महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-49, verse-24

यावद्रथपथस्तावद्रथेन स तु गच्छति ।
क्षीणे रथपथे प्राज्ञो रथमुत्सृज्य गच्छति ॥२४॥

24. yāvadrathapathastāvadrathena sa tu gacchati ,
kṣīṇe rathapathe prājño rathamutsṛjya gacchati.

24. yāvat rathapathaḥ tāvat rathena sa tu gacchati
kṣīṇe rathapathe prājñaḥ ratham utsṛjya gacchati

24. yāvat rathapathaḥ tāvat sa tu rathena gacchati
rathapathe kṣīṇe prājñaḥ ratham utsṛjya gacchati

24. As long as a chariot-path exists, one travels by chariot. When the chariot-path is exhausted, the wise person abandons the chariot and proceeds.

Words meanings summery:

• यावत् (yāvat) - as long as, as far as, to the extent that

• रथपथः (rathapathaḥ) - chariot-path, road for chariots

• तावत् (tāvat) - so far, so much, to that extent

• रथेन (rathena) - by means of a chariot, with a chariot

• स (sa) - he, that (masculine nominative singular)

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

• गच्छति (gacchati) - goes, proceeds, moves

• क्षीणे (kṣīṇe) - exhausted, dwindled, decayed, destroyed

• रथपथे (rathapathe) - in the chariot-path, on the road for chariots

• प्राज्ञः (prājñaḥ) - wise person, intelligent person, discerning

• रथम् (ratham) - chariot

• उत्सृज्य (utsṛjya) - having abandoned, having given up, having left

• गच्छति (gacchati) - goes, proceeds, moves

Words meanings and morphology

यावत् (yāvat) - as long as, as far as, to the extent that

(indeclinable)

Note: Acts as a correlative adverb with 'tāvat'.

रथपथः (rathapathaḥ) - chariot-path, road for chariots

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rathapatha

rathapatha - chariot-path, road for chariots

Compound of 'ratha' (chariot) and 'patha' (path).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ratha+patha)

• ratha – chariot, car
  noun (masculine)
  Root: ramh
• patha – path, road, way
  noun (masculine)
  Root: path (class 1)

तावत् (tāvat) - so far, so much, to that extent

(indeclinable)

Note: Acts as a correlative adverb with 'yāvat'.

रथेन (rathena) - by means of a chariot, with a chariot

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of ratha

ratha - chariot, car

Root: ramh

स (sa) - he, that (masculine nominative singular)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun, masculine nominative singular form 'sa'. The 's' changes to 'sa' before a consonant (not a vowel).

Note: Refers to 'one' or 'the person'.

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

(indeclinable)

Particle expressing contrast or emphasis.

गच्छति (gacchati) - goes, proceeds, moves

(verb)

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

Present Indicative, 3rd person singular, Active Voice

Formed from the root √gam (to go).

Root: gam (class 1)

क्षीणे (kṣīṇe) - exhausted, dwindled, decayed, destroyed

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of kṣīṇa

kṣīṇa - exhausted, dwindled, decayed, destroyed

Past Passive Participle

From root √kṣi (to destroy, to decay).

Root: kṣi (class 5)

Note: Used in locative absolute construction 'kṣīṇe rathapathe' meaning 'when the chariot-path is exhausted'.

रथपथे (rathapathe) - in the chariot-path, on the road for chariots

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of rathapatha

rathapatha - chariot-path, road for chariots

Compound of 'ratha' (chariot) and 'patha' (path).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ratha+patha)

• ratha – chariot, car
  noun (masculine)
  Root: ramh
• patha – path, road, way
  noun (masculine)
  Root: path (class 1)

Note: Used in locative absolute construction 'kṣīṇe rathapathe' meaning 'when the chariot-path is exhausted'.

प्राज्ञः (prājñaḥ) - wise person, intelligent person, discerning

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of prājña

prājña - wise, intelligent, discerning; a wise person

From 'pra-jñā' (to know well).

Prefix: pra

Root: jñā (class 9)

रथम् (ratham) - chariot

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ratha

ratha - chariot, car

Root: ramh

उत्सृज्य (utsṛjya) - having abandoned, having given up, having left

(indeclinable)

Absolutive

Formed from ut-SṚJ (to abandon, release) with -ya suffix.

Prefix: ut

Root: sṛj (class 6)

गच्छति (gacchati) - goes, proceeds, moves

(verb)

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

Present Indicative, 3rd person singular, Active Voice

Formed from the root √gam (to go).

Root: gam (class 1)