interrogative pronoun/adverb. Often used with instrumental to imply 'what is the use of?'. Used as an indeclinable here too.

Note: Used adverbially as 'what is the purpose/use?'.

यज्ञेन (yajñena) - by the Vedic ritual (yajña)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of yajña

yajña - Vedic ritual, sacrifice, worship

From root YAJ (to worship).

Root: yaj (class 1)

किम् (kim) - what, why (as an interrogative particle implying uselessness)

(indeclinable)

Interrogative pronoun/adverb. Often used with instrumental to imply 'what is the use of?'. Used as an indeclinable here too.

Note: Used adverbially as 'what is the purpose/use?'.

आत्मना (ātmanā) - by the self (ātman), by oneself

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, essence, spirit

Root: an (class 2)