महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-285, verse-26

विकर्मावस्थिता वर्णाः पतन्ति नृपते त्रयः ।
उन्नमन्ति यथासन्तमाश्रित्येह स्वकर्मसु ॥२६॥

26. vikarmāvasthitā varṇāḥ patanti nṛpate trayaḥ ,
unnamanti yathāsantamāśrityeha svakarmasu.

26. vikarmāvasthitāḥ varṇāḥ patanti nṛpate trayaḥ
unnamanti yathāsantam āśritya iha svakarmasu

26. nṛpate trayaḥ varṇāḥ vikarmāvasthitāḥ patanti
iha svakarmasu yathāsantam āśritya unnamanti

26. O King, the three social classes (varṇa) fall when they are engaged in improper actions (vikarma). However, they prosper in this world by properly adhering to their own prescribed duties (karma).

Words meanings summery:

• विकर्मावस्थिताः (vikarmāvasthitāḥ) - engaged in actions contrary to their prescribed (dharma) (situated in wrong actions, deviating from prescribed duties)

• वर्णाः (varṇāḥ) - social classes (varṇa) (classes, colors, kinds)

• पतन्ति (patanti) - they fall from their position/status (they fall, they decline)

• नृपते (nṛpate) - O king

• त्रयः (trayaḥ) - these three (classes) (three)

• उन्नमन्ति (unnamanti) - they ascend in status, they succeed (they rise, they prosper, they lift up)

• यथासन्तम् (yathāsantam) - by acting in accordance with what is good or prescribed (properly, as is good, as is fitting)

• आश्रित्य (āśritya) - by adhering to (having resorted to, depending on, taking refuge in)

• इह (iha) - in this very world, in this life (here, in this world, at this time)

• स्वकर्मसु (svakarmasu) - in the duties (karma) specifically assigned to them by their varṇa (in their own actions, in their own duties)

Words meanings and morphology

विकर्मावस्थिताः (vikarmāvasthitāḥ) - engaged in actions contrary to their prescribed (dharma) (situated in wrong actions, deviating from prescribed duties)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of vikarmāvasthita

vikarmāvasthita - situated in wrong action, deviating from prescribed duties, in a state of unrighteous conduct

Compound type : tatpurusha (vikarma+avasthita)

• vikarma – wrong action, improper action, forbidden act
  noun (neuter)
  from vi (prefix, against, opposite) + karma (action)
  Prefix: vi
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• avasthita – situated, standing, abiding, existing
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  from prefix ava + root sthā (to stand)
  Prefix: ava
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'varṇāḥ'.

वर्णाः (varṇāḥ) - social classes (varṇa) (classes, colors, kinds)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of varṇa

varṇa - color, outward appearance, class, caste, character, quality

from root vṛ (to cover, enclose)

Root: vṛ (class 9)

पतन्ति (patanti) - they fall from their position/status (they fall, they decline)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (lat) of pat

Present Active

3rd person plural, present indicative, active voice

Root: pat (class 1)

नृपते (nṛpate) - O king

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of nṛpati

nṛpati - king, lord of men

Compound type : tatpurusha (nṛ+pati)

• nṛ – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• pati – master, lord, husband
  noun (masculine)

त्रयः (trayaḥ) - these three (classes) (three)

(numeral)

Note: Declined form of 'tri' used with masculine nouns.

उन्नमन्ति (unnamanti) - they ascend in status, they succeed (they rise, they prosper, they lift up)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (lat) of unnam

Present Active

3rd person plural, present indicative, active voice

Prefix: ud

Root: nam (class 1)

यथासन्तम् (yathāsantam) - by acting in accordance with what is good or prescribed (properly, as is good, as is fitting)

(indeclinable)

from yathā (as, according to) + santa (good, existent)

Compound type : indeclinable compound (yathā+santa)

• yathā – as, just as, according to, in such a manner
  indeclinable
• santa – being, existing, good, virtuous, peaceful
  adjective (masculine)
  Present Active Participle
  from root as (to be)
  Root: as (class 2)

Note: Often takes an accusative ending to function adverbially.

आश्रित्य (āśritya) - by adhering to (having resorted to, depending on, taking refuge in)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

from prefix ā + root śri (to resort to, lean on) + ya suffix

Prefix: ā

Root: śri (class 1)

इह (iha) - in this very world, in this life (here, in this world, at this time)

(indeclinable)

स्वकर्मसु (svakarmasu) - in the duties (karma) specifically assigned to them by their varṇa (in their own actions, in their own duties)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of svakarma

svakarma - one's own action, one's own duty, prescribed duty

Compound type : tatpurusha (sva+karma)

• sva – one's own, self, own property
  pronoun
• karma – action, deed, work, duty, consequence of action
  noun (neuter)
  from root kṛ (to do, make)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)