महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-177, verse-28

इदमार्षं प्रमाणं च ये यजामह इत्यपि ।
तस्माच्छीलं प्रधानेष्टं विदुर्ये तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥२८॥

28. idamārṣaṁ pramāṇaṁ ca ye yajāmaha ityapi ,
tasmācchīlaṁ pradhāneṣṭaṁ vidurye tattvadarśinaḥ.

28. idam ārṣam pramāṇam ca ye yajāmahe iti api tasmāt
śīlam pradhāneṣṭam viduḥ ye tattvadarśinaḥ

28. This revealed authority (ārṣam pramāṇam) and the Vedic injunction 'we sacrifice' (`yajāmahe`) are also considered, by those who perceive the truth (tattvadarśinaḥ), to establish that good conduct is of primary importance.

Words meanings summery:

• इदम् (idam) - this

• आर्षम् (ārṣam) - revealed, Vedic, belonging to a ṛṣi

• प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - authority, evidence, standard, measure

• च (ca) - and, also

• ये (ye) - who, those who

• यजामहे (yajāmahe) - we sacrifice, we worship

• इति (iti) - thus, so, in this way, indicating a quotation or statement

• अपि (api) - also, even, too

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

• शीलम् (śīlam) - good conduct, character, moral behavior

• प्रधानेष्टम् (pradhāneṣṭam) - primarily desired, highly esteemed, most important

• विदुः (viduḥ) - they know, they understand

• ये (ye) - who, those who

• तत्त्वदर्शिनः (tattvadarśinaḥ) - seers of truth, knowers of reality

Words meanings and morphology

इदम् (idam) - this

(pronoun)

neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this here

Note: Can be nominative or accusative singular neuter.

आर्षम् (ārṣam) - revealed, Vedic, belonging to a ṛṣi

(adjective)

neuter, singular of ārṣa

ārṣa - belonging to a ṛṣi, revealed, Vedic, ancient

Derived from ṛṣi with aṇ suffix.

Note: Agrees with 'pramāṇam'.

प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - authority, evidence, standard, measure

(noun)

neuter, singular of pramāṇa

pramāṇa - authority, evidence, standard, measure, proof

Derived from pra-mā (to measure, ascertain).

Prefix: pra

Root: mā (class 3)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

ये (ye) - who, those who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ya

ya - who, which, what, that

यजामहे (yajāmahe) - we sacrifice, we worship

(verb)

1st person , plural, middle, present indicative (laṭ) of yaj

Present Indicative

First person plural, middle voice.

Root: yaj (class 1)

Note: Often quoted from a Vedic mantra, signifying sacrificial injunctions.

इति (iti) - thus, so, in this way, indicating a quotation or statement

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - also, even, too

(indeclinable)

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

(pronoun)

Ablative, neuter/masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Used here adverbially to mean 'therefore'.

शीलम् (śīlam) - good conduct, character, moral behavior

(noun)

neuter, singular of śīla

śīla - good conduct, character, moral habit, nature

Note: Nominative as subject or accusative as object of viduḥ.

प्रधानेष्टम् (pradhāneṣṭam) - primarily desired, highly esteemed, most important

(adjective)

neuter, singular of pradhāneṣṭa

pradhāneṣṭa - primarily desired, highly esteemed, chief, principal

Compound of pradhāna (chief) and iṣṭa (desired, liked, worshipped).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pradhāna+iṣṭa)

• pradhāna – chief, principal, main, pre-eminent
  noun (neuter)
  From pra-dhā (to place before, to offer).
  Prefix: pra
  Root: dhā (class 3)
• iṣṭa – desired, liked, beloved, worshipped, sacrificed to
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root iṣ (to wish, desire, seek).
  Root: iṣ (class 4)

Note: Agrees with 'śīlam'.

विदुः (viduḥ) - they know, they understand

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (laṭ) of vid

Present Indicative

Third person plural, parasmāipada. Root 'vid' is in the 'adādi' class (2nd conjugation).

Root: vid (class 2)

ये (ye) - who, those who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ya

ya - who, which, what, that

Note: Subject of 'viduḥ'.

तत्त्वदर्शिनः (tattvadarśinaḥ) - seers of truth, knowers of reality

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tattvadarśin

tattvadarśin - one who sees the truth, knower of reality, philosopher

Compound of tattva (truth, reality) and darśin (one who sees).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tattva+darśin)

• tattva – truth, reality, principle, essence
  noun (neuter)
  From tad (that) + tva (suffix for abstract noun).
• darśin – seeing, knowing, one who sees or knows
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun/adjective
  From root dṛś (to see) with suffix -in.
  Root: dṛś (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'ye' (who) as the subject of 'viduḥ'.