महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-12, verse-4

सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्चेति त्रयस्त्वात्मगुणाः स्मृताः ।
तेषां गुणानां साम्यं चेत्तदाहुः स्वस्थलक्षणम् ।
तेषामन्यतमोत्सेके विधानमुपदिश्यते ॥४॥

4. sattvaṁ rajastamaśceti trayastvātmaguṇāḥ smṛtāḥ ,
teṣāṁ guṇānāṁ sāmyaṁ cettadāhuḥ svasthalakṣaṇam ,
teṣāmanyatamotseke vidhānamupadiśyate.

4. sattvam rajaḥ tamaḥ ca iti trayaḥ tu
ātma-guṇāḥ smṛtāḥ teṣām guṇānām sāmyam
cet tadā āhuḥ svastha-lakṣaṇam teṣām
anyatama-utseke vidhānam upadiśyate

4. sattvam rajaḥ tamaḥ ca iti trayaḥ tu
ātma-guṇāḥ smṛtāḥ teṣām guṇānām sāmyam
cet tadā svastha-lakṣaṇam āhuḥ teṣām
anyatama-utseke vidhānam upadiśyate

4. Sattva (sattva), rajas (rajas), and tamas (tamas) – these three are indeed known as qualities of the self (ātman). If there is an equilibrium of these qualities, then that is declared to be the characteristic of a healthy state. When any one of them is in excess, a remedy is prescribed.

Words meanings summery:

• सत्त्वम् (sattvam) - the quality of purity, illumination, and lightness (one of the three guṇas) (goodness, purity, reality, a constituent of nature)

• रजः (rajaḥ) - the quality of passion, activity, and agitation (one of the three guṇas) (passion, activity, dust, impurity, a constituent of nature)

• तमः (tamaḥ) - the quality of darkness, inertia, and heaviness (one of the three guṇas) (darkness, inertia, ignorance, a constituent of nature)

• च (ca) - and, also

• इति (iti) - thus, so, in this manner (marks end of quotation or enumeration)

• त्रयः (trayaḥ) - three

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand (emphasizing or contrasting)

• आत्म-गुणाः (ātma-guṇāḥ) - qualities of the self (ātman)

• स्मृताः (smṛtāḥ) - are known or traditionally held to be (are remembered, are declared, are considered)

• तेषाम् (teṣām) - of these qualities (sattva, rajas, tamas) (of them, of these)

• गुणानाम् (guṇānām) - of qualities, of attributes

• साम्यम् (sāmyam) - equilibrium, balance, equality

• चेत् (cet) - if

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they (experts) declare (they say, they declare)

• स्वस्थ-लक्षणम् (svastha-lakṣaṇam) - characteristic of a healthy mental or spiritual state (characteristic of health, sign of being healthy)

• तेषाम् (teṣām) - of these qualities (sattva, rajas, tamas) (of them, of these)

• अन्यतम-उत्सेके (anyatama-utseke) - in the excess of any one (of them)

• विधानम् (vidhānam) - a rule, a method, a prescription, a remedy

• उपदिश्यते (upadiśyate) - is taught, is prescribed, is advised

Words meanings and morphology

सत्त्वम् (sattvam) - the quality of purity, illumination, and lightness (one of the three guṇas) (goodness, purity, reality, a constituent of nature)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sattva

sattva - being, existence, reality, essence, goodness, purity, the quality of lightness/illumination (one of the three guṇas)

From root as 'to be', with suffix -tva

Root: as (class 2)

Note: One of the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas).

रजः (rajaḥ) - the quality of passion, activity, and agitation (one of the three guṇas) (passion, activity, dust, impurity, a constituent of nature)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of rajas

rajas - dust, gloom, impurity, passion, activity, the quality of motion/agitation (one of the three guṇas)

Note: One of the three guṇas.

तमः (tamaḥ) - the quality of darkness, inertia, and heaviness (one of the three guṇas) (darkness, inertia, ignorance, a constituent of nature)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tamas

tamas - darkness, gloom, ignorance, inertia, the quality of heaviness/obstruction (one of the three guṇas)

Note: One of the three guṇas.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

इति (iti) - thus, so, in this manner (marks end of quotation or enumeration)

(indeclinable)

त्रयः (trayaḥ) - three

(numeral)

Note: Refers to the three guṇas.

तु (tu) - but, indeed, on the other hand (emphasizing or contrasting)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic or adversative particle.

आत्म-गुणाः (ātma-guṇāḥ) - qualities of the self (ātman)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ātma-guṇa

ātma-guṇa - quality of the self (ātman), inherent quality, virtue

Compound of ātman (self) and guṇa (quality)

Compound type : tatpurusha (ātman+guṇa)

• ātman – self, soul, spirit, ultimate reality (Brahman)
  noun (masculine)
• guṇa – quality, attribute, property, constituent of nature
  noun (masculine)

Note: Refers to sattva, rajas, tamas as qualities of the individual soul/self.

स्मृताः (smṛtāḥ) - are known or traditionally held to be (are remembered, are declared, are considered)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of smṛta

smṛta - remembered, recalled, declared, prescribed (as in law books - Smriti)

Past Passive Participle

From root smṛ 'to remember'

Root: smṛ (class 1)

Note: Qualifies `ātma-guṇāḥ`. Implies "are known" or "are traditionally held".

तेषाम् (teṣām) - of these qualities (sattva, rajas, tamas) (of them, of these)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those

Note: Refers to the qualities.

गुणानाम् (guṇānām) - of qualities, of attributes

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of guṇa

guṇa - quality, attribute, property, excellence, constituent of nature (sattva, rajas, tamas)

साम्यम् (sāmyam) - equilibrium, balance, equality

(noun)

neuter, singular of sāmya

sāmya - equality, equilibrium, impartiality, balance

Derived from sama (equal)

चेत् (cet) - if

(indeclinable)

Note: Conditional particle.

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

Note: Temporal adverb.

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they (experts) declare (they say, they declare)

(verb)

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

Root: ah (class 2)

Note: Often used impersonally to mean "it is said."

स्वस्थ-लक्षणम् (svastha-lakṣaṇam) - characteristic of a healthy mental or spiritual state (characteristic of health, sign of being healthy)

(noun)

neuter, singular of svastha-lakṣaṇa

svastha-lakṣaṇa - characteristic of health, sign of a healthy person/state

Compound of svastha (healthy) and lakṣaṇa (characteristic, sign)

Compound type : tatpurusha (svastha+lakṣaṇa)

• svastha – healthy, well, self-reliant, at ease
  adjective (masculine)
  From sva (self) + stha (standing, abiding)
  Root: sthā (class 1)
• lakṣaṇa – mark, sign, characteristic, definition
  noun (neuter)
  From root lakṣ 'to observe, to mark'
  Root: lakṣ (class 10)

Note: Predicate nominative to `sāmyam`.

तेषाम् (teṣām) - of these qualities (sattva, rajas, tamas) (of them, of these)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those

Note: Refers to the qualities.

अन्यतम-उत्सेके (anyatama-utseke) - in the excess of any one (of them)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of anyatama-utseka

anyatama-utseka - excess of any one

Compound of anyatama (any one) and utseka (excess, overflow)

Compound type : tatpurusha (anyatama+utseka)

• anyatama – any one (of many), one of several
  pronoun (masculine)
  Formed from anya (other) + tama (superlative suffix)
• utseka – swelling, excess, overflow, arrogance
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root sic 'to sprinkle, to pour', with prefix ut-
  Prefix: ut
  Root: sic (class 6)

Note: Refers to the situation where one of the guṇas is dominant.

विधानम् (vidhānam) - a rule, a method, a prescription, a remedy

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vidhāna

vidhāna - arrangement, ordinance, rule, method, prescription, remedy

From root dhā 'to place, to hold' with prefix vi-

Prefix: vi

Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Subject of `upadiśyate`.

उपदिश्यते (upadiśyate) - is taught, is prescribed, is advised

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present indicative (laṭ) of upadiś

Root diś 'to point out, to show' with prefix upa-

Prefix: upa

Root: diś (class 6)