महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-263, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
धर्ममर्थं च कामं च वेदाः शंसन्ति भारत ।
कस्य लाभो विशिष्टोऽत्र तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
dharmamarthaṁ ca kāmaṁ ca vedāḥ śaṁsanti bhārata ,
kasya lābho viśiṣṭo'tra tanme brūhi pitāmaha.

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca dharmam artham ca kāmam ca vedāḥ śaṃsanti
bhārata kasya lābhaḥ viśiṣṭaḥ atra tat me brūhi pitāmaha

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca bhārata vedāḥ dharmam artham ca kāmam ca
śaṃsanti atra kasya lābhaḥ viśiṣṭaḥ tat me brūhi pitāmaha

1. Yudhiṣṭhira said: "O Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)! The Vedas praise righteousness (dharma), wealth, and desire. Which of these benefits is superior here? Tell me that, O Grandfather (Pitāmaha)."

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira (proper name, eldest Pandava)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - righteousness, natural law, constitution, duty, virtue (dharma)

• अर्थम् (artham) - wealth, purpose, meaning, object

• च (ca) - and

• कामम् (kāmam) - desire, wish, love, sensual pleasure

• च (ca) - and

• वेदाः (vedāḥ) - the Vedas

• शंसन्ति (śaṁsanti) - praise, declare, recite

• भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)

• कस्य (kasya) - whose, of which

• लाभः (lābhaḥ) - gain, acquisition, benefit, profit

• विशिष्टः (viśiṣṭaḥ) - distinguished, excellent, superior

• अत्र (atra) - among these three pursuits (dharma, artha, kāma) (here, in this matter)

• तत् (tat) - the answer to the question (that)

• मे (me) - to me, for me

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak (imperative)

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Grandfather (Bhīṣma) (O Grandfather (Pitāmaha))

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira (proper name, eldest Pandava)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - firm in battle, Yudhiṣṭhira

'yudhi' (in battle) + 'sthira' (firm)

Compound type : aluk-tatpuruṣa (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle
  indeclinable (feminine)
  locative of yudh (battle)
  Root: yudh
• sthira – firm, steady
  adjective
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: The speaker.

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (lit) of vac

perfect active, 3rd person singular

root vac (2nd class), perfect tense formation

Root: vac (class 2)

धर्मम् (dharmam) - righteousness, natural law, constitution, duty, virtue (dharma)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

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

root dhṛ (to uphold, support) + man (suffix)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Object of śaṃsanti.

अर्थम् (artham) - wealth, purpose, meaning, object

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - wealth, purpose, meaning, object

root ṛ (to go, attain) + tha (suffix)

Root: ṛ (class 3)

Note: Object of śaṃsanti.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

कामम् (kāmam) - desire, wish, love, sensual pleasure

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of kāma

kāma - desire, wish, love, sensual pleasure

root kam (to desire) + ghañ (suffix)

Root: kam (class 1)

Note: Object of śaṃsanti.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

वेदाः (vedāḥ) - the Vedas

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of veda

veda - sacred knowledge, the Vedas

root vid (to know) + a (suffix)

Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Subject of śaṃsanti.

शंसन्ति (śaṁsanti) - praise, declare, recite

(verb)

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

present active, 3rd person plural

root śaṃs (1st class) + anti (parasmaipada ending)

Root: śaṃs (class 1)

Note: Subject is vedāḥ.

भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bhārata

bhārata - descendant of Bharata, an Indian

patronymic from Bharata

Root: bhṛ (class 1)

कस्य (kasya) - whose, of which

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine/neuter, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Qualifies lābhaḥ.

लाभः (lābhaḥ) - gain, acquisition, benefit, profit

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of lābha

lābha - gain, acquisition, benefit, profit

root labh (to obtain) + ghañ (suffix)

Root: labh (class 1)

Note: Subject of the question.

विशिष्टः (viśiṣṭaḥ) - distinguished, excellent, superior

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of viśiṣṭa

viśiṣṭa - distinguished, excellent, superior

Past Passive Participle

From root śiṣ (to distinguish, remain) with prefix vi

Prefix: vi

Root: śiṣ (class 7)

Note: Agrees with lābhaḥ.

अत्र (atra) - among these three pursuits (dharma, artha, kāma) (here, in this matter)

(indeclinable)

`a` + `tra` suffix

तत् (tat) - the answer to the question (that)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

Note: Object of brūhi.

मे (me) - to me, for me

(pronoun)

singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

variant of dative/genitive singular of asmad

Note: Recipient of the command.

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak (imperative)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of brū

imperative active, 2nd person singular

root brū (2nd class), imperative mood

Root: brū (class 2)

Note: Addressed to Pitāmaha.

पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Grandfather (Bhīṣma) (O Grandfather (Pitāmaha))

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather

'pitṛ' (father) + 'maha' (great)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pitṛ+maha)

• pitṛ – father
  noun (masculine)
• maha – great
  adjective
  Root: mah (class 1)