महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-112, verse-2

केन वृत्तेन राजेन्द्र वर्तमाना नरा युधि ।
प्राप्नुवन्त्युत्तमं स्वर्गं कथं च नरकं नृप ॥२॥

2. kena vṛttena rājendra vartamānā narā yudhi ,
prāpnuvantyuttamaṁ svargaṁ kathaṁ ca narakaṁ nṛpa.

2. kena vṛttena rājendra vartamānāḥ narāḥ yudhi
prāpnuvanti uttamam svargam katham ca narakam nṛpa

2. rājendra yudhi nṛpa,
kena vṛttena vartamānāḥ narāḥ uttamam svargam prāpnuvanti,
ca katham narakam

2. O King of kings, O Yudhishthira, O King! By what conduct do people behave to attain supreme heaven, and how do they attain hell?

Words meanings summery:

• केन (kena) - by what (by what, by which)

• वृत्तेन (vṛttena) - by what conduct (by conduct, by behavior, by practice)

• राजेन्द्र (rājendra) - O King of kings (O king of kings, O best of kings)

• वर्तमानाः (vartamānāḥ) - behaving (existing, being, behaving, acting)

• नराः (narāḥ) - people (men, human beings)

• युधि (yudhi) - O Yudhishthira (as a vocative) (in battle, in conflict. Often used as a vocative for Yudhishthira.)

• प्राप्नुवन्ति (prāpnuvanti) - they attain (they attain, they reach, they obtain)

• उत्तमम् (uttamam) - supreme (supreme, excellent, best)

• स्वर्गम् (svargam) - heaven (heaven, celestial abode)

• कथम् (katham) - how (how, in what manner)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• नरकम् (narakam) - hell (hell, infernal region)

• नृप (nṛpa) - O king

Words meanings and morphology

केन (kena) - by what (by what, by which)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Masculine/neuter instrumental singular of 'kim'.

वृत्तेन (vṛttena) - by what conduct (by conduct, by behavior, by practice)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of vṛtta

vṛtta - conduct, behavior, course, event, happened

Past Passive Participle

from root vṛt (to be, exist, turn)

Root: vṛt (class 1)

राजेन्द्र (rājendra) - O King of kings (O king of kings, O best of kings)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājendra

rājendra - king of kings, best of kings, paramount sovereign

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (rājan+indra)

• rājan – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)
  Root: rāj (class 1)
• indra – chief, lord, god Indra
  noun (masculine)

Note: Addressed to Bhishma.

वर्तमानाः (vartamānāḥ) - behaving (existing, being, behaving, acting)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of vartamāna

vartamāna - existing, being, behaving, acting, present

Present Active Participle

from root vṛt (to be, exist, turn)

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Modifies 'narāḥ'.

नराः (narāḥ) - people (men, human beings)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nara

nara - man, human being, person

Note: Subject of 'prāpnuvanti'.

युधि (yudhi) - O Yudhishthira (as a vocative) (in battle, in conflict. Often used as a vocative for Yudhishthira.)

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhishthira (eldest of the Pandavas)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle
  noun (feminine)
  locative singular of yudh (battle)
  Root: yudh (class 4)
• sthira – firm, steady, stable
  adjective
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Addressed to Yudhishthira.

प्राप्नुवन्ति (prāpnuvanti) - they attain (they attain, they reach, they obtain)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (laṭ) of prāp

present indicative

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

उत्तमम् (uttamam) - supreme (supreme, excellent, best)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of uttama

uttama - supreme, excellent, best, highest

Note: Modifies 'svargam'.

स्वर्गम् (svargam) - heaven (heaven, celestial abode)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of svarga

svarga - heaven, celestial abode, paradise

कथम् (katham) - how (how, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

नरकम् (narakam) - hell (hell, infernal region)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of naraka

naraka - hell, infernal region, underworld

नृप (nṛpa) - O king

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of nṛpa

nṛpa - king, ruler, protector of men

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nṛ+pa)

• nṛ – man, people
  noun (masculine)
• pa – protector, preserver (from root pā, to protect)
  noun (masculine)
  from root pā (to protect)
  Root: pā (class 2)

Note: Addressed to Bhishma.