महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-3, verse-6

असुराश्च सुराश्चैव पुण्यहेतोर्मखक्रियाम् ।
प्रयतन्ते महात्मानस्तस्माद्यज्ञाः परायणम् ॥६॥

6. asurāśca surāścaiva puṇyahetormakhakriyām ,
prayatante mahātmānastasmādyajñāḥ parāyaṇam.

6. asuraḥ ca suraḥ ca eva puṇyahetoḥ makhakriyām
prayatante mahātmānaḥ tasmāt yajñāḥ parāyaṇam

6. mahātmānaḥ asuraḥ ca suraḥ ca eva puṇyahetoḥ
makhakriyām prayatante tasmāt yajñāḥ parāyaṇam

6. Both asuras (asura) and devas (sura) — those great souls — strive for the performance of (Vedic ritual) yajña for the sake of merit. Therefore, (Vedic rituals) yajñas are the supreme refuge.

Words meanings summery:

• असुरः (asuraḥ) - asuras, demons

• च (ca) - and

• सुरः (suraḥ) - devas, gods

• च (ca) - and

• एव (eva) - indeed, only

• पुण्यहेतोः (puṇyahetoḥ) - for the sake of merit, due to merit

• मखक्रियाम् (makhakriyām) - the performance of (Vedic ritual) yajña, ritual act

• प्रयतन्ते (prayatante) - they strive, they endeavor

• महात्मानः (mahātmānaḥ) - great souls, noble-minded ones

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

• यज्ञाः (yajñāḥ) - (Vedic rituals) yajñas

• परायणम् (parāyaṇam) - supreme goal, ultimate refuge, chief object

Words meanings and morphology

असुरः (asuraḥ) - asuras, demons

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of asura

asura - a class of mythological beings, often considered demons or anti-gods; literally 'not-sura'

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+sura)

• a – not, non- (negation prefix)
  indeclinable
• sura – god, deity
  noun (masculine)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

सुरः (suraḥ) - devas, gods

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sura

sura - a god, deity, divine being

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, only

(indeclinable)

पुण्यहेतोः (puṇyahetoḥ) - for the sake of merit, due to merit

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of puṇyahetu

puṇyahetu - cause of merit, reason for virtue

Compound type : tatpurusha (puṇya+hetu)

• puṇya – meritorious, virtuous, sacred; merit, virtue
  noun (neuter)
• hetu – cause, reason, motive
  noun (masculine)

Note: Often used to express 'for the sake of' or 'because of'.

मखक्रियाम् (makhakriyām) - the performance of (Vedic ritual) yajña, ritual act

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of makhakriyā

makhakriyā - performance of a (Vedic ritual) yajña, ritualistic act

Compound type : tatpurusha (makha+kriyā)

• makha – (Vedic ritual) yajña, festival
  noun (masculine)
• kriyā – action, deed, performance, ritual
  noun (feminine)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

प्रयतन्ते (prayatante) - they strive, they endeavor

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (lat) of prayat

Prefix: pra

Root: yat (class 1)

Note: Ātmanepada verb.

महात्मानः (mahātmānaḥ) - great souls, noble-minded ones

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mahātman

mahātman - great-souled, noble, magnanimous; a great personality

Compound type : bahuvrihi (mahā+ātman)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence
  noun (masculine)

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

(pronoun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this

Note: Often used adverbially to mean 'therefore'.

यज्ञाः (yajñāḥ) - (Vedic rituals) yajñas

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of yajña

yajña - a Vedic ritual, sacrifice, worship

Root: yaj (class 1)

परायणम् (parāyaṇam) - supreme goal, ultimate refuge, chief object

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of parāyaṇa

parāyaṇa - ultimate goal, supreme resort, chief object; devoted to, intent on

Compound type : tatpurusha (para+ayaṇa)

• para – supreme, highest, ultimate, other
  adjective
• ayaṇa – going, course, path; refuge, resort
  noun (neuter)
  Root: i (class 2)