महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-59, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
यौ तु स्यातां चरणेनोपपन्नौ यौ विद्यया सदृशौ जन्मना च ।
ताभ्यां दानं कतरस्मै विशिष्टमयाचमानाय च याचते च ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
yau tu syātāṁ caraṇenopapannau; yau vidyayā sadṛśau janmanā ca ,
tābhyāṁ dānaṁ katarasmai viśiṣṭa;mayācamānāya ca yācate ca.

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca yau tu syātām
caraṇena upapannau yau vidyayā sadṛśau
janmanā ca tābhyām dānam katarasmai
viśiṣṭam ayācamānāya ca yācate ca

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca tu yau caraṇena
upapannau yau ca vidyayā janmanā
sadṛśau syātām tābhyām dānam katarasmai
ayācamānāya ca yācate ca viśiṣṭam

1. Yudhiṣṭhira said: 'Now, regarding two individuals who are both endowed with proper conduct, and who are equal in learning and birth: to which of these two is a charitable gift (dāna) more excellent—to the one who does not ask, or to the one who asks?'

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Prince Yudhiṣṭhira (Yudhiṣṭhira (name of the eldest Pāṇḍava))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (Yudhiṣṭhira) (he said, he spoke)

• यौ (yau) - those two (individuals) (which two, those two)

• तु (tu) - indeed, as for (but, indeed, on the other hand, as for)

• स्याताम् (syātām) - may they two be (they two may be, they two should be)

• चरणेन (caraṇena) - by proper conduct (by conduct, by virtuous practice, by a foot)

• उपपन्नौ (upapannau) - endowed with (proper conduct) (endowed with, furnished with, accomplished)

• यौ (yau) - those two (individuals) (which two, those two)

• विद्यया (vidyayā) - by learning (by knowledge, by learning, by science)

• सदृशौ (sadṛśau) - equal (in knowledge and birth) (similar, equal, like)

• जन्मना (janmanā) - by birth (by birth, by origin, by nature)

• च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

• ताभ्याम् (tābhyām) - to those two (individuals) (to/for those two, by those two)

• दानम् (dānam) - a charitable gift (dāna) (gift, donation, charity)

• कतरस्मै (katarasmai) - to which of the two (implied brahmins) (to which of two)

• विशिष्टम् (viśiṣṭam) - more excellent, more meritorious (distinguished, excellent, superior)

• अयाचमानाय (ayācamānāya) - to the one who does not request it (to the one not asking/begging)

• च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

• याचते (yācate) - to the one who asks (he asks, he begs, he requests)

• च (ca) - or (and, also, moreover)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Prince Yudhiṣṭhira (Yudhiṣṭhira (name of the eldest Pāṇḍava))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhiṣṭhira (steadfast in battle), eldest of the Pāṇḍavas

Compound yudhi (in battle) + sthira (firm, steady).

Compound type : aluk-tatpuruṣa (yudh+sthira)

• yudh – battle, fight
  noun (feminine)
• sthira – firm, steady, stable, unmoving
  adjective (masculine)
  From root sthā (to stand).
  Root: sthā (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - said (Yudhiṣṭhira) (he said, he spoke)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect indicative (liṭ) of vac

Perfect Active Indicative

Root vac (2nd class, adadi), perfect, 3rd person singular. Irregular formation.

Root: vac (class 2)

यौ (yau) - those two (individuals) (which two, those two)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of yad

yad - which, what, that which

Relative pronoun, masculine nominative dual.

तु (tu) - indeed, as for (but, indeed, on the other hand, as for)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

स्याताम् (syātām) - may they two be (they two may be, they two should be)

(verb)

3rd person , dual, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of as

Optative Active

Root as (2nd class, adadi), optative, 3rd person dual.

Root: as (class 2)

चरणेन (caraṇena) - by proper conduct (by conduct, by virtuous practice, by a foot)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of caraṇa

caraṇa - conduct, behavior, practice, foot, wandering

From root car (to move, behave).

Root: car (class 1)

उपपन्नौ (upapannau) - endowed with (proper conduct) (endowed with, furnished with, accomplished)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of upapanna

upapanna - furnished with, endowed with, possessed of, accomplished, suitable

Past Passive Participle

From upa + root pad (to go, fall) + na suffix.

Prefix: upa

Root: pad (class 4)

यौ (yau) - those two (individuals) (which two, those two)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of yad

yad - which, what, that which

Relative pronoun, masculine nominative dual.

विद्यया (vidyayā) - by learning (by knowledge, by learning, by science)

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of vidyā

vidyā - knowledge, learning, science, spiritual knowledge

From root vid (to know) + yā suffix.

Root: vid (class 2)

सदृशौ (sadṛśau) - equal (in knowledge and birth) (similar, equal, like)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of sadṛśa

sadṛśa - like, similar, equal to

Compound sa (with) + dṛś (appearance).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (sa+dṛś)

• sa – with, together with, having
  indeclinable
  Prefix/indeclinable.
• dṛś – sight, appearance, seeing
  noun (feminine)
  From root dṛś (to see).
  Root: dṛś (class 1)

जन्मना (janmanā) - by birth (by birth, by origin, by nature)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of janman

janman - birth, origin, existence, life

From root jan (to be born).

Root: jan (class 4)

च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

ताभ्याम् (tābhyām) - to those two (individuals) (to/for those two, by those two)

(pronoun)

Dative, masculine, dual of tad

tad - that, that one

Demonstrative pronoun, masculine dative/ablative/instrumental dual.

दानम् (dānam) - a charitable gift (dāna) (gift, donation, charity)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of dāna

dāna - giving, gift, donation, charity, liberality

From root dā (to give) + ana suffix.

Root: dā (class 3)

Note: Subject of the question.

कतरस्मै (katarasmai) - to which of the two (implied brahmins) (to which of two)

(pronoun)

Dative, masculine, singular of katara

katara - which of two, either of two

Interrogative pronoun, masculine dative singular.

विशिष्टम् (viśiṣṭam) - more excellent, more meritorious (distinguished, excellent, superior)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of viśiṣṭa

viśiṣṭa - distinguished, excellent, superior, special, particular

Past Passive Participle

From vi + root śiṣ (to distinguish, remain) + ta suffix.

Prefix: vi

Root: śiṣ (class 7)

अयाचमानाय (ayācamānāya) - to the one who does not request it (to the one not asking/begging)

(adjective)

Dative, masculine, singular of ayācamāna

ayācamāna - not asking, not begging, not requesting

Present Middle Participle

Negative prefix a + root yāc (to ask, beg) + māna suffix (middle participle).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+yācamāna)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• yācamāna – asking, begging, requesting
  adjective (masculine)
  Present Middle Participle
  From root yāc (to ask).
  Root: yāc (class 1)

च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

याचते (yācate) - to the one who asks (he asks, he begs, he requests)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present indicative (laṭ) of yāc

Present Middle Indicative

Root yāc (1st class, bhvadi), middle voice (ātmanepada), 3rd person singular.

Root: yāc (class 1)

Note: Acts as the predicate of an implied relative clause: 'the one who asks'.

च (ca) - or (and, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.