महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-297, verse-3

भगवन्किमिदं श्रेयः प्रेत्य वापीह वा भवेत् ।
पुरुषस्याध्रुवे देहे कामस्य वशवर्तिनः ॥३॥

3. bhagavankimidaṁ śreyaḥ pretya vāpīha vā bhavet ,
puruṣasyādhruve dehe kāmasya vaśavartinaḥ.

3. bhagavan kim idam śreyaḥ pretya vā api iha vā
bhavet puruṣasya adhruve dehe kāmasya vaśavartinaḥ

3. bhagavan adhruve dehe kāmasya vaśavartinaḥ puruṣasya
idam kim śreyaḥ pretya vā iha vā api bhavet

3. O revered one, what indeed is the ultimate good (śreyaḥ) for a person (puruṣa) who inhabits an impermanent body and is subservient to desire? Should it be sought in this world or in the next?

Words meanings summery:

• भगवन् (bhagavan) - Address to the sage. (O revered one, O Lord, O divine one)

• किम् (kim) - what?

• इदम् (idam) - Referring to the 'ultimate good' being inquired about. (this)

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - the good, ultimate good, welfare, better

• प्रेत्य (pretya) - after death, in the next world

• वा (vā) - or

• अपि (api) - also, even, indeed

• इह (iha) - here, in this world

• वा (vā) - or

• भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, should be, would be

• पुरुषस्य (puruṣasya) - of the person, of man (puruṣa)

• अध्रुवे (adhruve) - in the impermanent, in the fleeting

• देहे (dehe) - in the body

• कामस्य (kāmasya) - of desire, of love, of passion

• वशवर्तिनः (vaśavartinaḥ) - being under the control of, being subservient to

Words meanings and morphology

भगवन् (bhagavan) - Address to the sage. (O revered one, O Lord, O divine one)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bhagavat

bhagavat - possessing fortune, glorious, divine, revered, Lord

possessive suffix -vat

Note: Address to the sage.

किम् (kim) - what?

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, who, which

Note: Interrogative pronoun, predicates 'idam śreyaḥ'.

इदम् (idam) - Referring to the 'ultimate good' being inquired about. (this)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this here

Note: Refers to the 'śreyaḥ' being discussed.

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - the good, ultimate good, welfare, better

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

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

Note: Subject of 'bhavet', combined with 'kim idam' as "what is this ultimate good".

प्रेत्य (pretya) - after death, in the next world

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

from pra-i (to go forth, die)

Prefix: pra

Root: i (class 2)

Note: Functions adverbially.

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

Note: Disjunctive conjunction.

अपि (api) - also, even, indeed

(indeclinable)

Note: Often used with 'vā' for emphasis or alternative "or indeed".

इह (iha) - here, in this world

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverb of place.

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

Note: Disjunctive conjunction.

भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, should be, would be

(verb)

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

Optative Active

root bhū, vidhiliṅ (optative mood), 3rd person singular

Root: bhū (class 1)

पुरुषस्य (puruṣasya) - of the person, of man (puruṣa)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of puruṣa

puruṣa - man, person, human being, spirit, the supreme cosmic person (puruṣa)

Note: Possessive, modifying 'śreyaḥ' or the implied actor of 'bhavet'.

अध्रुवे (adhruve) - in the impermanent, in the fleeting

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of adhruva

adhruva - impermanent, unstable, fleeting, uncertain

negative prefix 'a' + 'dhruva'

Compound type : tatpurusha (a+dhruva)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  negative prefix
• dhruva – fixed, permanent, constant, certain
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Agrees with 'dehe'.

देहे (dehe) - in the body

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of deha

deha - body

Note: Refers to the physical body.

कामस्य (kāmasya) - of desire, of love, of passion

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of kāma

kāma - desire, wish, love, pleasure, Kama (the god of love)

Root: kam (class 1)

Note: Possessive, modifies 'vaśavartinaḥ'.

वशवर्तिनः (vaśavartinaḥ) - being under the control of, being subservient to

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of vaśavartin

vaśavartin - being under command, obedient, subservient, dependent

from vaśa + vartin (from vṛt 'to be, to exist')

Compound type : tatpurusha (vaśa+vartin)

• vaśa – will, power, control, authority
  noun (masculine)
• vartin – existing, being, abiding, acting, subject to
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent Noun
  suffix -in from root vṛt (to be, to turn)
  Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'puruṣasya'.