महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-80, verse-8

को यज्ञः सर्वयज्ञानां वरिष्ठ उपलक्ष्यते ।
किं च कृत्वा परं स्वर्गं प्राप्नुवन्ति मनीषिणः ॥८॥

8. ko yajñaḥ sarvayajñānāṁ variṣṭha upalakṣyate ,
kiṁ ca kṛtvā paraṁ svargaṁ prāpnuvanti manīṣiṇaḥ.

8. kaḥ yajñaḥ sarvayajñānām variṣṭhaḥ upalakṣyate
kim ca kṛtvā param svargam prāpnuvanti manīṣiṇaḥ

8. sarvayajñānām kaḥ yajñaḥ variṣṭhaḥ upalakṣyate
ca manīṣiṇaḥ kim kṛtvā param svargam prāpnuvanti

8. Which (yajña) is considered the most excellent among all (yajñas)? And by performing what do the wise attain the supreme heaven (svarga)?

Words meanings summery:

• कः (kaḥ) - Which one (referring to yajña). (who, which, what)

• यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - Vedic ritual, offering, sacrifice

• सर्वयज्ञानाम् (sarvayajñānām) - of all Vedic rituals, among all sacrifices

• वरिष्ठः (variṣṭhaḥ) - most excellent, best, pre-eminent

• उपलक्ष्यते (upalakṣyate) - is regarded, is observed, is known, is distinguished

• किम् (kim) - What action or thing. (what)

• च (ca) - and

• कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having done, by doing, after performing

• परम् (param) - supreme, highest, ultimate

• स्वर्गम् (svargam) - The desired destination after good deeds. (heaven, celestial abode)

• प्राप्नुवन्ति (prāpnuvanti) - they attain, they obtain, they reach

• मनीषिणः (manīṣiṇaḥ) - wise persons, intelligent ones, thoughtful ones

Words meanings and morphology

कः (kaḥ) - Which one (referring to yajña). (who, which, what)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which (interrogative pronoun)

Note: Interrogative pronoun, acting as a predicate adjective to 'yajñaḥ'.

यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - Vedic ritual, offering, sacrifice

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yajña

yajña - Vedic ritual, devotion, offering, worship

From root yaj (to worship, sacrifice)

Root: yaj (class 1)

Note: Subject of the first question.

सर्वयज्ञानाम् (sarvayajñānām) - of all Vedic rituals, among all sacrifices

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of sarvayajña

sarvayajña - all Vedic rituals, all sacrifices

Compound of sarva (all) and yajña (ritual)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sarva+yajña)

• sarva – all, every, whole
  pronoun (masculine)
• yajña – Vedic ritual, devotion, offering
  noun (masculine)
  From root yaj (to worship, sacrifice)
  Root: yaj (class 1)

Note: Denotes the group from which 'variṣṭhaḥ' is selected.

वरिष्ठः (variṣṭhaḥ) - most excellent, best, pre-eminent

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of variṣṭha

variṣṭha - most excellent, best, chief, principal

Superlative degree from a root var/vṛ (to choose, to prefer)

Root: vṛ (class 5)

Note: Predicate adjective to 'yajñaḥ'.

उपलक्ष्यते (upalakṣyate) - is regarded, is observed, is known, is distinguished

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of upalakṣ

Present tense, 3rd singular, passive voice, from prefix upa- + root lakṣ (to mark, perceive)

Prefix: upa

Root: lakṣ (class 10)

किम् (kim) - What action or thing. (what)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, why (interrogative pronoun/adverb)

Note: Object of 'kṛtvā'.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects the two questions.

कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having done, by doing, after performing

(indeclinable)

absolutive (gerund)

From root kṛ- (to do, to make)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

परम् (param) - supreme, highest, ultimate

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, ultimate, excellent, further

Note: Modifies 'svargam'.

स्वर्गम् (svargam) - The desired destination after good deeds. (heaven, celestial abode)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of svarga

svarga - heaven, paradise, celestial world

Note: Object attained by 'prāpnuvanti'.

प्राप्नुवन्ति (prāpnuvanti) - they attain, they obtain, they reach

(verb)

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

Present tense, 3rd plural, active voice, from prefix pra- + root āp (to obtain)

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

Note: Subject is 'manīṣiṇaḥ'.

मनीषिणः (manīṣiṇaḥ) - wise persons, intelligent ones, thoughtful ones

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of manīṣin

manīṣin - wise, intelligent, thoughtful, sage

From manīṣā (intellect, wisdom)

Note: Subject of 'prāpnuvanti'.