महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-276, verse-24

कर्मोत्कर्षं न मार्गेत परेषां परिनिन्दया ।
स्वगुणैरेव मार्गेत विप्रकर्षं पृथग्जनात् ॥२४॥

24. karmotkarṣaṁ na mārgeta pareṣāṁ parinindayā ,
svaguṇaireva mārgeta viprakarṣaṁ pṛthagjanāt.

24. karmotkarṣam na mārgeta pareṣām parinindayā
svaguṇaiḥ eva mārgeta viprakarṣam pṛthagjanāt

24. pareṣām parinindayā karmotkarṣam na mārgeta.
svaguṇaiḥ eva pṛthagjanāt viprakarṣam mārgeta.

24. One should not strive for superior performance (karma) by severely criticizing others. Rather, one should attain distinction from ordinary people only through one's own inherent qualities.

Words meanings summery:

• कर्मोत्कर्षम् (karmotkarṣam) - superior performance (karma) (excellence in action, superiority in work, high status due to actions)

• न (na) - not, no

• मार्गेत (mārgeta) - one should seek, strive for, search for

• परेषाम् (pareṣām) - of others, of enemies

• परिनिन्दया (parinindayā) - by severely criticizing (by excessive criticism, by complete blame, by denigration)

• स्वगुणैः (svaguṇaiḥ) - by one's own qualities, by one's inherent virtues

• एव (eva) - only, indeed, just

• मार्गेत (mārgeta) - one should seek, strive for, search for

• विप्रकर्षम् (viprakarṣam) - distinction or pre-eminence (distinction, pre-eminence, separation, removal)

• पृथग्जनात् (pṛthagjanāt) - from common people, from ordinary individuals

Words meanings and morphology

कर्मोत्कर्षम् (karmotkarṣam) - superior performance (karma) (excellence in action, superiority in work, high status due to actions)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of karmotkarṣa

karmotkarṣa - excellence of action, superiority in work

From karma (action) + utkarṣa (excellence, superiority)

Compound type : tatpurusha (karma+utkarṣa)

• karma – action, deed, work, ritual action
  noun (neuter)
  From root kṛ (to do)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• utkarṣa – excellence, superiority, increase
  noun (masculine)
  from ud + kṛṣ (to pull, draw)
  Prefix: ud
  Root: kṛṣ (class 1)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

मार्गेत (mārgeta) - one should seek, strive for, search for

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (vidhi liṅ) of mārg

Optative mood, 3rd person singular, middle voice

From root mṛg (10th class, Ātmanepada), often causative of mṛg (to follow, hunt).

Root: mṛg (class 10)

परेषाम् (pareṣām) - of others, of enemies

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of para

para - other, different, enemy, supreme

परिनिन्दया (parinindayā) - by severely criticizing (by excessive criticism, by complete blame, by denigration)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of parinindā

parinindā - blame, censure, abuse, excessive criticism

From pari (around, completely) + nindā (blame)

Compound type : tatpurusha (pari+nindā)

• pari – around, completely, exceedingly
  indeclinable
  prefix
• nindā – blame, censure, reproach
  noun (feminine)
  From root nind (to blame)
  Root: nind (class 1)

स्वगुणैः (svaguṇaiḥ) - by one's own qualities, by one's inherent virtues

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of svaguṇa

svaguṇa - one's own quality, inherent virtue

From sva (own) + guṇa (quality)

Compound type : tatpurusha (sva+guṇa)

• sva – own, self
  adjective (masculine)
• guṇa – quality, virtue, attribute
  noun (masculine)

एव (eva) - only, indeed, just

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

Note: Emphasizes 'svaguṇaiḥ'.

मार्गेत (mārgeta) - one should seek, strive for, search for

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (vidhi liṅ) of mārg

Optative mood, 3rd person singular, middle voice

From root mṛg (10th class, Ātmanepada), often causative of mṛg (to follow, hunt).

Root: mṛg (class 10)

विप्रकर्षम् (viprakarṣam) - distinction or pre-eminence (distinction, pre-eminence, separation, removal)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of viprakarṣa

viprakarṣa - distinction, pre-eminence, separation, removal, distance

From vi (apart) + pra (forward) + karṣa (drawing, attraction, excellence)

Compound type : tatpurusha (vi+pra+karṣa)

• vi – apart, asunder
  indeclinable
  prefix
• pra – forward, onward
  indeclinable
  prefix
• karṣa – drawing, pulling, excellence, high degree
  noun (masculine)
  from root kṛṣ (to pull, draw)
  Root: kṛṣ (class 1)

Note: Object of mārgeta.

पृथग्जनात् (pṛthagjanāt) - from common people, from ordinary individuals

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of pṛthagjana

pṛthagjana - common person, ordinary man, different kind of person

From pṛthak (separate, distinct) + jana (person)

Compound type : tatpurusha (pṛthak+jana)

• pṛthak – separately, apart, different
  indeclinable
• jana – person, people
  noun (masculine)
  From root jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Source from which distinction is sought.