महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-9, verse-2

एतन्मे तत्त्वतो ब्रूहि धर्मं धर्मभृतां वर ।
प्रतिश्रुत्य दुरात्मानो न प्रयच्छन्ति ये नराः ॥२॥

2. etanme tattvato brūhi dharmaṁ dharmabhṛtāṁ vara ,
pratiśrutya durātmāno na prayacchanti ye narāḥ.

2. etat me tattvataḥ brūhi dharmam dharmabhṛtām vara
pratiśrutya durātmānaḥ na prayacchanti ye narāḥ

2. dharmabhṛtām vara me etat dharmam tattvataḥ brūhi
ye durātmānaḥ narāḥ pratiśrutya na prayacchanti

2. O best among those who uphold natural law (dharma), tell me this truth: concerning those wicked-minded men who, having promised, do not give.

Words meanings summery:

• एतत् (etat) - this

• मे (me) - to me, for me

• तत्त्वतः (tattvataḥ) - truthfully, in truth, in essence

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - The particular rule or consequence being asked about. (the natural law, duty, righteousness, consequence)

• धर्मभृताम् (dharmabhṛtām) - of those who uphold natural law

• वर (vara) - Addressed to Bhishma. (O best, O excellent one)

• प्रतिश्रुत्य (pratiśrutya) - having promised, having agreed

• दुरात्मानः (durātmānaḥ) - wicked-minded, evil-natured

• न (na) - not, no

• प्रयच्छन्ति (prayacchanti) - they give, they offer

• ये (ye) - who, those who

• नराः (narāḥ) - men, human beings

Words meanings and morphology

एतत् (etat) - this

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, that

मे (me) - to me, for me

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, my, me

Note: Can also be genitive singular. Context suggests dative ('to me').

तत्त्वतः (tattvataḥ) - truthfully, in truth, in essence

(indeclinable)

Derived from tattva (truth, reality) with suffix -tas (indicating manner or origin).

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (Loṭ) of brū

Imperative Active

Imperative (Loṭ) 2nd person singular active of root vac (often uses stem brū).

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Root vac is irregular, uses stem 'brū' in some forms.

धर्मम् (dharmam) - The particular rule or consequence being asked about. (the natural law, duty, righteousness, consequence)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue, custom

From root dhṛ (to hold, sustain).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

धर्मभृताम् (dharmabhṛtām) - of those who uphold natural law

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of dharmabhṛt

dharmabhṛt - upholder of natural law, maintainer of righteousness

Tatpuruṣa compound of dharma (natural law) and bhṛt (upholder).

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+bhṛt)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue
  noun (masculine)
  From root dhṛ (to hold, sustain).
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• bhṛt – bearing, carrying, supporting, upholding; an upholder
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun
  Derived from root bhṛ (to bear, carry) with Kṛt suffix.
  Root: bhṛ (class 3)

वर (vara) - Addressed to Bhishma. (O best, O excellent one)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, chief; a boon, choice

From root vṛ (to choose, select).

Root: vṛ (class 9)

Note: Also functions as a noun 'boon'. Here it's an adjective used as a vocative epithet.

प्रतिश्रुत्य (pratiśrutya) - having promised, having agreed

(indeclinable)

Absolutive/Gerund

Absolutive form from root śru with upasarga prati.

Prefix: prati

Root: śru (class 5)

दुरात्मानः (durātmānaḥ) - wicked-minded, evil-natured

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of durātman

durātman - wicked, evil-minded, mean-spirited

Bahuvrīhi compound of dur (bad) and ātman (self/mind).

Compound type : bahuvrihi (dur+ātman)

• dur – bad, ill, difficult (prefix)
  indeclinable
• ātman – self, spirit, soul, mind, essence
  noun (masculine)
  From root an (to breathe).
  Root: an (class 2)

Note: Also can function as a noun, 'wicked person'.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

प्रयच्छन्ति (prayacchanti) - they give, they offer

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (Laṭ) of pra-yam

Present Active

Present tense (Laṭ) 3rd person plural active of root yam with upasarga pra. The stem 'yaccha' is used for present tense.

Prefix: pra

Root: yam (class 1)

Note: The stem for present tense is 'yaccha'.

ये (ye) - who, those who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of yad

yad - which, who, what

नराः (narāḥ) - men, human beings

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nara

nara - man, human, person

Root: nṛ