महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-177, verse-20

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
शूद्रे चैतद्भवेल्लक्ष्यं द्विजे तच्च न विद्यते ।
न वै शूद्रो भवेच्छूद्रो ब्राह्मणो न च ब्राह्मणः ॥२०॥

20. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
śūdre caitadbhavellakṣyaṁ dvije tacca na vidyate ,
na vai śūdro bhavecchūdro brāhmaṇo na ca brāhmaṇaḥ.

20. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca śūdre ca etat
bhavet lakṣyam dvije tat ca na
vidyate na vai śūdraḥ bhavet
śūdraḥ brāhmaṇaḥ na ca brāhmaṇaḥ

20. Yudhishthira said: "This characteristic [of good conduct and virtue] may be present in a śūdra, and it may not exist in a dvija (twice-born). Truly, a śūdra is not (defined as) a śūdra by birth, nor is a Brāhmaṇa (defined as) a Brāhmaṇa by birth."

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhishthira (proper name)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• शूद्रे (śūdre) - in a śūdra, regarding a śūdra

• च (ca) - and, also, even

• एतत् (etat) - this characteristic [of good conduct and virtue, referring to what defines a true Brāhmaṇa] (this, this characteristic)

• भवेत् (bhavet) - might be present (would be, might be, should be)

• लक्ष्यम् (lakṣyam) - a characteristic [of good conduct and virtue] (a characteristic, a sign, a target)

• द्विजे (dvije) - in a dvija (twice-born) (in a twice-born, in a Brāhmaṇa)

• तत् (tat) - that characteristic [of good conduct and virtue] (that, that characteristic)

• च (ca) - and, also, but

• न (na) - not, no

• विद्यते (vidyate) - is present (is found, exists)

• न (na) - not, no

• वै (vai) - indeed, truly, certainly

• शूद्रः (śūdraḥ) - a śūdra by birth (a śūdra)

• भवेत् (bhavet) - would be, might be, should be

• शूद्रः (śūdraḥ) - a śūdra (in the sense of being defined by birth) (a śūdra)

• ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a Brāhmaṇa by birth (a Brāhmaṇa)

• न (na) - not, no

• च (ca) - nor (and, also, even)

• ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a Brāhmaṇa (in the sense of being defined by birth) (a Brāhmaṇa)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhishthira (proper name)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - steadfast in battle, Yudhishthira (eldest Pandava brother)

Compound type : aluk-tatpurusha (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle
  indeclinable
  Locative of yudh
  Root: yudh
• sthira – firm, steady, stable
  adjective (masculine)
  From root sthā
  Root: sthā (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of vac

perfect tense (lit)

3rd person singular perfect active of vac

Root: vac (class 2)

शूद्रे (śūdre) - in a śūdra, regarding a śūdra

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of śūdra

śūdra - a member of the fourth social class

च (ca) - and, also, even

(indeclinable)

एतत् (etat) - this characteristic [of good conduct and virtue, referring to what defines a true Brāhmaṇa] (this, this characteristic)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, that

भवेत् (bhavet) - might be present (would be, might be, should be)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of bhū

optative mood

3rd person singular optative active of bhū

Root: bhū (class 1)

लक्ष्यम् (lakṣyam) - a characteristic [of good conduct and virtue] (a characteristic, a sign, a target)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of lakṣya

lakṣya - sign, mark, characteristic, target

Root: lakṣ (class 10)

द्विजे (dvije) - in a dvija (twice-born) (in a twice-born, in a Brāhmaṇa)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of dvija

dvija - twice-born (a Brahmin, Kshatriya, or Vaishya), bird, tooth

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dvi+janman)

• dvi – two
  numeral
• janman – birth, origin
  noun (neuter)
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Refers to any of the upper three varnas, typically Brāhmaṇas in this context.

तत् (tat) - that characteristic [of good conduct and virtue] (that, that characteristic)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

च (ca) - and, also, but

(indeclinable)

Note: Used here to mean 'but' or 'while' in contrast.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

विद्यते (vidyate) - is present (is found, exists)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (lat) of vid

present tense middle voice

3rd person singular present middle (ātmanepada) of vid (class 4)

Root: vid (class 4)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

वै (vai) - indeed, truly, certainly

(indeclinable)

शूद्रः (śūdraḥ) - a śūdra by birth (a śūdra)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śūdra

śūdra - a member of the fourth social class

भवेत् (bhavet) - would be, might be, should be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of bhū

optative mood

3rd person singular optative active of bhū

Root: bhū (class 1)

शूद्रः (śūdraḥ) - a śūdra (in the sense of being defined by birth) (a śūdra)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śūdra

śūdra - a member of the fourth social class

Note: The repetition emphasizes 'is not truly a śūdra' by mere birth.

ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a Brāhmaṇa by birth (a Brāhmaṇa)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

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

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - nor (and, also, even)

(indeclinable)

ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a Brāhmaṇa (in the sense of being defined by birth) (a Brāhmaṇa)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

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