महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-80, verse-13

सोमो राजा ब्राह्मणानामित्येषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः ।
तं च विक्रेतुमिच्छन्ति न वृथा वृत्तिरिष्यते ।
तेन क्रीतेन धर्मेण ततो यज्ञः प्रतायते ॥१३॥

13. somo rājā brāhmaṇānāmityeṣā vaidikī śrutiḥ ,
taṁ ca vikretumicchanti na vṛthā vṛttiriṣyate ,
tena krītena dharmeṇa tato yajñaḥ pratāyate.

13. somaḥ rājā brāhmaṇānām iti eṣā
vaidikī śrutiḥ tam ca vikretum icchanti
na vṛthā vṛttiḥ iṣyate tena
krītena dharmeṇa tataḥ yajñaḥ pratāyate

13. eṣā vaidikī śrutiḥ iti somaḥ
brāhmaṇānām rājā tam ca vikretum icchanti
vṛthā vṛttiḥ na iṣyate tena
krītena dharmeṇa tataḥ yajñaḥ pratāyate

13. “Soma is the king of Brahmins”—this is indeed a Vedic injunction (śruti). However, people desire to sell him (or the services associated with him); yet, a livelihood (vṛtti) is not to be sought without a righteous purpose. Only through that which is acquired in accordance with natural law (dharma) can the ritual (yajña) then be properly performed.

Words meanings summery:

• सोमः (somaḥ) - Soma, a divine intoxicating drink; the moon god; a plant

• राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

• ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brahmins, of priests

• इति (iti) - thus, in this way, denoting quotation

• एषा (eṣā) - this (feminine singular)

• वैदिकी (vaidikī) - Vedic, relating to the Vedas

• श्रुतिः (śrutiḥ) - Vedic revelation, scripture, what is heard

• तम् (tam) - referring to Soma (him, that (masculine singular accusative))

• च (ca) - and, also

• विक्रेतुम् (vikretum) - to sell

• इच्छन्ति (icchanti) - they wish, they desire

• न (na) - not, no

• वृथा (vṛthā) - in vain, uselessly, without purpose

• वृत्तिः (vṛttiḥ) - livelihood, profession, mode of life

• इष्यते (iṣyate) - is desired, is sought

• तेन (tena) - by that (act of acquisition or the thing acquired) (by that (masculine/neuter singular instrumental))

• क्रीतेन (krītena) - by means of that which is acquired (through a transaction) (by that which is purchased/acquired)

• धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - in accordance with natural law or righteous conduct (by natural law, by righteousness, by duty, according to dharma)

• ततः (tataḥ) - then, thereafter, from that

• यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - ritual, sacrifice, worship

• प्रतायते (pratāyate) - can be properly performed or extended (is extended, is spread, is performed)

Words meanings and morphology

सोमः (somaḥ) - Soma, a divine intoxicating drink; the moon god; a plant

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of soma

soma - Soma (the plant, the deity, the intoxicating drink), moon, lord of stars

राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brahmins, of priests

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, a member of the priestly class, related to Brahman

Derived from brahman (Vedic prayer/sacred utterance) + aṇ (primary suffix)

इति (iti) - thus, in this way, denoting quotation

(indeclinable)

एषा (eṣā) - this (feminine singular)

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

वैदिकी (vaidikī) - Vedic, relating to the Vedas

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vaidika

vaidika - Vedic, relating to the Veda

Derived from Veda + ṭhak (Pāṇinian suffix)

श्रुतिः (śrutiḥ) - Vedic revelation, scripture, what is heard

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of śruti

śruti - hearing, listening; sacred knowledge (Veda), revelation, Vedic injunction

Derived from root śru (to hear) + ktin (feminine suffix)

Root: śru (class 1)

तम् (tam) - referring to Soma (him, that (masculine singular accusative))

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, that one, him

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

विक्रेतुम् (vikretum) - to sell

(verb)

infinitive of vikre

infinitive

Root krī (to buy) with upasarga vi + tumun suffix, implying 'to cause to buy' or 'to sell'

Prefix: vi

Root: krī (class 9)

इच्छन्ति (icchanti) - they wish, they desire

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of iṣ

present active

Root iṣ (to wish) in the present third plural

Root: iṣ (class 6)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

वृथा (vṛthā) - in vain, uselessly, without purpose

(indeclinable)

वृत्तिः (vṛttiḥ) - livelihood, profession, mode of life

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vṛtti

vṛtti - turning, rolling; mode of life, conduct, livelihood

Root vṛt (to turn, exist) + ktin

Root: vṛt (class 1)

इष्यते (iṣyate) - is desired, is sought

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of iṣ

present passive

Root iṣ (to wish) in the present third singular passive

Root: iṣ (class 6)

तेन (tena) - by that (act of acquisition or the thing acquired) (by that (masculine/neuter singular instrumental))

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, that one

क्रीतेन (krītena) - by means of that which is acquired (through a transaction) (by that which is purchased/acquired)

(adjective)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of krīta

krīta - purchased, bought, acquired

Past Passive Participle

Root krī (to buy) + kta (suffix for PPP)

Root: krī (class 9)

धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - in accordance with natural law or righteous conduct (by natural law, by righteousness, by duty, according to dharma)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma

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

From root dhṛ (to hold, support) + man (suffix)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

ततः (tataḥ) - then, thereafter, from that

(indeclinable)

Avyayībhāva derivative from tad

यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - ritual, sacrifice, worship

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yajña

yajña - sacrifice, ritual, worship, offering

From root yaj (to sacrifice, worship) + na

Root: yaj (class 1)

प्रतायते (pratāyate) - can be properly performed or extended (is extended, is spread, is performed)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of pra-tā

present passive

Root tā (to spread, extend, perform) with upasarga pra, in the present third singular passive

Prefix: pra

Root: tā (class 1)