महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-15, chapter-8, verse-12

एष एव परो धर्मो राजर्षीणां युधिष्ठिर ।
समरे वा भवेन्मृत्युर्वने वा विधिपूर्वकम् ॥१२॥

12. eṣa eva paro dharmo rājarṣīṇāṁ yudhiṣṭhira ,
samare vā bhavenmṛtyurvane vā vidhipūrvakam.

12. eṣaḥ eva paraḥ dharmaḥ rājarṣīṇām yudhiṣṭhira
| samare vā bhavet mṛtyuḥ vane vā vidhipūrvakam

12. O yudhiṣṭhira,
eṣaḥ eva rājarṣīṇām paraḥ dharmaḥ (asti): mṛtyuḥ vā samare bhavet vā vane vidhipūrvakam (bhavet).

12. O Yudhishthira, this indeed is the highest intrinsic nature (dharma) for royal sages: that death should occur either in battle or, properly, in the forest (performing austerities).

Words meanings summery:

• एषः (eṣaḥ) - this (referring to what follows) (this, this one)

• एव (eva) - indeed (indeed, only, just)

• परः (paraḥ) - highest (supreme, highest, ultimate, excellent)

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - intrinsic nature, duty (for royal sages) (natural law, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness, constitution, religion)

• राजर्षीणाम् (rājarṣīṇām) - of royal sages (of royal sages, of king-sages)

• युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - O Yudhishthira

• समरे (samare) - in battle (in battle, in war)

• वा (vā) - either (or, either)

• भवेत् (bhavet) - should occur (may it be, should it be, let it be)

• मृत्युः (mṛtyuḥ) - death (death, dying)

• वने (vane) - in the forest (in the forest, in the wood)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• विधिपूर्वकम् (vidhipūrvakam) - properly (following prescribed rites/austerities) (according to rule, properly, ritually)

Words meanings and morphology

एषः (eṣaḥ) - this (referring to what follows) (this, this one)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

Note: Agrees with 'dharmaḥ'.

एव (eva) - indeed (indeed, only, just)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

परः (paraḥ) - highest (supreme, highest, ultimate, excellent)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of parama

parama - highest, supreme, ultimate, best, other, distant

Note: Agrees with 'dharmaḥ'.

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - intrinsic nature, duty (for royal sages) (natural law, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness, constitution, religion)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness, constitution, religion, justice, virtue

from dhṛ (to hold, support)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Key term. Translated as 'intrinsic nature (dharma)'.

राजर्षीणाम् (rājarṣīṇām) - of royal sages (of royal sages, of king-sages)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of rājarṣi

rājarṣi - royal sage, king-sage (a king who is also a sage)

from rājan + ṛṣi

Compound type : tatpurusha (rājan+ṛṣi)

• rājan – king
  noun (masculine)
• ṛṣi – sage, seer
  noun (masculine)

Note: Indicates whose dharma is being discussed.

युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - O Yudhishthira

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhishthira (proper name, 'steady in battle')

Note: vocative form

समरे (samare) - in battle (in battle, in war)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of samara

samara - battle, war, conflict

Note: Indicates location of death.

वा (vā) - either (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects alternatives.

भवेत् (bhavet) - should occur (may it be, should it be, let it be)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of bhū

optative active

root bhū (1st class, P)

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Expresses possibility or appropriateness.

मृत्युः (mṛtyuḥ) - death (death, dying)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mṛtyu

mṛtyu - death, dying, the god of death

from mṛ (to die)

Root: mṛ (class 6)

Note: Subject of 'bhavet'.

वने (vane) - in the forest (in the forest, in the wood)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of vana

vana - forest, wood, grove

Note: Another location for death.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects alternatives.

विधिपूर्वकम् (vidhipūrvakam) - properly (following prescribed rites/austerities) (according to rule, properly, ritually)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vidhipūrvaka

vidhipūrvaka - preceded by ritual, according to rule, properly, ritually

from vidhi + pūrvaka

Compound type : tatpurusha (vidhi+pūrvaka)

• vidhi – rule, injunction, ordinance, ritual, fate
  noun (masculine)
• pūrvaka – preceded by, associated with, prior
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Adverbial usage, agreeing with implied neuter 'death' or modifying 'vane'.