महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-309, verse-14

धर्मनिःश्रेणिमास्थाय किंचित्किंचित्समारुह ।
कोशकारवदात्मानं वेष्टयन्नावबुध्यसे ॥१४॥

14. dharmaniḥśreṇimāsthāya kiṁcitkiṁcitsamāruha ,
kośakāravadātmānaṁ veṣṭayannāvabudhyase.

14. dharmaniḥśreṇim āsthāya kiñcit kiñcit samāruha
kośakāravat ātmānam veṣṭayan na avabudhyase

14. dharmaniḥśreṇim āsthāya kiñcit kiñcit samāruha.
kośakāravat ātmānam veṣṭayan na avabudhyase

14. Having ascended the ladder of natural law (dharma) little by little, you do not realize that you are enmeshing your very self (ātman) just like a silkworm.

Words meanings summery:

• धर्मनिःश्रेणिम् (dharmaniḥśreṇim) - the ladder of natural law (dharma)

• आस्थाय (āsthāya) - having ascended (or resorted to as a means) (having resorted to, having taken a stand upon, having adopted)

• किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - little (modifies the action of ascending) (a little, somewhat, anything, something)

• किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - by little (modifies the action of ascending) (a little, somewhat, anything, something)

• समारुह (samāruha) - ascend (ascend, climb, mount)

• कोशकारवत् (kośakāravat) - like a silkworm (like a cocoon-maker, like a silkworm)

• आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - your very self (ātman) (the self, soul, spirit, oneself)

• वेष्टयन् (veṣṭayan) - enmeshing (enmeshing, wrapping, covering, enveloping)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• अवबुध्यसे (avabudhyase) - you realize (you understand, you realize, you know)

Words meanings and morphology

धर्मनिःश्रेणिम् (dharmaniḥśreṇim) - the ladder of natural law (dharma)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of dharmaniḥśreṇi

dharmaniḥśreṇi - the ladder of natural law (dharma)

Compound of dharma (natural law) and niḥśreṇi (ladder)

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+niḥśreṇi)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• niḥśreṇi – ladder, flight of stairs
  noun (feminine)
  From niḥ (down/out) and śreṇi (row, line, step)
  Prefix: niḥ
  Root: śrī (class 1)

Note: Object of 'āsthāya' and 'samāruha'

आस्थाय (āsthāya) - having ascended (or resorted to as a means) (having resorted to, having taken a stand upon, having adopted)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

Derived from root sthā (to stand) with prefix ā and suffix -ya

Prefix: ā

Root: sthā (class 1)

किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - little (modifies the action of ascending) (a little, somewhat, anything, something)

(indeclinable)

Indeclinable form of 'kiṃcid'

Note: Used in repetition 'kiñcit kiñcit'

किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - by little (modifies the action of ascending) (a little, somewhat, anything, something)

(indeclinable)

Indeclinable form of 'kiṃcid'

Note: Second instance of 'kiñcit' for emphasis of gradual action

समारुह (samāruha) - ascend (ascend, climb, mount)

(verb)

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

Imperative, Active Voice

2nd person singular imperative active voice; from root ruh (to ascend) with prefixes sam-ā

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: ruh (class 1)

कोशकारवत् (kośakāravat) - like a silkworm (like a cocoon-maker, like a silkworm)

(indeclinable)

Compound of kośakāra (cocoon-maker, silkworm) with suffix -vat (like)

Compound type : tatpurusha (kośakāra+vat)

• kośakāra – cocoon-maker, silkworm
  noun (masculine)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• vat – like, similar to
  indeclinable
  Suffix indicating similarity

आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - your very self (ātman) (the self, soul, spirit, oneself)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, essence

Note: Object of 'veṣṭayan'

वेष्टयन् (veṣṭayan) - enmeshing (enmeshing, wrapping, covering, enveloping)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of veṣṭayat

veṣṭayat - enmeshing, wrapping, covering, enveloping

Present Active Participle

Derived from root veṣṭ (to wrap, surround) with suffix -śatṛ

Root: veṣṭ (class 1)

Note: Describes the implied subject 'you'

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates 'avabudhyase'

अवबुध्यसे (avabudhyase) - you realize (you understand, you realize, you know)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of avabudh

Present Tense, Middle Voice

2nd person singular present indicative middle voice; from root budh (to know) with prefix ava

Prefix: ava

Root: budh (class 1)