महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-61, verse-18

अल्पान्तरमिदं शश्वत्पुराणा मेनिरे जनाः ।
यो यजेदश्वमेधेन दद्याद्वा साधवे महीम् ॥१८॥

18. alpāntaramidaṁ śaśvatpurāṇā menire janāḥ ,
yo yajedaśvamedhena dadyādvā sādhave mahīm.

18. alpāntaram idam śaśvat purāṇāḥ menire janāḥ
yaḥ yajet aśvamedhena dadyāt vā sādhave mahīm

18. Ancient people always considered this a small difference: whoever would perform an aśvamedha (Vedic ritual) or give land to a virtuous person.

Words meanings summery:

• अल्पान्तरम् (alpāntaram) - a small difference, little interval

• इदम् (idam) - this

• शश्वत् (śaśvat) - always, perpetually, constantly

• पुराणाः (purāṇāḥ) - ancient ones, old ones

• मेनिरे (menire) - they considered, they thought, they believed

• जनाः (janāḥ) - people, persons

• यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

• यजेत् (yajet) - he would perform a Vedic ritual, one should perform a Vedic ritual

• अश्वमेधेन (aśvamedhena) - by means of the aśvamedha (Vedic ritual)

• दद्यात् (dadyāt) - he would give, one should give

• वा (vā) - or, either

• साधवे (sādhave) - to a virtuous person, to a righteous one, to a good person

• महीम् (mahīm) - the earth, land

Words meanings and morphology

अल्पान्तरम् (alpāntaram) - a small difference, little interval

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of alpāntara

alpāntara - small difference, short interval

Compound type : tatpurusha (alpa+antara)

• alpa – small, little, few
  adjective
• antara – interior, difference, interval, other
  noun (neuter)

Note: Also accusative singular neuter. In this context, nominative is more likely.

इदम् (idam) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

Note: Also accusative singular neuter.

शश्वत् (śaśvat) - always, perpetually, constantly

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverbial usage.

पुराणाः (purāṇāḥ) - ancient ones, old ones

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of purāṇa

purāṇa - ancient, old, former; an ancient story or legend

Root: purā

Note: Qualifies `janāḥ`.

मेनिरे (menire) - they considered, they thought, they believed

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, perfect (Lit) of man

root `man`, ātmanepada, perfect tense

Root: man (class 8)

जनाः (janāḥ) - people, persons

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of jana

jana - person, man, creature, folk

Root: jan

Note: Subject of `menire`.

यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, what, who, whoever

यजेत् (yajet) - he would perform a Vedic ritual, one should perform a Vedic ritual

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (Liṅ) of yaj

root `yaj`, optative mood, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

Root: yaj (class 1)

अश्वमेधेन (aśvamedhena) - by means of the aśvamedha (Vedic ritual)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of aśvamedha

aśvamedha - horse Vedic ritual, one of the most important Vedic rituals

Compound type : tatpurusha (aśva+medha)

• aśva – horse
  noun (masculine)
• medha – Vedic ritual, offering, wisdom
  noun (masculine)
  Root: midh

Note: Means by performing the aśvamedha.

दद्यात् (dadyāt) - he would give, one should give

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (Liṅ) of dā

root `dā`, optative mood, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

Root: dā (class 3)

Note: Parallel to `yajet`.

वा (vā) - or, either

(indeclinable)

साधवे (sādhave) - to a virtuous person, to a righteous one, to a good person

(noun)

Dative, masculine, singular of sādhu

sādhu - good, virtuous, righteous, holy man, saint

Root: sādh

Note: Indirect object of `dadyāt`.

महीम् (mahīm) - the earth, land

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of mahī

mahī - earth, ground, land, cow

Root: mah

Note: Direct object of `dadyāt`.