महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-288, verse-38

अव्याहृतं व्याहृताच्छ्रेय आहुः सत्यं वदेद्व्याहृतं तद्द्वितीयम् ।
धर्मं वदेद्व्याहृतं तत्तृतीयं प्रियं वदेद्व्याहृतं तच्चतुर्थम् ॥३८॥

38. avyāhṛtaṁ vyāhṛtācchreya āhuḥ; satyaṁ vadedvyāhṛtaṁ taddvitīyam ,
dharmaṁ vadedvyāhṛtaṁ tattṛtīyaṁ; priyaṁ vadedvyāhṛtaṁ taccaturtham.

38. avyāhṛtam vyāhṛtāt śreyaḥ āhuḥ satyam
vadet vyāhṛtam tat dvitīyam
dharmam vadet vyāhṛtam tat tṛtīyam
priyam vadet vyāhṛtam tat caturtham

38. avyāhṛtam vyāhṛtāt śreyaḥ āhuḥ satyam
vyāhṛtam vadet tat dvitīyam
dharmam vyāhṛtam vadet tat tṛtīyam
priyam vyāhṛtam vadet tat caturtham

38. They say that unspoken words are superior to spoken words. Speaking the truth (satya) is considered the second. Speaking in accordance with righteousness (dharma) is the third. Speaking what is pleasing is the fourth.

Words meanings summery:

• अव्याहृतम् (avyāhṛtam) - unspoken words (unspoken, unuttered, not spoken)

• व्याहृतात् (vyāhṛtāt) - than spoken words (than spoken (words))

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - superior (better, superior, more excellent)

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say (they say, they speak)

• सत्यम् (satyam) - the truth (satya) (truth, true)

• वदेत् (vadet) - (one should) speak (one should speak, he should speak)

• व्याहृतम् (vyāhṛtam) - spoken (word) (spoken, uttered (word))

• तत् (tat) - that (which is) (that, it)

• द्वितीयम् (dvitīyam) - the second (second)

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - righteousness (dharma) (dharma, righteousness, duty)

• तृतीयम् (tṛtīyam) - the third (third)

• प्रियम् (priyam) - what is pleasing (pleasing, dear, beloved; a pleasant thing)

• चतुर्थम् (caturtham) - the fourth (fourth)

Words meanings and morphology

अव्याहृतम् (avyāhṛtam) - unspoken words (unspoken, unuttered, not spoken)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of avyāhṛta

avyāhṛta - unspoken, unuttered, not spoken, silent

Past Passive Participle

Negation of vyāhṛta (spoken). Formed with the negative prefix 'a' and the past passive participle of the root hṛ with prefixes vi-ā.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+vyāhṛta)

• a – not, non
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• vyāhṛta – spoken, uttered
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root hṛ (to carry, utter) with prefixes vi and ā.
  Prefixes: vi+ā
  Root: hṛ (class 1)

व्याहृतात् (vyāhṛtāt) - than spoken words (than spoken (words))

(adjective)

Ablative, neuter, singular of vyāhṛta

vyāhṛta - spoken, uttered, said

Past Passive Participle

From root hṛ (to carry, utter) with prefixes vi and ā.

Prefixes: vi+ā

Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Expresses comparison with 'śreyaḥ'.

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - superior (better, superior, more excellent)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, superior, more excellent, welfare, good fortune

Comparative form, often of 'śrī' (good) or 'praśasya' (excellent).

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say (they say, they speak)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, perfect (used in present sense) (lit) of brū

Perfect Active Indicative

Root ah, form āhuḥ is 3rd plural perfect active, often used in present sense.

Root: ah (class 2)

सत्यम् (satyam) - the truth (satya) (truth, true)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of satya

satya - truth, reality, true, real (satya)

From root as (to be), derived from sat (being).

Root: as (class 2)

वदेत् (vadet) - (one should) speak (one should speak, he should speak)

(verb)

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

Optative Active

3rd singular optative active.

Root: vad (class 1)

व्याहृतम् (vyāhṛtam) - spoken (word) (spoken, uttered (word))

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vyāhṛta

vyāhṛta - spoken, uttered, said

Past Passive Participle

From root hṛ (to carry, utter) with prefixes vi and ā.

Prefixes: vi+ā

Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Refers to the type of speech.

तत् (tat) - that (which is) (that, it)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it, those

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'is'.

द्वितीयम् (dvitīyam) - the second (second)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of dvitīya

dvitīya - second, secondary

Ordinal number.

धर्मम् (dharmam) - righteousness (dharma) (dharma, righteousness, duty)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, righteousness, duty, virtue, cosmic order (dharma)

From root dhṛ (to uphold, support).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

तृतीयम् (tṛtīyam) - the third (third)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tṛtīya

tṛtīya - third, tertiary

Ordinal number.

प्रियम् (priyam) - what is pleasing (pleasing, dear, beloved; a pleasant thing)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of priya

priya - dear, beloved, pleasing, agreeable

Often used as a noun in neuter, meaning 'a pleasing thing'.

Root: prī (class 9)

चतुर्थम् (caturtham) - the fourth (fourth)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of caturtha

caturtha - fourth

Ordinal number.