महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-96, verse-16

कर्म चैतदसाधूनामसाधुं साधुना जयेत् ।
धर्मेण निधनं श्रेयो न जयः पापकर्मणा ॥१६॥

16. karma caitadasādhūnāmasādhuṁ sādhunā jayet ,
dharmeṇa nidhanaṁ śreyo na jayaḥ pāpakarmaṇā.

16. karma ca etat asādhūnām asādhuṃ sādhunā jayet
| dharmeṇa nidhanam śreyaḥ na jayaḥ pāpakarmaṇā

16. etat asādhūnām karma ca sādhunā asādhuṃ jayet
dharmeṇa nidhanam śreyaḥ pāpakarmaṇā jayaḥ na

16. One should conquer the wicked person (asādhu) with a righteous person (sādhu), and this applies to their actions (karma). It is better to die upholding one's natural law (dharma) than to achieve victory through evil actions (pāpakarmaṇā).

Words meanings summery:

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

• च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

• एतत् (etat) - this (action) (this, this one)

• असाधूनाम् (asādhūnām) - of the wicked (people) (of the wicked, of the unrighteous, of the bad)

• असाधुं (asādhuṁ) - the wicked person (the wicked one, the unrighteous one)

• साधुना (sādhunā) - by a righteous person (by the good, by the righteous)

• जयेत् (jayet) - one should conquer (one should conquer, he should conquer, one should win)

• धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by one's natural law (dharma) (by natural law, by righteousness, by duty)

• निधनम् (nidhanam) - death (death, destruction, dissolution)

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better (better, superior, welfare, ultimate good)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• जयः (jayaḥ) - victory (victory, conquest, triumph)

• पापकर्मणा (pāpakarmaṇā) - by evil actions (by evil actions, by sinful deeds)

Words meanings and morphology

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

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of karma

karma - action, deed, work, ritual; result of action, destiny

Derived from the root kṛ (to do, to make)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

एतत् (etat) - this (action) (this, this one)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this one, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the context of actions of the wicked.

असाधूनाम् (asādhūnām) - of the wicked (people) (of the wicked, of the unrighteous, of the bad)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of asādhu

asādhu - bad, wicked, evil, unrighteous, not good

Nañ-tatpuruṣa compound of 'a' (negation) and 'sādhu' (good, righteous)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+sādhu)

• a – not, un-, non-
  indeclinable
• sādhu – good, virtuous, righteous, proper, holy
  adjective (masculine)

असाधुं (asādhuṁ) - the wicked person (the wicked one, the unrighteous one)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of asādhu

asādhu - bad, wicked, evil, unrighteous, not good

Nañ-tatpuruṣa compound of 'a' (negation) and 'sādhu' (good, righteous)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+sādhu)

• a – not, un-, non-
  indeclinable
• sādhu – good, virtuous, righteous, proper, holy
  adjective (masculine)

साधुना (sādhunā) - by a righteous person (by the good, by the righteous)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of sādhu

sādhu - good, virtuous, righteous, proper, holy

जयेत् (jayet) - one should conquer (one should conquer, he should conquer, one should win)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of ji

Root: ji (class 1)

Note: Implies a general instruction or recommendation.

धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by one's natural law (dharma) (by natural law, by righteousness, by duty)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, righteousness, duty, virtue, intrinsic nature, justice, religion

Derived from the root dhṛ (to hold, support, maintain)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

निधनम् (nidhanam) - death (death, destruction, dissolution)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of nidhana

nidhana - death, destruction, end, dissolution; burial

Derived from root dhā (to place) with prefix ni

Prefix: ni

Root: dhā (class 3)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better (better, superior, welfare, ultimate good)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, more excellent, superior, auspicious; welfare, ultimate good

Comparative form of śrī (prosperity, beauty) or derived from śrī.

Note: Comparative adjective.

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

जयः (jayaḥ) - victory (victory, conquest, triumph)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of jaya

jaya - victory, triumph, conquest, winning

Derived from the root ji (to conquer)

Root: ji (class 1)

पापकर्मणा (pāpakarmaṇā) - by evil actions (by evil actions, by sinful deeds)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of pāpakarmaṇ

pāpakarmaṇ - evil action, sinful deed; one who commits evil deeds

Tatpuruṣa compound of 'pāpa' (evil, sin) and 'karmaṇ' (action, deed)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pāpa+karmaṇ)

• pāpa – evil, bad, wicked, sin, vice
  noun (neuter)
• karmaṇ – action, deed, work, ritual
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from the root kṛ (to do, to make)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)