महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-303, verse-1

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच ।
न शक्यो निर्गुणस्तात गुणीकर्तुं विशां पते ।
गुणवांश्चाप्यगुणवान्यथातत्त्वं निबोध मे ॥१॥

1. yājñavalkya uvāca ,
na śakyo nirguṇastāta guṇīkartuṁ viśāṁ pate ,
guṇavāṁścāpyaguṇavānyathātattvaṁ nibodha me.

1. yājñavalkyaḥ uvāca | na śakyaḥ nirguṇaḥ tāta guṇīkartum
viśām pate | guṇavān ca api aguṇavān yathātattvam nibodha me

1. yājñavalkyaḥ uvāca tāta viśām pate,
nirguṇaḥ guṇīkartum na śakyaḥ ca guṇavān api aguṇavān na (śakyaḥ) yathātattvam me nibodha

1. Yājñavalkya said: O dear one, O lord of men, it is not possible to endow someone who is devoid of qualities with qualities. And similarly, one who possesses qualities cannot become devoid of them. Understand this truth from me as it truly is.

Words meanings summery:

• याज्ञवल्क्यः (yājñavalkyaḥ) - Sage Yājñavalkya (Yājñavalkya)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• शक्यः (śakyaḥ) - possible (possible, able to be done)

• निर्गुणः (nirguṇaḥ) - devoid of qualities (without qualities, devoid of qualities, attributeless)

• तात (tāta) - O dear one (addressing a disciple or younger person respectfully) (dear one, father, son, venerable person)

• गुणीकर्तुम् (guṇīkartum) - to endow with qualities (to make endowed with qualities, to give qualities)

• विशाम् (viśām) - of men (referring to subjects/people) (of the people, of the subjects, of the inhabitants)

• पते (pate) - O lord (addressing a king or superior) (O lord, O master)

• गुणवान् (guṇavān) - one who possesses qualities (possessing qualities, virtuous, excellent)

• च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

• अपि (api) - similarly (also, even, too, moreover)

• अगुणवान् (aguṇavān) - one who is without qualities (without qualities, not having qualities)

• यथातत्त्वम् (yathātattvam) - this truth of the matter (according to truth, according to reality, truthfully)

• निबोध (nibodha) - understand (understand, perceive, learn)

• मे (me) - from me (from me, to me, my)

Words meanings and morphology

याज्ञवल्क्यः (yājñavalkyaḥ) - Sage Yājñavalkya (Yājñavalkya)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yājñavalkya

yājñavalkya - a celebrated ancient sage, author of Yājñavalkya Smṛti

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (liṭ) of vac

Perfect Active

third person singular, strong form of root vac

Root: vac (class 2)

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

शक्यः (śakyaḥ) - possible (possible, able to be done)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śakya

śakya - possible, practicable, capable of being

Gerundive/Future Passive Participle

formed from root śak + ya (primary suffix)

Root: śak (class 5)

निर्गुणः (nirguṇaḥ) - devoid of qualities (without qualities, devoid of qualities, attributeless)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nirguṇa

nirguṇa - without qualities, attributeless, free from the guṇas

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (nis+guṇa)

• nis – out, forth, without, negation
  indeclinable
• guṇa – quality, attribute, constituent of nature (sattva, rajas, tamas)
  noun (masculine)

Note: Refers to an entity or person.

तात (tāta) - O dear one (addressing a disciple or younger person respectfully) (dear one, father, son, venerable person)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of tāta

tāta - father, son, dear one (term of endearment or respect)

Note: Used as an address.

गुणीकर्तुम् (guṇīkartum) - to endow with qualities (to make endowed with qualities, to give qualities)

(verb)

active, infinitive (tumun) of guṇīkṛ

Infinitive

Infinitive of the denominative verb guṇīkṛ (guṇin + kṛ)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Compound type : compound verb (guṇin+kṛ)

• guṇin – possessing qualities, qualified
  adjective (masculine)
  derived from guṇa + ini
• kṛ – to do, make, perform
  verb
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

विशाम् (viśām) - of men (referring to subjects/people) (of the people, of the subjects, of the inhabitants)

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of viś

viś - people, subject, inhabitant, household

Note: The word 'viś' can be masculine or feminine, but in the sense of 'people' it's often treated as feminine or has mixed gender forms.

पते (pate) - O lord (addressing a king or superior) (O lord, O master)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pati

pati - lord, master, husband, owner

Note: Used as an address.

गुणवान् (guṇavān) - one who possesses qualities (possessing qualities, virtuous, excellent)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of guṇavat

guṇavat - possessing qualities, virtuous, meritorious

derived from guṇa + matup suffix

Note: Often substantivized to mean 'one who has qualities'.

च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - similarly (also, even, too, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Note: Often used to connect similar statements.

अगुणवान् (aguṇavān) - one who is without qualities (without qualities, not having qualities)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aguṇavat

aguṇavat - without qualities, devoid of virtues

negative prefix a + guṇavat (guṇa + matup)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+guṇavat)

• a – not, un-, without
  indeclinable
  negative prefix
• guṇavat – possessing qualities, virtuous
  adjective (masculine)
  derived from guṇa + matup suffix

Note: Often substantivized.

यथातत्त्वम् (yathātattvam) - this truth of the matter (according to truth, according to reality, truthfully)

(indeclinable)

compound, yathā + tattva

Compound type : avyayībhāva (yathā+tattva)

• yathā – as, like, according to
  indeclinable
• tattva – truth, reality, principle, essence
  noun (neuter)

Note: Functions as an adverb here.

निबोध (nibodha) - understand (understand, perceive, learn)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of nibudh

Imperative Active

second person singular, root budh with prefix ni

Prefix: ni

Root: budh (class 1)

मे (me) - from me (from me, to me, my)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me (first person pronoun)

Note: Can also be dative. Here, 'understand from me' implies an ablative sense.