महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-147, verse-17

वेदाः प्रत्यक्षमाचारः प्रमाणं तत्त्रयं यदि ।
पृथक्त्वं लभ्यते चैषां धर्मश्चैकस्त्रयं कथम् ॥१७॥

17. vedāḥ pratyakṣamācāraḥ pramāṇaṁ tattrayaṁ yadi ,
pṛthaktvaṁ labhyate caiṣāṁ dharmaścaikastrayaṁ katham.

17. vedāḥ pratyakṣam ācāraḥ pramāṇam tat trayam yadi
pṛthaktvam labhyate ca eṣām dharmaḥ ca ekaḥ trayam katham

17. yadi vedāḥ pratyakṣam ācāraḥ tat trayam pramāṇam ca eṣām pṛthaktvam labhyate,
dharmaḥ ca ekaḥ katham trayam katham

17. If the Vedas, direct perception (pratyakṣa), and proper conduct (ācāra) are accepted as the authoritative sources (pramāṇa)—constituting a triad—and if distinctness (pṛthaktva) is found among these, then how can natural law (dharma) be a single principle, and how can it be such a triad?

Words meanings summery:

• वेदाः (vedāḥ) - the Vedas (the Vedas, sacred knowledge)

• प्रत्यक्षम् (pratyakṣam) - direct perception (pratyakṣa) (direct perception, visible, before the eyes)

• आचारः (ācāraḥ) - proper conduct (ācāra) (conduct, custom, practice, tradition)

• प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - authoritative source (pramāṇa) (authoritative source of knowledge, proof, measure, standard)

• तत् (tat) - that (referring to the Vedas, pratyakṣa, ācāra collectively) (that, it)

• त्रयम् (trayam) - a triad (a triad, a group of three)

• यदि (yadi) - if (if, in case)

• पृथक्त्वम् (pṛthaktvam) - distinctness, individuality (distinctness, separateness, individuality)

• लभ्यते (labhyate) - is found, is perceived (is obtained, is found, is perceived)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• एषाम् (eṣām) - among these (sources) (of these)

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, intrinsic nature)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• एकः (ekaḥ) - a single entity (one, single, unique)

• त्रयम् (trayam) - a triad (a triad, a group of three)

• कथम् (katham) - how? (how? in what manner? why?)

Words meanings and morphology

वेदाः (vedāḥ) - the Vedas (the Vedas, sacred knowledge)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of veda

veda - sacred knowledge, the Vedas

From root `vid` (to know)

Root: vid (class 2)

प्रत्यक्षम् (pratyakṣam) - direct perception (pratyakṣa) (direct perception, visible, before the eyes)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pratyakṣa

pratyakṣa - direct perception, visible, evident, before the eyes

From `prati` + `akṣa` (eye).

आचारः (ācāraḥ) - proper conduct (ācāra) (conduct, custom, practice, tradition)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ācāra

ācāra - conduct, custom, practice, tradition, good behavior

From `ā` + root `car` (to move, behave)

Prefix: ā

Root: car (class 1)

Note: Another source of knowledge (pramāṇa).

प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - authoritative source (pramāṇa) (authoritative source of knowledge, proof, measure, standard)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pramāṇa

pramāṇa - authoritative source of knowledge, proof, evidence, measure, standard

Action noun

From `pra` + root `mā` (to measure, know)

Prefix: pra

Root: mā (class 2)

तत् (tat) - that (referring to the Vedas, pratyakṣa, ācāra collectively) (that, it)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

त्रयम् (trayam) - a triad (a triad, a group of three)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of traya

traya - a triad, a group of three

From `tri` (three)

यदि (yadi) - if (if, in case)

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces a conditional clause.

पृथक्त्वम् (pṛthaktvam) - distinctness, individuality (distinctness, separateness, individuality)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pṛthaktva

pṛthaktva - distinctness, separateness, individuality, difference

From `pṛthak` (separate) + `tva` suffix.

लभ्यते (labhyate) - is found, is perceived (is obtained, is found, is perceived)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of labh

Present, middle voice, 3rd person singular (passive form)

From root `labh` (to obtain)

Root: labh (class 1)

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects clauses.

एषाम् (eṣām) - among these (sources) (of these)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of etad

etad - this, these

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, intrinsic nature)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

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

From root `dhṛ` (to hold, support, maintain)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'is'.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects clauses or emphasizes.

एकः (ekaḥ) - a single entity (one, single, unique)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of eka

eka - one, single, unique, sole

त्रयम् (trayam) - a triad (a triad, a group of three)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of traya

traya - a triad, a group of three

From `tri` (three)

कथम् (katham) - how? (how? in what manner? why?)

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative particle.