महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-109, verse-4

उपवासः परं पुण्यमुपवासः परायणम् ।
उपोष्येह नरश्रेष्ठ किं फलं प्रतिपद्यते ॥४॥

4. upavāsaḥ paraṁ puṇyamupavāsaḥ parāyaṇam ,
upoṣyeha naraśreṣṭha kiṁ phalaṁ pratipadyate.

4. upavāsaḥ param puṇyam upavāsaḥ parāyaṇam
upoṣya iha naraśreṣṭha kim phalam pratipadyate

4. upavāsaḥ param puṇyam upavāsaḥ parāyaṇam
naraśreṣṭha iha upoṣya kim phalam pratipadyate

4. Fasting is the supreme virtue; fasting is the ultimate path. O best among men, what reward does one gain in this world by observing a fast?

Words meanings summery:

• उपवासः (upavāsaḥ) - fasting, a fast

• परम् (param) - supreme, highest, ultimate

• पुण्यम् (puṇyam) - merit, virtue, righteousness

• उपवासः (upavāsaḥ) - fasting, a fast

• परायणम् (parāyaṇam) - the ultimate path or resort (ultimate goal, highest resort, principal object)

• उपोष्य (upoṣya) - by observing a fast (having fasted, by having abstained)

• इह (iha) - here, in this world

• नरश्रेष्ठ (naraśreṣṭha) - O best of men

• किम् (kim) - what, which

• फलम् (phalam) - fruit, result, reward

• प्रतिपद्यते (pratipadyate) - obtains, gains, attains

Words meanings and morphology

उपवासः (upavāsaḥ) - fasting, a fast

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of upavāsa

upavāsa - fasting, a fast; religious observance involving abstinence from food

Prefix: upa

Root: vas (class 1)

परम् (param) - supreme, highest, ultimate

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, ultimate, excellent; other, subsequent

Note: Agrees with 'puṇyam'.

पुण्यम् (puṇyam) - merit, virtue, righteousness

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of puṇya

puṇya - meritorious deed, virtue, righteousness; sacred, good, auspicious

उपवासः (upavāsaḥ) - fasting, a fast

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of upavāsa

upavāsa - fasting, a fast; religious observance involving abstinence from food

Prefix: upa

Root: vas (class 1)

परायणम् (parāyaṇam) - the ultimate path or resort (ultimate goal, highest resort, principal object)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of parāyaṇa

parāyaṇa - ultimate aim, chief object, highest resort, final destination; devoted to, intent on

Compound type : tatpurusha (parā+ayana)

• parā – supreme, ultimate, beyond; away, forth
  indeclinable
• ayana – going, movement, path, course, resort
  noun (neuter)
  Root: i (class 2)

उपोष्य (upoṣya) - by observing a fast (having fasted, by having abstained)

(indeclinable)

absolutive

Formed from root vas (to dwell, to fast) with prefix upa- and suffix -ya (absolutive suffix).

Prefix: upa

Root: vas (class 1)

इह (iha) - here, in this world

(indeclinable)

नरश्रेष्ठ (naraśreṣṭha) - O best of men

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of naraśreṣṭha

naraśreṣṭha - best of men, excellent man

Compound type : tatpurusha (nara+śreṣṭha)

• nara – man, human being, person
  noun (masculine)
• śreṣṭha – best, most excellent, supreme
  adjective

किम् (kim) - what, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which, why

Note: Agrees with 'phalam'.

फलम् (phalam) - fruit, result, reward

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of phala

phala - fruit, result, consequence, reward, advantage

प्रतिपद्यते (pratipadyate) - obtains, gains, attains

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present indicative (laṭ) of pad

Prefix: prati

Root: pad (class 4)