महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-116, verse-21

एवं वै परमं धर्मं प्रशंसन्ति मनीषिणः ।
प्राणा यथात्मनोऽभीष्टा भूतानामपि ते तथा ॥२१॥

21. evaṁ vai paramaṁ dharmaṁ praśaṁsanti manīṣiṇaḥ ,
prāṇā yathātmano'bhīṣṭā bhūtānāmapi te tathā.

21. evam vai paramam dharmam praśaṃsanti manīṣiṇaḥ
prāṇāḥ yathā ātmanaḥ abhīṣṭāḥ bhūtānām api te tathā

21. vai manīṣiṇaḥ evam paramam dharmam praśaṃsanti
yathā prāṇāḥ ātmanaḥ abhīṣṭāḥ tathā api te bhūtānām

21. Indeed, the wise thus praise the supreme constitution (dharma). Just as lives are cherished by oneself, so too are they (cherished) by all beings.

Words meanings summery:

• एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner

• वै (vai) - indeed, surely, verily

• परमम् (paramam) - supreme, highest, excellent

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma), constitution, righteousness

• प्रशंसन्ति (praśaṁsanti) - praise, commend, extol

• मनीषिणः (manīṣiṇaḥ) - wise persons, thinkers, intelligent ones

• प्राणाः (prāṇāḥ) - lives, breaths, vital airs

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as

• आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself, to oneself, for oneself

• अभीष्टाः (abhīṣṭāḥ) - desired, wished for, cherished

• भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings, of creatures

• अपि (api) - also, even

• ते (te) - they, those

• तथा (tathā) - so, similarly, likewise

Words meanings and morphology

एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner

(indeclinable)

वै (vai) - indeed, surely, verily

(indeclinable)

Note: An emphatic particle.

परमम् (paramam) - supreme, highest, excellent

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of parama

parama - supreme, highest, utmost, excellent

Note: Modifies `dharmam`.

धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law (dharma), constitution, righteousness

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, righteousness, duty, virtue, cosmic order (dharma)

From √dhṛ (to uphold, support).

Root: √dhṛ (class 1)

प्रशंसन्ति (praśaṁsanti) - praise, commend, extol

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (laṭ) of pra-√śaṃs

Present Indicative

Third person plural present active indicative of pra + √śaṃs (class 1).

Prefix: pra

Root: √śaṃs (class 1)

मनीषिणः (manīṣiṇaḥ) - wise persons, thinkers, intelligent ones

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of manīṣin

manīṣin - wise, intelligent, thoughtful (as a noun: a wise person, sage)

From manīṣā (intellect) + -in (possessive suffix).

प्राणाः (prāṇāḥ) - lives, breaths, vital airs

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of prāṇa

prāṇa - life, breath, vital air

Root: √an (class 2)

यथा (yathā) - just as, as

(indeclinable)

Note: Correlative with `tathā`.

आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself, to oneself, for oneself

(noun)

masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, individual (ātman)

Root: √an (class 2)

Note: Here, genitive case, meaning 'to oneself' or 'of oneself'.

अभीष्टाः (abhīṣṭāḥ) - desired, wished for, cherished

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of abhīṣṭa

abhīṣṭa - desired, wished for, agreeable, cherished

Past Passive Participle

Past passive participle of abhi-√iṣ (to wish, desire).

Prefix: abhi

Root: √iṣ (class 4)

Note: Qualifies `prāṇāḥ`.

भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings, of creatures

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of bhūta

bhūta - being, creature, element

Past Passive Participle

Past passive participle of √bhū (to be, become).

Root: √bhū (class 1)

Note: Refers to living beings in general.

अपि (api) - also, even

(indeclinable)

ते (te) - they, those

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it (demonstrative pronoun)

Note: Refers back to `prāṇāḥ`.

तथा (tathā) - so, similarly, likewise

(indeclinable)

Note: Correlative with `yathā`.