महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-48, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
अर्थाश्रयाद्वा कामाद्वा वर्णानां वाप्यनिश्चयात् ।
अज्ञानाद्वापि वर्णानां जायते वर्णसंकरः ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
arthāśrayādvā kāmādvā varṇānāṁ vāpyaniścayāt ,
ajñānādvāpi varṇānāṁ jāyate varṇasaṁkaraḥ.

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca arthāśrayāt vā kāmāt vā varṇānām vā api
aniścayāt ajñānāt vā api varṇānām jāyate varṇasaṃkaraḥ

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca varṇānām arthāśrayāt vā kāmāt vā aniścayāt
api vā varṇānām ajñānāt api vā varṇasaṃkaraḥ jāyate

1. Yudhiṣṭhira said: 'A mixing of social classes (varṇasaṃkara) arises either from attachment to material possessions, or from desire, or from a lack of clear definition regarding the social orders (varṇa), or even from ignorance concerning the social orders (varṇa).'

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira (the eldest Pāṇḍava) (Yudhiṣṭhira (a proper name))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

• अर्थाश्रयात् (arthāśrayāt) - from attachment to material possessions (from dependence on wealth, from seeking material gain)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• कामात् (kāmāt) - from desire (from desire, from lust)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• वर्णानाम् (varṇānām) - of the social orders (varṇa) (of the classes, of the social orders, of the castes)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

• अनिश्चयात् (aniścayāt) - from a lack of clear definition (from uncertainty, from indecision, from lack of clear definition)

• अज्ञानात् (ajñānāt) - from ignorance (from ignorance, from nescience)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

• वर्णानाम् (varṇānām) - of the social orders (varṇa) (of the classes, of the social orders, of the castes)

• जायते (jāyate) - arises (is born, arises, comes into being)

• वर्णसंकरः (varṇasaṁkaraḥ) - a mixing of social classes (varṇasaṃkara) (mixture of classes, hybridity of social orders, intermingling of castes)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira (the eldest Pāṇḍava) (Yudhiṣṭhira (a proper name))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - firm in battle, steady in fight; name of the eldest of the Pāṇḍavas

Compound type : aluk-tatpuruṣa (yudhi+sthira)

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

Note: Subject of uvāca.

उवाच (uvāca) - said (said, spoke)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (lit) of vac

Perfect tense, 3rd person singular, active voice, parasmaipada.

Root: vac (class 2)

अर्थाश्रयात् (arthāśrayāt) - from attachment to material possessions (from dependence on wealth, from seeking material gain)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of arthāśraya

arthāśraya - dependence on wealth, reliance on gain, pursuit of material objects

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (artha+āśraya)

• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, material possession, gain
  noun (masculine)
• āśraya – refuge, support, dependence, resort
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: ā
  Root: śri (class 1)

Note: Indicates the cause of varṇasaṃkara.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Note: Used as a disjunctive particle.

कामात् (kāmāt) - from desire (from desire, from lust)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of kāma

kāma - desire, wish, love, sensual pleasure

Root: kam (class 1)

Note: Indicates a cause.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

वर्णानाम् (varṇānām) - of the social orders (varṇa) (of the classes, of the social orders, of the castes)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of varṇa

varṇa - color, outward appearance, class, caste, social order

Root: vṛ (class 9)

Note: Connects to aniścayāt and ajñānāt.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes aniścayāt.

अनिश्चयात् (aniścayāt) - from a lack of clear definition (from uncertainty, from indecision, from lack of clear definition)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of aniścaya

aniścaya - uncertainty, indecision, doubt, want of ascertainment

Compound of 'an-' (negation) and 'niścaya' (certainty).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (an+niścaya)

• an – not, non-
  prefix
• niścaya – certainty, ascertainment, decision, resolution
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: nis
  Root: ci (class 5)

Note: Indicates a cause.

अज्ञानात् (ajñānāt) - from ignorance (from ignorance, from nescience)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of ajñāna

ajñāna - ignorance, nescience, spiritual ignorance

Compound of 'a-' (negation) and 'jñāna' (knowledge).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+jñāna)

• a – not, non-
  prefix
• jñāna – knowledge, understanding, wisdom
  noun (neuter)
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Indicates a cause.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - even (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes ajñānāt.

वर्णानाम् (varṇānām) - of the social orders (varṇa) (of the classes, of the social orders, of the castes)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of varṇa

varṇa - color, outward appearance, class, caste, social order

Root: vṛ (class 9)

Note: Connects to aniścayāt and ajñānāt.

जायते (jāyate) - arises (is born, arises, comes into being)

(verb)

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

Present tense, 3rd person singular, middle voice, ātmanepada.

Root: jan (class 4)

Note: The verb for varṇasaṃkaraḥ.

वर्णसंकरः (varṇasaṁkaraḥ) - a mixing of social classes (varṇasaṃkara) (mixture of classes, hybridity of social orders, intermingling of castes)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of varṇasaṃkara

varṇasaṁkara - mixture of castes/classes, hybridity of social orders, a person of mixed caste

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (varṇa+saṃkara)

• varṇa – color, outward appearance, class, caste, social order
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vṛ (class 9)
• saṃkara – mixture, confusion, intermingling, hybrid
  noun (masculine)
  From root kṛ with prefix sam- (to mix together).
  Prefix: sam
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Subject of jāyate.