महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-308, verse-159

नास्त्यसाधारणो राजा नास्ति राज्यमराजकम् ।
राज्येऽसति कुतो धर्मो धर्मेऽसति कुतः परम् ॥१५९॥

159. nāstyasādhāraṇo rājā nāsti rājyamarājakam ,
rājye'sati kuto dharmo dharme'sati kutaḥ param.

159. na asti asādhāraṇaḥ rājā na asti rājyam arājakam
rājye asati kutaḥ dharmaḥ dharme asati kutaḥ param

159. asādhāraṇaḥ rājā na asti arājakam rājyam na asti
rājye asati dharmaḥ kutaḥ dharme asati param kutaḥ

159. There is no uncommon king (every king has an essential role), nor can a state (rājya) exist without a king. If a state (rājya) does not exist, how can there be natural law (dharma)? And if natural law (dharma) does not exist, from where can the ultimate good be attained?

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

• असाधारणः (asādhāraṇaḥ) - uncommon, not ordinary, essential

• राजा (rājā) - king

• न (na) - not, no

• अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

• राज्यम् (rājyam) - kingdom, state, rule

• अराजकम् (arājakam) - kingless, without a king, anarchic

• राज्ये (rājye) - in the state, if the state

• असति (asati) - in the absence of (not being, if it is not, non-existent)

• कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where, whence, how

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness

• धर्मे (dharme) - in natural law (dharma), if there is no natural law

• असति (asati) - in the absence of (not being, if it is not, non-existent)

• कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where, whence, how

• परम् (param) - the highest, the supreme, ultimate good

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

असाधारणः (asādhāraṇaḥ) - uncommon, not ordinary, essential

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of asādhāraṇa

asādhāraṇa - uncommon, extraordinary, not general, specific

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (na+sādhāraṇa)

• na – not
  indeclinable
• sādhāraṇa – common, ordinary, general
  adjective

राजा (rājā) - king

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

राज्यम् (rājyam) - kingdom, state, rule

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of rājya

rājya - kingdom, realm, state, government

अराजकम् (arājakam) - kingless, without a king, anarchic

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of arājaka

arājaka - kingless, anarchic, without a ruler

Compound type : nañ-bahuvrīhi (a+rājan)

• a – not, without (prefix)
  indeclinable
• rājan – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)

राज्ये (rājye) - in the state, if the state

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of rājya

rājya - kingdom, state, realm

असति (asati) - in the absence of (not being, if it is not, non-existent)

(participle)

Locative, neuter, singular of asat

asat - not existing, non-existent, unreal

Present Active Participle (negated)

Negation 'a' + Present Active Participle of root 'as' (to be)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (na+sat)

• na – not
  indeclinable
• sat – being, existing, real
  participle
  Present Active Participle
  Present Active Participle of root 'as' (to be)
  Root: as (class 2)

Note: Forms a locative absolute construction with 'rājye' or 'dharme'.

कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where, whence, how

(indeclinable)

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, duty, righteousness, constitution, intrinsic nature

धर्मे (dharme) - in natural law (dharma), if there is no natural law

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, duty, righteousness, constitution, intrinsic nature

असति (asati) - in the absence of (not being, if it is not, non-existent)

(participle)

Locative, masculine, singular of asat

asat - not existing, non-existent, unreal

Present Active Participle (negated)

Negation 'a' + Present Active Participle of root 'as' (to be)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (na+sat)

• na – not
  indeclinable
• sat – being, existing, real
  participle
  Present Active Participle
  Present Active Participle of root 'as' (to be)
  Root: as (class 2)

Note: Forms a locative absolute construction with 'rājye' or 'dharme'.

कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where, whence, how

(indeclinable)

परम् (param) - the highest, the supreme, ultimate good

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, ultimate, beyond, other

Note: Used here as a substantive (noun) meaning 'the highest/ultimate good'.