महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-36, verse-35

को न्वेतद्बुध्यते साधु को न्वेतत्साधु पश्यति ।
अतत्त्वे तत्त्वदर्शी यस्तमसस्तत्त्वलक्षणम् ॥३५॥

35. ko nvetadbudhyate sādhu ko nvetatsādhu paśyati ,
atattve tattvadarśī yastamasastattvalakṣaṇam.

35. kaḥ nu etat budhyate sādhu kaḥ nu etat sādhu paśyati
atattve tattvadarśī yaḥ tamasaḥ tattvalakṣaṇam

35. kaḥ nu etat sādhu budhyate kaḥ nu etat sādhu paśyati
yaḥ atattve tattvadarśī tamasaḥ tattvalakṣaṇam

35. Who indeed truly comprehends this? Who indeed truly perceives this? The fundamental characteristic of ignorance (tamas) is to see the true essence in that which lacks it.

Words meanings summery:

• कः (kaḥ) - An interrogative pronoun asking about the agent. (who, which)

• नु (nu) - Particle emphasizing the interrogation. (indeed, now, then, surely)

• एतत् (etat) - Refers to the `tamas` and its characteristics described in previous verses. (this, this here)

• बुध्यते (budhyate) - Inquiring about who truly comprehends the nature of `tamas`. (understands, knows, perceives)

• साधु (sādhu) - Qualifies the actions of understanding and seeing. (well, rightly, properly, correctly)

• कः (kaḥ) - Interrogative pronoun. (who, which)

• नु (nu) - Particle emphasizing the interrogation. (indeed, now, then, surely)

• एतत् (etat) - Refers to the `tamas` and its characteristics described in previous verses. (this, this here)

• साधु (sādhu) - Qualifies the actions of understanding and seeing. (well, rightly, properly, correctly)

• पश्यति (paśyati) - Inquiring about who truly perceives the nature of `tamas`. (sees, perceives, beholds)

• अतत्त्वे (atattve) - The realm where one mistakenly perceives essence due to `tamas`. (in non-reality, in what is not essential, in falsehood)

• तत्त्वदर्शी (tattvadarśī) - Refers to one who *claims* to see the truth, but is misled by `tamas` into seeing truth in non-truth. (one who sees the truth, true seer)

• यः (yaḥ) - Refers back to the implied subject of `tattvadarśī` (one who sees). (who, which, he who)

• तमसः (tamasaḥ) - Indicates possession or relation to `tamas`. (of darkness, of ignorance, of `tamas`)

• तत्त्वलक्षणम् (tattvalakṣaṇam) - This phrase defines the true nature or defining mark of `tamas`. (the true characteristic, essential nature)

Words meanings and morphology

कः (kaḥ) - An interrogative pronoun asking about the agent. (who, which)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

नु (nu) - Particle emphasizing the interrogation. (indeed, now, then, surely)

(indeclinable)

एतत् (etat) - Refers to the `tamas` and its characteristics described in previous verses. (this, this here)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this here

बुध्यते (budhyate) - Inquiring about who truly comprehends the nature of `tamas`. (understands, knows, perceives)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of budh

Present Middle/Passive

Present Middle Voice, 3rd person singular, root budh, Class 4 or Dhatupatha 1.956 (Ātmanepada)

Root: budh (class 4)

Note: Can be interpreted as passive or middle voice.

साधु (sādhu) - Qualifies the actions of understanding and seeing. (well, rightly, properly, correctly)

(indeclinable)

कः (kaḥ) - Interrogative pronoun. (who, which)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

नु (nu) - Particle emphasizing the interrogation. (indeed, now, then, surely)

(indeclinable)

एतत् (etat) - Refers to the `tamas` and its characteristics described in previous verses. (this, this here)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this here

साधु (sādhu) - Qualifies the actions of understanding and seeing. (well, rightly, properly, correctly)

(indeclinable)

पश्यति (paśyati) - Inquiring about who truly perceives the nature of `tamas`. (sees, perceives, beholds)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of dṛś

Present Active

Present Active, 3rd person singular, root dṛś, Class 1, stem paśya-

Root: dṛś (class 1)

अतत्त्वे (atattve) - The realm where one mistakenly perceives essence due to `tamas`. (in non-reality, in what is not essential, in falsehood)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of atattva

atattva - non-reality, falsehood, what is not essential

Compound of 'a' (negation) and 'tattva' (truth, essence)

Compound type : tatpurusha (a+tattva)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
• tattva – truth, reality, essence, principle
  noun (neuter)

तत्त्वदर्शी (tattvadarśī) - Refers to one who *claims* to see the truth, but is misled by `tamas` into seeing truth in non-truth. (one who sees the truth, true seer)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tattvadarśin

tattvadarśin - one who sees the truth, true seer, discerning

Derived from tattva (truth) and darśin (seeing)

Compound type : tatpurusha (tattva+darśin)

• tattva – truth, reality, essence, principle
  noun (neuter)
• darśin – seeing, perceiving, one who sees
  adjective
  Agent noun from root dṛś (to see)
  Root: dṛś (class 1)

Note: This describes the person who is subject to the `tamas`.

यः (yaḥ) - Refers back to the implied subject of `tattvadarśī` (one who sees). (who, which, he who)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what

Note: Relative pronoun.

तमसः (tamasaḥ) - Indicates possession or relation to `tamas`. (of darkness, of ignorance, of `tamas`)

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of tamas

tamas - darkness, ignorance, delusion, inertia, one of the three guṇas

Root: tam (class 4)

तत्त्वलक्षणम् (tattvalakṣaṇam) - This phrase defines the true nature or defining mark of `tamas`. (the true characteristic, essential nature)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tattvalakṣaṇa

tattvalakṣaṇa - true characteristic, essential nature, mark of reality

Compound type : tatpurusha (tattva+lakṣaṇa)

• tattva – truth, reality, essence, principle
  noun (neuter)
• lakṣaṇa – mark, sign, characteristic, definition
  noun (neuter)