महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-287, verse-3

पराशर उवाच ।
असङ्गः श्रेयसो मूलं ज्ञानं ज्ञानगतिः परा ।
चीर्णं तपो न प्रणश्येद्वापः क्षेत्रे न नश्यति ॥३॥

3. parāśara uvāca ,
asaṅgaḥ śreyaso mūlaṁ jñānaṁ jñānagatiḥ parā ,
cīrṇaṁ tapo na praṇaśyedvāpaḥ kṣetre na naśyati.

3. parāśara uvāca asaṅgaḥ śreyasaḥ mūlam jñānam jñānagatiḥ
parā cīrṇam tapaḥ na praṇaśyet vāpaḥ kṣetre na naśyati

3. parāśara uvāca asaṅgaḥ śreyasaḥ mūlam jñānam parā jñānagatiḥ
cīrṇam tapaḥ na praṇaśyet vāpaḥ kṣetre na naśyati

3. Parashara replied: Non-attachment (asaṅga) is the root of the supreme good. True knowledge is the ultimate destination. Practiced spiritual austerity (tapas) does not go to waste; just as a seed sown in fertile ground never perishes.

Words meanings summery:

• पराशर (parāśara) - Parashara (a proper name)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• असङ्गः (asaṅgaḥ) - non-attachment, detachment

• श्रेयसः (śreyasaḥ) - of the highest good, of what is beneficial

• मूलम् (mūlam) - the fundamental source. (root, origin, foundation)

• ज्ञानम् (jñānam) - profound spiritual insight. (knowledge, spiritual knowledge)

• ज्ञानगतिः (jñānagatiḥ) - the ultimate goal achieved through spiritual knowledge. (path of knowledge, destination through knowledge)

• परा (parā) - supreme, ultimate, highest

• चीर्णम् (cīrṇam) - performed (tapas). (practiced, performed, accomplished)

• तपः (tapaḥ) - religious or spiritual ascetic practice. (austerity, penance, spiritual discipline (tapas))

• न (na) - not, no

• प्रणश्येत् (praṇaśyet) - will not be wasted or lost. (should not perish, would not perish)

• वापः (vāpaḥ) - like a seed, referring to the effect of good deeds. (sowing, seed)

• क्षेत्रे (kṣetre) - in fertile ground. (in the field, on the ground)

• न (na) - not, no

• नश्यति (naśyati) - perishes, is destroyed, is lost

Words meanings and morphology

पराशर (parāśara) - Parashara (a proper name)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of parāśara

parāśara - Parashara (a sage's name)

Note: Visarga dropped before uvāca due to sandhi.

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

perfect active

Perfect tense, 3rd person singular, active voice of root vac. Irregular perfect form.

Root: vac (class 2)

असङ्गः (asaṅgaḥ) - non-attachment, detachment

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of asaṅga

asaṅga - non-attachment, detachment, unattached

Negative compound (Nañ-tatpurusha).

Compound type : nañ-tatpurusha (a+saṅga)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• saṅga – attachment, contact, union
  noun (masculine)
  action noun
  Derived from root sañj (to attach).
  Prefix: sam
  Root: sañj (class 1)

Note: Subject of the sentence, implies 'is'.

श्रेयसः (śreyasaḥ) - of the highest good, of what is beneficial

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, best, supreme good, welfare, prosperity

Comparative form of praśasya (excellent), used as a noun.

Note: Possessive, modifying mūlam.

मूलम् (mūlam) - the fundamental source. (root, origin, foundation)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mūla

mūla - root, base, origin, foundation

Note: Predicate nominative, implies 'is'.

ज्ञानम् (jñānam) - profound spiritual insight. (knowledge, spiritual knowledge)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jñāna

jñāna - knowledge, spiritual knowledge, wisdom

action noun

Derived from root jñā (to know).

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Subject of the second clause, implies 'is'.

ज्ञानगतिः (jñānagatiḥ) - the ultimate goal achieved through spiritual knowledge. (path of knowledge, destination through knowledge)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of jñānagati

jñānagati - path of knowledge, destination of knowledge

Compound noun, Tatpurusha.

Compound type : tatpurusha (jñāna+gati)

• jñāna – knowledge, spiritual knowledge, wisdom
  noun (neuter)
  action noun
  Derived from root jñā (to know).
  Root: jñā (class 9)
• gati – going, motion, path, destination, state, spiritual goal
  noun (feminine)
  action noun
  Derived from root gam (to go).
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Predicate nominative, implies 'is'.

परा (parā) - supreme, ultimate, highest

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, ultimate, distant, other

Note: Modifies jñānagatiḥ.

चीर्णम् (cīrṇam) - performed (tapas). (practiced, performed, accomplished)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of cīrṇa

cīrṇa - practiced, performed, accomplished

Past Passive Participle

Past Passive Participle of root car (to perform, practice).

Root: car (class 1)

Note: Modifies tapaḥ.

तपः (tapaḥ) - religious or spiritual ascetic practice. (austerity, penance, spiritual discipline (tapas))

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - austerity, penance, spiritual discipline (tapas), heat

Root: tap (class 1)

Note: Subject of na praṇaśyet.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

प्रणश्येत् (praṇaśyet) - will not be wasted or lost. (should not perish, would not perish)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of praṇaś

optative active

Optative mood, 3rd person singular, active voice of root naś with prefix pra-.

Prefix: pra

Root: naś (class 4)

वापः (vāpaḥ) - like a seed, referring to the effect of good deeds. (sowing, seed)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vāpa

vāpa - sowing, seed, cultivation

action noun

Derived from root vap (to sow).

Root: vap (class 1)

Note: Subject of the simile.

क्षेत्रे (kṣetre) - in fertile ground. (in the field, on the ground)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kṣetra

kṣetra - field, land, sacred place, body

Note: Location of the sowing.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

नश्यति (naśyati) - perishes, is destroyed, is lost

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (lat) of naś

present active

Present tense, 3rd person singular, active voice of root naś.

Root: naś (class 4)