महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-74, verse-17

दमेन यानि नृपते गच्छन्ति परमर्षयः ।
कामयाना महत्स्थानं तस्माद्दानात्परो दमः ॥१७॥

17. damena yāni nṛpate gacchanti paramarṣayaḥ ,
kāmayānā mahatsthānaṁ tasmāddānātparo damaḥ.

17. damena yāni nṛpate gacchanti paramarṣayaḥ
kāmayānā mahat sthānam tasmāt dānāt paraḥ damaḥ

17. nṛpate,
paramarṣayaḥ mahat sthānam kāmayānāḥ,
yāni damena gacchanti.
tasmāt dānāt paraḥ damaḥ.

17. O king, the supreme sages (ṛṣis) who desire a great abode attain those places by self-control (dama). Therefore, self-control (dama) is superior to giving (dāna).

Words meanings summery:

• दमेन (damena) - by self-control (dama) (by self-control, by restraint (dama))

• यानि (yāni) - those (places) (which, those)

• नृपते (nṛpate) - O king

• गच्छन्ति (gacchanti) - attain (they go, they attain)

• परमर्षयः (paramarṣayaḥ) - the supreme sages (ṛṣis) (supreme sages, great seers (ṛṣis))

• कामयाना (kāmayānā) - who desire (desiring, wishing)

• महत् (mahat) - great (great, large, important)

• स्थानम् (sthānam) - abode (place, abode, station)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

• दानात् (dānāt) - than giving (dāna) (from giving, than giving (dāna))

• परः (paraḥ) - superior (superior, higher, other, subsequent)

• दमः (damaḥ) - self-control (dama) (self-control, restraint (dama))

Words meanings and morphology

दमेन (damena) - by self-control (dama) (by self-control, by restraint (dama))

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dama

dama - self-control, restraint

Derived from root 'dam' (to tame, control)

Root: dam

यानि (yāni) - those (places) (which, those)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of yad

yad - which, what

Note: Refers to implicit 'sthānāni' or places in general.

नृपते (nṛpate) - O king

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of nṛpati

nṛpati - king, lord of men

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nṛ+pati)

• nṛ – man, human
  noun (masculine)
• pati – lord, master, husband
  noun (masculine)

गच्छन्ति (gacchanti) - attain (they go, they attain)

(verb)

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

Present Tense, Active Voice

3rd person plural, active voice, present tense, from root gam (1st class, bhvādi)

Root: gam (class 1)

परमर्षयः (paramarṣayaḥ) - the supreme sages (ṛṣis) (supreme sages, great seers (ṛṣis))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of paramarṣi

paramarṣi - supreme sage, great seer

Compound type : karma-bhāṣa (parama+ṛṣi)

• parama – supreme, highest, best
  adjective
• ṛṣi – sage, seer
  noun (masculine)

कामयाना (kāmayānā) - who desire (desiring, wishing)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kāmayamāna

kāmayamāna - desiring, wishing

Present Middle Participle

Present participle from denominative root 'kāmaya-' (from 'kāma'), middle voice, nominative plural masculine, agreeing with 'paramarṣayaḥ'

Root: kam

Note: Agrees with 'paramarṣayaḥ'.

महत् (mahat) - great (great, large, important)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, important

Note: Agrees with 'sthānam'.

स्थानम् (sthānam) - abode (place, abode, station)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of sthāna

sthāna - place, abode, station

From root 'sthā' (to stand)

Root: sthā

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

(pronoun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that

Note: Often used adverbially as 'therefore'.

दानात् (dānāt) - than giving (dāna) (from giving, than giving (dāna))

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of dāna

dāna - giving, gift, charity

Derived from root 'dā' (to give)

Root: dā

Note: Used in comparison with 'paraḥ'.

परः (paraḥ) - superior (superior, higher, other, subsequent)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of para

para - superior, higher, other, subsequent

Note: Agrees with 'damaḥ'.

दमः (damaḥ) - self-control (dama) (self-control, restraint (dama))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dama

dama - self-control, restraint

Derived from root 'dam' (to tame, control)

Root: dam