महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-70, verse-17

अशुभस्य तदा अर्धं द्वावंशावनुवर्तते ।
कृष्टपच्यैव पृथिवी भवत्यल्पफला तथा ॥१७॥

17. aśubhasya tadā ardhaṁ dvāvaṁśāvanuvartate ,
kṛṣṭapacyaiva pṛthivī bhavatyalpaphalā tathā.

17. aśubhasya tadā ardham dvāvaṃśau anuvartate
kṛṣṭapacyā eva pṛthivī bhavati alpaphala tathā

17. tadā aśubhasya ardham dvāvaṃśau anuvartate
tathā pṛthivī kṛṣṭapacyā eva alpaphala bhavati

17. Then, half (two parts) of unrighteousness (adharma) prevails. The earth, even when cultivated, yields little fruit.

Words meanings summery:

• अशुभस्य (aśubhasya) - of unrighteousness (adharma) (of the inauspicious, of evil, of misfortune)

• तदा (tadā) - then (then, at that time)

• अर्धम् (ardham) - half (half, a part)

• द्वावंशौ (dvāvaṁśau) - two parts (two parts, two shares)

• अनुवर्तते (anuvartate) - prevails (prevails, continues, acts according to)

• कृष्टपच्या (kṛṣṭapacyā) - producing only through cultivation (producing by cultivation, yielding crops by ploughing)

• एव (eva) - only (only, just, indeed)

• पृथिवी (pṛthivī) - the earth

• भवति (bhavati) - becomes (becomes, is)

• अल्पफल (alpaphala) - yielding little fruit (yielding little fruit, unproductive)

• तथा (tathā) - thus (thus, so, similarly)

Words meanings and morphology

अशुभस्य (aśubhasya) - of unrighteousness (adharma) (of the inauspicious, of evil, of misfortune)

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of aśubha

aśubha - inauspicious, evil, misfortune, unrighteousness

Negation of śubha (auspicious)

Note: Here used as a noun, meaning 'of unrighteousness'.

तदा (tadā) - then (then, at that time)

(indeclinable)

अर्धम् (ardham) - half (half, a part)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ardha

ardha - half, a part, a share

Note: Refers to half of the unrighteousness.

द्वावंशौ (dvāvaṁśau) - two parts (two parts, two shares)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of dvāvaṃśa

dvāvaṁśa - two parts, two shares

Compound type : dvigu (dvi+aṃśa)

• dvi – two
  numeral
• aṃśa – part, share, portion
  noun (masculine)

Note: Functions as an apposition clarifying 'ardham'.

अनुवर्तते (anuvartate) - prevails (prevails, continues, acts according to)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of vṛt

Prefix: anu

Root: vṛt (class 1)

कृष्टपच्या (kṛṣṭapacyā) - producing only through cultivation (producing by cultivation, yielding crops by ploughing)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kṛṣṭapacya

kṛṣṭapacya - producing by cultivation, yielding crops by ploughing

From kṛṣṭa (ploughed) and pacya (to be cooked/ripened).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kṛṣṭa+pacya)

• kṛṣṭa – ploughed, cultivated
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  From root kṛṣ (to plough)
  Root: kṛṣ (class 1)
• pacya – to be cooked, ripened, produced
  gerundive
  Gerundive
  From root pac (to cook, ripen, produce)
  Root: pac (class 1)

Note: Modifies 'pṛthivī'.

एव (eva) - only (only, just, indeed)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes 'kṛṣṭapacyā'.

पृथिवी (pṛthivī) - the earth

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of pṛthivī

pṛthivī - the earth, soil, land

Note: Subject of 'bhavati'.

भवति (bhavati) - becomes (becomes, is)

(verb)

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

Root: bhū (class 1)

अल्पफल (alpaphala) - yielding little fruit (yielding little fruit, unproductive)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of alpaphala

alpaphala - yielding little fruit, unproductive, having little result

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (alpa+phala)

• alpa – little, small, few
  adjective
• phala – fruit, result, reward
  noun (neuter)

Note: Predicative adjective for 'pṛthivī'.

तथा (tathā) - thus (thus, so, similarly)

(indeclinable)