महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-72, verse-26

एष एव परो धर्मो यद्राजा रक्षते प्रजाः ।
भूतानां हि यथा धर्मे रक्षणं च परा दया ॥२६॥

26. eṣa eva paro dharmo yadrājā rakṣate prajāḥ ,
bhūtānāṁ hi yathā dharme rakṣaṇaṁ ca parā dayā.

26. eṣaḥ eva paraḥ dharmaḥ yat rājā rakṣate prajāḥ
bhūtānām hi yathā dharme rakṣaṇam ca parā dayā

26. eṣaḥ eva paraḥ dharmaḥ yat rājā prajāḥ rakṣate
hi yathā bhūtānām dharme rakṣaṇam ca parā dayā

26. This indeed is the supreme natural law (dharma): that a king protects his subjects. For, just as the protection of all beings is inherent in natural law (dharma), so also is it the highest compassion.

Words meanings summery:

• एषः (eṣaḥ) - this, this one

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

• परः (paraḥ) - supreme, highest, excellent, subsequent, other

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

• यत् (yat) - as a conjunction introducing a clause (that, which (conjunction))

• राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

• रक्षते (rakṣate) - protects, guards, preserves

• प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - subjects, people, offspring

• भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings, of creatures, of elements

• हि (hi) - for, indeed, because

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, like, in which way

• धर्मे (dharme) - in natural law, in duty, in righteousness

• रक्षणम् (rakṣaṇam) - protection, guarding

• च (ca) - and, also, moreover

• परा (parā) - supreme, highest, excellent

• दया (dayā) - compassion, mercy, pity

Words meanings and morphology

एषः (eṣaḥ) - this, this one

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly, even, just

(indeclinable)

परः (paraḥ) - supreme, highest, excellent, subsequent, other

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, excellent, other, next, distant

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

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue, custom, religion

Root: dhṛ (class 3)

यत् (yat) - as a conjunction introducing a clause (that, which (conjunction))

(indeclinable)

Note: Used here as a conjunction.

राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler, prince

रक्षते (rakṣate) - protects, guards, preserves

(verb)

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

Root: rakṣ (class 1)

Note: Parasmaipada also possible (rakṣati).

प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - subjects, people, offspring

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, plural of prajā

prajā - subject, people, offspring, progeny

Prefix: pra

Root: jan (class 4)

भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings, of creatures, of elements

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of bhūta

bhūta - being, creature, element, past (as participle)

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root bhū (to be) + kta suffix

Root: bhū (class 1)

हि (hi) - for, indeed, because

(indeclinable)

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, like, in which way

(indeclinable)

धर्मे (dharme) - in natural law, in duty, in righteousness

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue, custom, religion

Root: dhṛ (class 3)

रक्षणम् (rakṣaṇam) - protection, guarding

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of rakṣaṇa

rakṣaṇa - protection, guarding, preserving

action noun

Derived from root rakṣ (to protect) + lyuṭ suffix

Root: rakṣ (class 1)

च (ca) - and, also, moreover

(indeclinable)

परा (parā) - supreme, highest, excellent

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, excellent, other, next, distant

Note: Feminine form of para.

दया (dayā) - compassion, mercy, pity

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of dayā

dayā - compassion, mercy, pity, sympathy

Root: day (class 1)