महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-59, verse-2

भीष्म उवाच ।
श्रेयो वै याचतः पार्थ दत्तमाहुरयाचते ।
अर्हत्तमो वै धृतिमान्कृपणादधृतात्मनः ॥२॥

2. bhīṣma uvāca ,
śreyo vai yācataḥ pārtha dattamāhurayācate ,
arhattamo vai dhṛtimānkṛpaṇādadhṛtātmanaḥ.

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca śreyaḥ vai yācataḥ pārtha dattam āhuḥ
ayācate arhattamaḥ vai dhṛtimān kṛpaṇāt adhṛtātmanaḥ

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca pārtha,
vai dattam ayācate (dīyamānam) yācataḥ (labdhāt) śreyaḥ āhuḥ vai dhṛtimān arhattamaḥ adhṛtātmanaḥ kṛpaṇāt (uttaraḥ asti).

2. Bhishma said: "Indeed, O Pārtha, they say that giving to one who does not ask is superior to asking (for oneself). Truly, a self-controlled person (dhṛtimān) is the most worthy, better than a wretched individual (kṛpaṇāt) who lacks self-control."

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, superior, welfare, prosperity

• वै (vai) - indeed, verily, certainly

• याचतः (yācataḥ) - of one asking, from one asking, of a beggar

• पार्थ (pārtha) - O son of Pṛthā (Kuntī); O Arjuna

• दत्तम् (dattam) - given, presented; a gift

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare

• अयाचते (ayācate) - to one who does not ask, for a non-beggar

• अर्हत्तमः (arhattamaḥ) - most worthy, most deserving

• वै (vai) - indeed, verily, certainly

• धृतिमान् (dhṛtimān) - self-controlled, resolute, steadfast, firm

• कृपणात् (kṛpaṇāt) - from a miser, from a wretched person

• अधृतात्मनः (adhṛtātmanaḥ) - of one whose self (ātman) is unrestrained/uncontrolled, from an uncontrolled person

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhishma (a proper name, son of Gaṅgā and Śāntanu)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

perfect active

root 'vac' becomes 'uvac' in perfect; class 2 verb

Root: vac (class 2)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, superior, welfare, prosperity

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - good, better, best, welfare, prosperity

comparative/superlative of 'śrī' or 'praśasta'

वै (vai) - indeed, verily, certainly

(indeclinable)

याचतः (yācataḥ) - of one asking, from one asking, of a beggar

(participle)

masculine, singular of yācat

yācat - asking, begging; one who asks, beggar

present active participle

from root 'yāc' (to ask, beg) + śatṛ suffix; class 1 verb

Root: yāc (class 1)

Note: Here likely genitive, indicating 'than what is obtained by asking'.

पार्थ (pārtha) - O son of Pṛthā (Kuntī); O Arjuna

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pārtha

pārtha - son of Pṛthā (Kuntī); Arjuna

derived from Pṛthā

दत्तम् (dattam) - given, presented; a gift

(participle)

neuter, singular of datta

datta - given, granted, presented; a gift, donation

past passive participle

from root 'dā' (to give); class 3 verb

Root: dā (class 3)

Note: Functions as a noun here meaning 'that which is given'.

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of ah

present active

root 'ah' is defective, often used in perfect forms 'āha', 'āhuḥ'; used as a present form

Root: ah

अयाचते (ayācate) - to one who does not ask, for a non-beggar

(participle)

Dative, masculine, singular of ayācat

ayācat - not asking, not begging; one who does not ask

negative present active participle

negative prefix 'a-' + present active participle from 'yāc'; class 1 verb

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+yācat)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
• yācat – asking, begging; one who asks, beggar
  participle (masculine)
  present active participle
  from root 'yāc' + śatṛ suffix; class 1 verb
  Root: yāc (class 1)

अर्हत्तमः (arhattamaḥ) - most worthy, most deserving

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of arhattama

arhattama - most worthy, most deserving, supreme

superlative of 'arhat' (worthy) using '-tama' suffix

वै (vai) - indeed, verily, certainly

(indeclinable)

धृतिमान् (dhṛtimān) - self-controlled, resolute, steadfast, firm

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhṛtimat

dhṛtimat - possessing self-control/firmness/resoluteness; resolute, self-controlled

from 'dhṛti' (firmness, self-control) + 'matup' suffix (possessing)

कृपणात् (kṛpaṇāt) - from a miser, from a wretched person

(adjective)

Ablative, masculine, singular of kṛpaṇa

kṛpaṇa - miserable, wretched, poor; a miser, a poor person

from root 'kṛp' (to lament, feel pity); class 1 verb

Root: kṛp (class 1)

अधृतात्मनः (adhṛtātmanaḥ) - of one whose self (ātman) is unrestrained/uncontrolled, from an uncontrolled person

(adjective)

Ablative, masculine, singular of adhṛtātman

adhṛtātman - one whose self (ātman) is not held/restrained; lacking self-control

bahuvrīhi compound of 'a-' (not) + 'dhṛta' (held, restrained) + 'ātman' (self)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+dhṛta+ātman)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
• dhṛta – held, borne, restrained
  participle (masculine)
  past passive participle
  from root 'dhṛ' (to hold, bear); class 1 verb
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• ātman – self, soul, spirit
  noun (masculine)

Note: Qualifies 'kṛpaṇāt'.