महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-39, verse-11

तमः शूद्रे रजः क्षत्रे ब्राह्मणे सत्त्वमुत्तमम् ।
इत्येवं त्रिषु वर्णेषु विवर्तन्ते गुणास्त्रयः ॥११॥

11. tamaḥ śūdre rajaḥ kṣatre brāhmaṇe sattvamuttamam ,
ityevaṁ triṣu varṇeṣu vivartante guṇāstrayaḥ.

11. tamaḥ śūdre rajaḥ kṣatre brāhmaṇe sattvam uttamam
iti evam triṣu varṇeṣu vivartante guṇāḥ trayaḥ

11. śūdre tamaḥ kṣatre rajaḥ brāhmaṇe uttamam sattvam
iti evam triṣu varṇeṣu trayaḥ guṇāḥ vivartante

11. The quality of ignorance (tamas) is dominant in the śūdra (laborer), passion (rajas) in the kṣatriya (warrior), and purity (sattva) is supreme in the brāhmaṇa (priest). Thus, these three qualities (guṇas) manifest themselves in the three social classes (varṇas).

Words meanings summery:

• तमः (tamaḥ) - the quality of ignorance (tamas) (darkness, ignorance, the quality of ignorance (one of the three guṇas))

• शूद्रे (śūdre) - in the śūdra (laborer) (in the śūdra, to the śūdra)

• रजः (rajaḥ) - the quality of passion (rajas) (dust, impurity, passion, the quality of passion (one of the three guṇas))

• क्षत्रे (kṣatre) - in the kṣatriya (warrior) (in the kṣatriya, to the kṣatriya)

• ब्राह्मणे (brāhmaṇe) - in the brāhmaṇa (priest) (in the brāhmaṇa, to the brāhmaṇa)

• सत्त्वम् (sattvam) - the quality of purity (sattva) (purity, goodness, being, reality, essence, the quality of purity (one of the three guṇas))

• उत्तमम् (uttamam) - supreme (supreme, best, excellent, highest)

• इति (iti) - thus (thus, so, in this way, (marks end of quote or thought))

• एवम् (evam) - in this way (thus, so, in this way, as follows)

• त्रिषु (triṣu) - in the three (in three, among three)

• वर्णेषु (varṇeṣu) - in the social classes (varṇas) (in the social classes, among the colors)

• विवर्तन्ते (vivartante) - they manifest themselves (they manifest, they revolve, they exist, they occur)

• गुणाः (guṇāḥ) - the qualities (guṇas) (qualities, attributes, constituents (like sattva, rajas, tamas))

• त्रयः (trayaḥ) - three

Words meanings and morphology

तमः (tamaḥ) - the quality of ignorance (tamas) (darkness, ignorance, the quality of ignorance (one of the three guṇas))

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tamas

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

Root: tam (class 4)

शूद्रे (śūdre) - in the śūdra (laborer) (in the śūdra, to the śūdra)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of śūdra

śūdra - a member of the fourth social class, laborer

रजः (rajaḥ) - the quality of passion (rajas) (dust, impurity, passion, the quality of passion (one of the three guṇas))

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of rajas

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

Root: rañj (class 1)

क्षत्रे (kṣatre) - in the kṣatriya (warrior) (in the kṣatriya, to the kṣatriya)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of kṣatra

kṣatra - rule, dominion, the warrior class, a warrior

From root kṣi (to rule).

Root: kṣi (class 5)

ब्राह्मणे (brāhmaṇe) - in the brāhmaṇa (priest) (in the brāhmaṇa, to the brāhmaṇa)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, a member of the priestly class, relating to Brahman

Derived from brahman.

सत्त्वम् (sattvam) - the quality of purity (sattva) (purity, goodness, being, reality, essence, the quality of purity (one of the three guṇas))

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sattva

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

Root: as (class 2)

उत्तमम् (uttamam) - supreme (supreme, best, excellent, highest)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of uttama

uttama - highest, best, excellent, supreme, chief

Superlative of ut (up).

इति (iti) - thus (thus, so, in this way, (marks end of quote or thought))

(indeclinable)

एवम् (evam) - in this way (thus, so, in this way, as follows)

(indeclinable)

त्रिषु (triṣu) - in the three (in three, among three)

(numeral)

Note: Agrees with varṇeṣu.

वर्णेषु (varṇeṣu) - in the social classes (varṇas) (in the social classes, among the colors)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of varṇa

varṇa - color, outward appearance, social class (caste), letter

Root: vṛ (class 5)

विवर्तन्ते (vivartante) - they manifest themselves (they manifest, they revolve, they exist, they occur)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of vivṛt

present middle

Root vṛt (to turn, exist) with vi prefix, middle voice.

Prefix: vi

Root: vṛt (class 1)

गुणाः (guṇāḥ) - the qualities (guṇas) (qualities, attributes, constituents (like sattva, rajas, tamas))

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of guṇa

guṇa - quality, attribute, constituent, strand, rope

त्रयः (trayaḥ) - three

(numeral)

Note: Agrees with guṇāḥ.