महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-22, verse-17

काष्ठानीवार्द्रशुष्काणि यतमानैरपीन्द्रियैः ।
गुणार्थान्नाधिगच्छन्ति मामृते सर्वजन्तवः ॥१७॥

17. kāṣṭhānīvārdraśuṣkāṇi yatamānairapīndriyaiḥ ,
guṇārthānnādhigacchanti māmṛte sarvajantavaḥ.

17. kāṣṭhāni iva ārdraguṣkāṇi yatamānaiḥ api indriyaiḥ
guṇārthān na adhigacchanti mām ṛte sarvajantavaḥ

17. sarvajantavaḥ mām ṛte yatamānaiḥ api indriyaiḥ
ārdraguṣkāṇi kāṣṭhāni iva guṇārthān na adhigacchanti

17. Just as wet and dry pieces of wood cannot perceive objects, so too all beings, even while striving with their senses, do not grasp the objects of the senses without Me.

Words meanings summery:

• काष्ठानि (kāṣṭhāni) - pieces of wood, logs, timber

• इव (iva) - like, as, as it were

• आर्द्रगुष्काणि (ārdraguṣkāṇi) - wet and dry

• यतमानैः (yatamānaiḥ) - by the senses, even when they are striving (by those striving, by those making effort)

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• इन्द्रियैः (indriyaiḥ) - by the senses, by the organs of sense

• गुणार्थान् (guṇārthān) - objects of the senses, purposes of qualities

• न (na) - not, no

• अधिगच्छन्ति (adhigacchanti) - they attain, they perceive, they understand

• माम् (mām) - me

• ऋते (ṛte) - without, except for

• सर्वजन्तवः (sarvajantavaḥ) - all beings, all creatures

Words meanings and morphology

काष्ठानि (kāṣṭhāni) - pieces of wood, logs, timber

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of kāṣṭha

kāṣṭha - wood, piece of wood, log, timber

Note: Used here in nominative plural, implying they are the subjects of a comparison.

इव (iva) - like, as, as it were

(indeclinable)

आर्द्रगुष्काणि (ārdraguṣkāṇi) - wet and dry

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of ārdraśuṣka

ārdraśuṣka - wet and dry, moist and parched

Compound type : dvandva (ārdra+śuṣka)

• ārdra – wet, moist, fresh
  adjective (neuter)
• śuṣka – dry, withered, parched
  participle (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from the root √śuṣ (to dry, wither).
  Root: śuṣ (class 4)

Note: Qualifies 'kāṣṭhāni'.

यतमानैः (yatamānaiḥ) - by the senses, even when they are striving (by those striving, by those making effort)

(participle)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of yatamāna

yatamāna - striving, making effort, endeavoring

Present Middle Participle

Derived from the root √yat (to strive, endeavor) with the śānac suffix.

Root: yat (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'indriyaiḥ' (by the senses).

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

इन्द्रियैः (indriyaiḥ) - by the senses, by the organs of sense

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of indriya

indriya - sense organ, organ of sense, faculty

गुणार्थान् (guṇārthān) - objects of the senses, purposes of qualities

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of guṇārtha

guṇārtha - object of sense, purpose of quality

Compound type : tatpurusha (guṇa+artha)

• guṇa – quality, attribute, constituent of nature, secondary thing
  noun (masculine)
• artha – purpose, object, meaning, wealth, interest
  noun (masculine)

Note: Direct object of 'adhigacchanti'.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle of negation.

अधिगच्छन्ति (adhigacchanti) - they attain, they perceive, they understand

(verb)

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

Present active indicative

Formed from the prefix 'adhi' and the root √gam (to go).

Prefix: adhi

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: The subject is 'sarvajantavaḥ'.

माम् (mām) - me

(pronoun)

Accusative, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me, us (first person pronoun stem)

First person pronoun stem.

Note: Object of the postposition 'ṛte'.

ऋते (ṛte) - without, except for

(indeclinable)

Note: Functions as a postposition.

सर्वजन्तवः (sarvajantavaḥ) - all beings, all creatures

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sarvajantu

sarvajantu - all beings, every creature

Compound type : karmadhāraya (sarva+jantu)

• sarva – all, every, whole
  pronoun (masculine)
• jantu – creature, being, animal, man
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from the root √jan (to be born, produce).
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Subject of 'adhigacchanti'.