महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-276, verse-42

आकाशस्था ध्रुवं यत्र दोषं ब्रूयुर्विपश्चिताम् ।
आत्मपूजाभिकामा वै को वसेत्तत्र पण्डितः ॥४२॥

42. ākāśasthā dhruvaṁ yatra doṣaṁ brūyurvipaścitām ,
ātmapūjābhikāmā vai ko vasettatra paṇḍitaḥ.

42. ākāśasthā dhruvam yatra doṣam brūyuḥ vipascitām
ātmapūjābhikāmā vai kaḥ vaset tatra paṇḍitaḥ

42. kaḥ paṇḍitaḥ vaset tatra yatra ākāśasthā dhruvam
ātmapūjābhikāmā vai vipascitām doṣam brūyuḥ

42. What wise person (paṇḍita) would indeed dwell in a place where those in positions of authority constantly find fault with the learned, being eager for their own self-aggrandizement?

Words meanings summery:

• आकाशस्था (ākāśasthā) - those in positions of authority (standing in the sky)

• ध्रुवम् (dhruvam) - constantly (certainly)

• यत्र (yatra) - where

• दोषम् (doṣam) - fault

• ब्रूयुः (brūyuḥ) - they would find (they might say)

• विपस्चिताम् (vipascitām) - of the learned (of the wise)

• आत्मपूजाभिकामा (ātmapūjābhikāmā) - eager for their own self-aggrandizement (desirous of self-praise)

• वै (vai) - indeed

• कः (kaḥ) - who

• वसेत् (vaset) - would dwell (should dwell)

• तत्र (tatra) - there

• पण्डितः (paṇḍitaḥ) - wise person

Words meanings and morphology

आकाशस्था (ākāśasthā) - those in positions of authority (standing in the sky)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ākāśastha

ākāśastha - standing in the sky

Compound of ākāśa (sky) and stha (standing, located) - root sthā

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ākāśa+stha)

• ākāśa – sky
  noun (masculine)
• stha – standing
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun/derivative
  Root sthā (to stand) + a (suffix)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Nominative plural, referring to individuals in high positions. The Devanagari 'आकाशस्था' implies `ākāśasthāḥ` (masc. nom. pl.) based on the plural verb `brūyuḥ`.

ध्रुवम् (dhruvam) - constantly (certainly)

(indeclinable)

यत्र (yatra) - where

(indeclinable)

दोषम् (doṣam) - fault

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of doṣa

doṣa - fault

Root duṣ (to corrupt, pollute) + a (suffix)

Root: duṣ (class 4)

ब्रूयुः (brūyuḥ) - they would find (they might say)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of brū

optative mood

Root brū (to speak), 3rd person plural optative active

Root: brū (class 2)

विपस्चिताम् (vipascitām) - of the learned (of the wise)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of vipascit

vipascit - wise

Note: Genitive plural, 'of the learned ones'.

आत्मपूजाभिकामा (ātmapūjābhikāmā) - eager for their own self-aggrandizement (desirous of self-praise)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ātmapūjābhikāma

ātmapūjābhikāma - desirous of self-praise

Compound of ātmapūjā (self-worship) and abhikāma (desirous)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ātmapūjā+abhikāma)

• ātmapūjā – self-worship
  noun (feminine)
  Compound of ātman (self) and pūjā (worship)
• abhikāma – desirous
  adjective (masculine)
  abhi (towards, desiring) + kāma (desire)
  Prefix: abhi
  Root: kam (class 1)

Note: Nominative plural, qualifying the implied subject of 'brūyuḥ' (those in high positions).

वै (vai) - indeed

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle

कः (kaḥ) - who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ka

ka - who

वसेत् (vaset) - would dwell (should dwell)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of vas

optative mood

Root vas (to dwell), 3rd person singular optative active

Root: vas (class 1)

तत्र (tatra) - there

(indeclinable)

पण्डितः (paṇḍitaḥ) - wise person

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of paṇḍita

paṇḍita - wise person

Derived from paṇḍā (wisdom, learning) or root paṇḍ (to collect, heap up)