महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-48, verse-41

पित्र्यं वा भजते शीलं मातृजं वा तथोभयम् ।
न कथंचन संकीर्णः प्रकृतिं स्वां नियच्छति ॥४१॥

41. pitryaṁ vā bhajate śīlaṁ mātṛjaṁ vā tathobhayam ,
na kathaṁcana saṁkīrṇaḥ prakṛtiṁ svāṁ niyacchati.

41. pitryam vā bhajate śīlam mātṛjam vā tathā ubhayam
na kathaṃcana saṃkīrṇaḥ prakṛtim svām niyacchati

41. A person (puruṣa) either inherits paternal traits, or maternal ones, or even both. One of impure origin can in no way control their own intrinsic nature (prakṛti).

Words meanings summery:

• पित्र्यम् (pitryam) - traits inherited from the father (paternal, ancestral, pertaining to fathers)

• वा (vā) - or, either

• भजते (bhajate) - he exhibits, he inherits (he obtains, he partakes, he exhibits, he experiences)

• शीलम् (śīlam) - traits, characteristics (character, disposition, nature, habit)

• मातृजम् (mātṛjam) - traits inherited from the mother (maternal, born from the mother)

• वा (vā) - or, either

• तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly, also

• उभयम् (ubhayam) - both

• न (na) - not, no

• कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - in no way (by no means, in no way, never)

• संकीर्णः (saṁkīrṇaḥ) - of impure origin/lineage (mixed, mingled, defiled, impure)

• प्रकृतिम् (prakṛtim) - intrinsic nature (nature, original form, essential characteristic (prakṛti))

• स्वाम् (svām) - their own (one's own, self)

• नियच्छति (niyacchati) - he controls (he controls, he checks, he restrains, he governs)

Words meanings and morphology

पित्र्यम् (pitryam) - traits inherited from the father (paternal, ancestral, pertaining to fathers)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of pitrya

pitrya - paternal, ancestral

Derived from pitṛ (father) + ya suffix.

Note: Modifies śīlam (understood).

वा (vā) - or, either

(indeclinable)

Conjunction

भजते (bhajate) - he exhibits, he inherits (he obtains, he partakes, he exhibits, he experiences)

(verb)

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

Present Middle

ātmanepada verb.

Root: bhaj (class 1)

शीलम् (śīlam) - traits, characteristics (character, disposition, nature, habit)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śīla

śīla - character, disposition, nature, conduct, habit

Root: śīl (class 10)

मातृजम् (mātṛjam) - traits inherited from the mother (maternal, born from the mother)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of mātṛja

mātṛja - born from the mother, maternal

Compound: mātṛ (mother) + ja (born).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (mātṛ+ja)

• mātṛ – mother
  noun (feminine)
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Modifies śīlam (understood).

वा (vā) - or, either

(indeclinable)

Conjunction

तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly, also

(indeclinable)

उभयम् (ubhayam) - both

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of ubhaya

ubhaya - both

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Negative particle.

कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - in no way (by no means, in no way, never)

(indeclinable)

Formed from katham (how) + cana (indefinite particle).

संकीर्णः (saṁkīrṇaḥ) - of impure origin/lineage (mixed, mingled, defiled, impure)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of saṃkīrṇa

saṁkīrṇa - mixed, mingled, defiled, impure, confused

Past Passive Participle

From root kṛ (to scatter) with prefix sam.

Prefix: sam

Root: kṛ (class 6)

प्रकृतिम् (prakṛtim) - intrinsic nature (nature, original form, essential characteristic (prakṛti))

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of prakṛti

prakṛti - nature, original form, essential characteristic, primordial matter (prakṛti)

From root kṛ (to make) with prefix pra.

Prefix: pra

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Object of niyacchati.

स्वाम् (svām) - their own (one's own, self)

(pronoun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of sva

sva - one's own, self, own property

Note: Agrees with prakṛtim.

नियच्छति (niyacchati) - he controls (he controls, he checks, he restrains, he governs)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of niyam

Present Active Parasmaipada

ya suffix in the 1st class.

Prefix: ni

Root: yam (class 1)