महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-198, verse-54

पापानां विद्ध्यधिष्ठानं लोभमेव द्विजोत्तम ।
लुब्धाः पापं व्यवस्यन्ति नरा नातिबहुश्रुताः ।
अधर्मा धर्मरूपेण तृणैः कूपा इवावृताः ॥५४॥

54. pāpānāṁ viddhyadhiṣṭhānaṁ lobhameva dvijottama ,
lubdhāḥ pāpaṁ vyavasyanti narā nātibahuśrutāḥ ,
adharmā dharmarūpeṇa tṛṇaiḥ kūpā ivāvṛtāḥ.

54. pāpānām viddhi adhiṣṭhānam lobham
eva dvijottama lubdhāḥ pāpam vyavasyanti
narāḥ na atibahuśrutāḥ adharmāḥ
dharmarūpeṇa tṛṇaiḥ kūpāḥ iva āvṛtāḥ

54. O best among the twice-born (dvijottama), understand that greed alone is the dwelling place of sins. Greedy men, even those who are not very learned, commit sinful acts. Such unrighteous people are like wells concealed by grass, appearing outwardly as if they embody righteousness (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• पापानाम् (pāpānām) - of sins (of sins, of evils)

• विद्धि (viddhi) - understand (know, understand, perceive)

• अधिष्ठानम् (adhiṣṭhānam) - dwelling place (abode, seat, basis, dwelling place)

• लोभम् (lobham) - greed (greed, covetousness, avarice)

• एव (eva) - alone (alone, only, certainly, indeed)

• द्विजोत्तम (dvijottama) - O best among the twice-born (dvijottama) (O best among the twice-born)

• लुब्धाः (lubdhāḥ) - greedy men (greedy (persons), covetous (ones))

• पापम् (pāpam) - sinful acts (sin, evil, wrong)

• व्यवस्यन्ति (vyavasyanti) - commit (commit, undertake, resolve, determine)

• नराः (narāḥ) - men (men, human beings)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• अतिबहुश्रुताः (atibahuśrutāḥ) - exceedingly learned (exceedingly learned, very knowledgeable)

• अधर्माः (adharmāḥ) - unrighteous ones (unrighteous ones, immoral people, unconstitutionality)

• धर्मरूपेण (dharmarūpeṇa) - in the form of righteousness (dharma) (in the form of righteousness (dharma), appearing as natural law)

• तृणैः (tṛṇaiḥ) - by grass (by grass, with straw)

• कूपाः (kūpāḥ) - wells

• इव (iva) - like (like, as, as if)

• आवृताः (āvṛtāḥ) - covered (covered, concealed, surrounded)

Words meanings and morphology

पापानाम् (pāpānām) - of sins (of sins, of evils)

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of pāpa

pāpa - sin, evil, wickedness, vice

विद्धि (viddhi) - understand (know, understand, perceive)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of vid

Root verb 'vid', 2nd person singular imperative active.

Root: vid (class 2)

अधिष्ठानम् (adhiṣṭhānam) - dwelling place (abode, seat, basis, dwelling place)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of adhiṣṭhāna

adhiṣṭhāna - abode, seat, basis, dwelling place, foundation

From root 'sthā' (to stand) with upasarga 'adhi'.

Prefix: adhi

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Object of 'viddhi'.

लोभम् (lobham) - greed (greed, covetousness, avarice)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of lobha

lobha - greed, covetousness, avarice, desire

Root: lubh (class 4)

Note: In apposition to `adhiṣṭhānam`.

एव (eva) - alone (alone, only, certainly, indeed)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes `lobham`.

द्विजोत्तम (dvijottama) - O best among the twice-born (dvijottama) (O best among the twice-born)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of dvijottama

dvijottama - best among the twice-born (Brahmins)

Compound type : tatpurusha (dvija+uttama)

• dvija – twice-born (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya; also bird, tooth)
  noun (masculine)
• uttama – best, highest, excellent
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Addressed to a Brahmin.

लुब्धाः (lubdhāḥ) - greedy men (greedy (persons), covetous (ones))

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of lubdha

lubdha - greedy, covetous, eager, seized with desire

Past Passive Participle

From root 'lubh' (to desire, to be greedy). Used as a noun here.

Root: lubh (class 4)

Note: Acts as the subject, referring to greedy people.

पापम् (pāpam) - sinful acts (sin, evil, wrong)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of pāpa

pāpa - sin, evil, wickedness, vice

Note: Object of `vyavasyanti`.

व्यवस्यन्ति (vyavasyanti) - commit (commit, undertake, resolve, determine)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of vyavasya

From root 'so' (to end, to destroy) or 'si' (to bind) with upasargas 'vi' and 'ava'.

Prefixes: vi+ava

Root: so (class 4)

नराः (narāḥ) - men (men, human beings)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nara

nara - man, human being, person

Note: Agrees with `lubdhāḥ`.

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates `atibahuśrutāḥ`.

अतिबहुश्रुताः (atibahuśrutāḥ) - exceedingly learned (exceedingly learned, very knowledgeable)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of atibahuśruta

atibahuśruta - exceedingly learned, very well-read

Compound type : bahuvrihi (ati+bahu+śruta)

• ati – over, beyond, exceeding, excessive
  indeclinable
• bahu – much, many, abundant
  adjective
• śruta – heard, learned, known from sacred texts
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'śru' (to hear).
  Root: śru (class 5)

Note: Agrees with `narāḥ`.

अधर्माः (adharmāḥ) - unrighteous ones (unrighteous ones, immoral people, unconstitutionality)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of adharma

adharma - unrighteousness, unconstitutionality, injustice, vice, evil; an unrighteous person

Note: Refers to people who are unrighteous.

धर्मरूपेण (dharmarūpeṇa) - in the form of righteousness (dharma) (in the form of righteousness (dharma), appearing as natural law)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharmarūpa

dharmarūpa - form of righteousness (dharma), appearing as natural law

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+rūpa)

• dharma – righteousness, duty, constitution, natural law, intrinsic nature, virtue
  noun (masculine)
• rūpa – form, appearance, shape, nature
  noun (neuter)

Note: Indicates "by means of" or "in the guise of".

तृणैः (tṛṇaiḥ) - by grass (by grass, with straw)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of tṛṇa

tṛṇa - grass, straw, herb

Note: Indicates means of covering.

कूपाः (kūpāḥ) - wells

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kūpa

kūpa - well, cave, hole

Note: Subject of comparison.

इव (iva) - like (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle of comparison.

आवृताः (āvṛtāḥ) - covered (covered, concealed, surrounded)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of āvṛta

āvṛta - covered, concealed, surrounded, obstructed

Past Passive Participle

From root 'vṛ' (to cover, to choose) with upasarga 'ā'.

Prefix: ā

Root: vṛ (class 5)

Note: Agrees with `kūpāḥ`.