महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-76, verse-29

अल्पं तु साधुभूयिष्ठं यत्कर्मोदारमेव तत् ।
कृतमेवाकृताच्छ्रेयो न पापीयोऽस्त्यकर्मणः ॥२९॥

29. alpaṁ tu sādhubhūyiṣṭhaṁ yatkarmodārameva tat ,
kṛtamevākṛtācchreyo na pāpīyo'styakarmaṇaḥ.

29. alpaṃ tu sādubhūyiṣṭhaṃ yat karma udāram eva tat |
kṛtam eva akṛtāt śreyaḥ na pāpīyaḥ asti akarmaṇaḥ

29. yat karma alpaṃ tu sādubhūyiṣṭhaṃ tat eva udāram.
kṛtam eva akṛtāt śreyaḥ.
akarmaṇaḥ pāpīyaḥ na asti.

29. An action (karma) that is mostly virtuous, even if small, is considered noble. An action (karma) that is performed is certainly superior to one not performed, for there is nothing worse than inaction.

Words meanings summery:

• अल्पं (alpaṁ) - small, little, insignificant

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

• सादुभूयिष्ठं (sādubhūyiṣṭhaṁ) - mostly good, predominated by good

• यत् (yat) - which, whatever

• कर्म (karma) - action, deed, work (karma)

• उदारम् (udāram) - noble, generous, exalted

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

• तत् (tat) - that, it

• कृतम् (kṛtam) - an action performed (done, performed, deed)

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

• अकृतात् (akṛtāt) - from that which is not done/performed, than inaction

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, superior, more excellent

• न (na) - not, no

• पापीयः (pāpīyaḥ) - worse, more sinful

• अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

• अकर्मणः (akarmaṇaḥ) - of inaction, of one who does not act

Words meanings and morphology

अल्पं (alpaṁ) - small, little, insignificant

(adjective)

neuter, singular of alpa

alpa - small, little, insignificant, few

तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

सादुभूयिष्ठं (sādubhūyiṣṭhaṁ) - mostly good, predominated by good

(adjective)

neuter, singular of sādubhūyiṣṭha

sādubhūyiṣṭha - mostly good, predominated by virtuous elements

Compound type : karmadhāraya (sādhu+bhūyiṣṭha)

• sādhu – good, virtuous, righteous, proper
  adjective (neuter)
• bhūyiṣṭha – most abundant, most numerous, predominant, very much
  adjective (neuter)
  Superlative form of 'bahu' (much, many)

यत् (yat) - which, whatever

(pronoun)

neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, what, who

कर्म (karma) - action, deed, work (karma)

(noun)

neuter, singular of karman

karman - action, deed, work, fate, ritual (karma)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

उदारम् (udāram) - noble, generous, exalted

(adjective)

neuter, singular of udāra

udāra - noble, generous, exalted, high-minded, liberal

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

(indeclinable)

तत् (tat) - that, it

(pronoun)

neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it, he, she

कृतम् (kṛtam) - an action performed (done, performed, deed)

(adjective)

neuter, singular of kṛta

kṛta - done, performed, made, created, a deed

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root kṛ with suffix -ta

Root: kṛ (class 8)

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

(indeclinable)

अकृतात् (akṛtāt) - from that which is not done/performed, than inaction

(adjective)

Ablative, neuter, singular of akṛta

akṛta - not done, not performed, unmade, undone

Past Passive Participle (negated)

Nañ-tatpuruṣa compound with Past Passive Participle 'kṛta'

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+kṛta)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• kṛta – done, performed, made, a deed
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root kṛ with suffix -ta
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, superior, more excellent

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, superior, more excellent, welfare, prosperity

Comparative form of praśasya (excellent) or 'śrī' (prosperity)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

पापीयः (pāpīyaḥ) - worse, more sinful

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pāpīyas

pāpīyas - worse, more sinful, more wicked

Comparative form of 'pāpa' (bad, sinful)

अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

(verb)

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

Root: as (class 2)

अकर्मणः (akarmaṇaḥ) - of inaction, of one who does not act

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of akarman

akarman - inaction, idleness, one who does not act, non-performance of duty

Nañ-tatpuruṣa compound

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+karman)

• a – not, non-, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• karman – action, deed, work, ritual (karma)
  noun (neuter)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)