महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-131, verse-49

न योनिर्नापि संस्कारो न श्रुतं न च संनतिः ।
कारणानि द्विजत्वस्य वृत्तमेव तु कारणम् ॥४९॥

49. na yonirnāpi saṁskāro na śrutaṁ na ca saṁnatiḥ ,
kāraṇāni dvijatvasya vṛttameva tu kāraṇam.

49. na yoniḥ na api saṃskāraḥ na śrutam na ca sannatiḥ
kāraṇāni dvijatvasya vṛttam eva tu kāraṇam

49. yoniḥ na api saṃskāraḥ na śrutam na ca sannatiḥ
dvijatvasya kāraṇāni vṛttam eva tu kāraṇam

49. Neither birth, nor ritual purification (saṃskāra), nor sacred learning, nor humility are the reasons for twice-born status (dvijatva). Rather, good conduct (vṛtta) alone is the true reason.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• योनिः (yoniḥ) - birth, origin, lineage

• न (na) - not, nor

• अपि (api) - in conjunction with 'na', means 'nor' (also, even)

• संस्कारः (saṁskāraḥ) - referring to the Vedic rites of passage (ritual purification, sacrament, impression)

• न (na) - not, nor

• श्रुतम् (śrutam) - knowledge from revelation or tradition (sacred learning, knowledge (heard))

• न (na) - not, nor

• च (ca) - in conjunction with 'na', means 'nor' (and)

• सन्नतिः (sannatiḥ) - humility, reverence

• कारणानि (kāraṇāni) - causes, reasons

• द्विजत्वस्य (dvijatvasya) - of twice-born status, of dvija-hood

• वृत्तम् (vṛttam) - conduct, character, behavior

• एव (eva) - emphasizes 'vṛttam' as the sole cause (alone, certainly, indeed)

• तु (tu) - introduces a contrasting statement (but, rather, however)

• कारणम् (kāraṇam) - the cause, the reason

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

योनिः (yoniḥ) - birth, origin, lineage

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of yoni

yoni - womb, origin, birth, source, lineage

न (na) - not, nor

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - in conjunction with 'na', means 'nor' (also, even)

(indeclinable)

संस्कारः (saṁskāraḥ) - referring to the Vedic rites of passage (ritual purification, sacrament, impression)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of saṃskāra

saṁskāra - preparation, purification, rite, sacrament, mental impression

From prefix sam- and root kṛ- 'to do, make', with ghañ suffix.

Prefix: sam

Root: kṛ (class 8)

न (na) - not, nor

(indeclinable)

श्रुतम् (śrutam) - knowledge from revelation or tradition (sacred learning, knowledge (heard))

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śruta

śruta - heard, revealed, sacred knowledge, learning, tradition

Past Passive Participle

From root śru- 'to hear', with kta suffix.

Root: śru (class 5)

न (na) - not, nor

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - in conjunction with 'na', means 'nor' (and)

(indeclinable)

सन्नतिः (sannatiḥ) - humility, reverence

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of sannati

sannati - bowing down, reverence, humility, devotion

From prefix sam- and root nam- 'to bow', with ktin suffix.

Prefix: sam

Root: nam (class 1)

कारणानि (kāraṇāni) - causes, reasons

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of kāraṇa

kāraṇa - cause, reason, instrument, motive, origin

From root kṛ- 'to do, make', with ṇamul suffix.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

द्विजत्वस्य (dvijatvasya) - of twice-born status, of dvija-hood

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of dvijatva

dvijatva - the state or quality of being twice-born (dvija)

Formed with taddhita suffix -tva (abstract noun) from dvija.

वृत्तम् (vṛttam) - conduct, character, behavior

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vṛtta

vṛtta - conduct, behavior, character, action, state

Past Passive Participle

From root vṛt- 'to be, exist, occur', with kta suffix. Used as a noun here.

Root: vṛt (class 1)

एव (eva) - emphasizes 'vṛttam' as the sole cause (alone, certainly, indeed)

(indeclinable)

तु (tu) - introduces a contrasting statement (but, rather, however)

(indeclinable)

कारणम् (kāraṇam) - the cause, the reason

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kāraṇa

kāraṇa - cause, reason, instrument, motive, origin

From root kṛ- 'to do, make', with ṇamul suffix.

Root: kṛ (class 8)