महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-198, verse-78

वेदोक्तः परमो धर्मो धर्मशास्त्रेषु चापरः ।
शिष्टाचीर्णश्च शिष्टानां त्रिविधं धर्मलक्षणम् ॥७८॥

78. vedoktaḥ paramo dharmo dharmaśāstreṣu cāparaḥ ,
śiṣṭācīrṇaśca śiṣṭānāṁ trividhaṁ dharmalakṣaṇam.

78. vedoktaḥ paramaḥ dharmaḥ dharmaśāstreṣu ca aparaḥ
śiṣṭācīrṇaḥ ca śiṣṭānām trividham dharmalakṣaṇam

78. The supreme constitution (dharma) is declared in the Vedas, another (dharma) in the dharmaśāstras, and that which is practiced by the learned (śiṣṭa) is for the learned. Thus, the characteristic of (dharma) is of three kinds.

Words meanings summery:

• वेदोक्तः (vedoktaḥ) - declared in the Vedas, stated in the Vedas

• परमः (paramaḥ) - supreme, highest

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - constitution, natural law, duty

• धर्मशास्त्रेषु (dharmaśāstreṣu) - in the dharmaśāstras, in the law-books

• च (ca) - and

• अपरः (aparaḥ) - another, other

• शिष्टाचीर्णः (śiṣṭācīrṇaḥ) - practiced by the learned/virtuous

• च (ca) - and

• शिष्टानाम् (śiṣṭānām) - of the learned/virtuous

• त्रिविधम् (trividham) - threefold, of three kinds

• धर्मलक्षणम् (dharmalakṣaṇam) - characteristic of dharma, definition of dharma

Words meanings and morphology

वेदोक्तः (vedoktaḥ) - declared in the Vedas, stated in the Vedas

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vedokta

vedokta - declared by the Vedas, enjoined by the Vedas

Past Passive Participle

Compound type : tatpurusha (veda+ukta)

• veda – sacred knowledge, the Vedas
  noun (masculine)
• ukta – said, declared, spoken
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Root: vac (class 2)

परमः (paramaḥ) - supreme, highest

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of parama

parama - highest, supreme, ultimate, best

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - constitution, natural law, duty

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - constitution, natural law, duty, righteousness, virtue, religious ordinance

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

धर्मशास्त्रेषु (dharmaśāstreṣu) - in the dharmaśāstras, in the law-books

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of dharmaśāstra

dharmaśāstra - treatises on sacred law and duty, law-books

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+śāstra)

• dharma – law, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• śāstra – treatise, scripture, rule, science
  noun (neuter)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

अपरः (aparaḥ) - another, other

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of apara

apara - other, another, posterior, inferior

शिष्टाचीर्णः (śiṣṭācīrṇaḥ) - practiced by the learned/virtuous

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śiṣṭācīrṇa

śiṣṭācīrṇa - practiced or performed by the śiṣṭas (learned, virtuous)

Past Passive Participle

Compound type : tatpurusha (śiṣṭa+ācīrṇa)

• śiṣṭa – learned, disciplined, well-behaved, virtuous
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Root: śiṣ (class 7)
• ācīrṇa – practiced, performed, observed
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Prefix: ā
  Root: car (class 1)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

शिष्टानाम् (śiṣṭānām) - of the learned/virtuous

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of śiṣṭa

śiṣṭa - learned, disciplined, well-behaved, virtuous

Past Passive Participle

Root: śiṣ (class 7)

त्रिविधम् (trividham) - threefold, of three kinds

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of trividha

trividha - threefold, of three kinds

धर्मलक्षणम् (dharmalakṣaṇam) - characteristic of dharma, definition of dharma

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of dharmalakṣaṇa

dharmalakṣaṇa - characteristic of dharma; definition, mark, or sign of dharma

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+lakṣaṇa)

• dharma – law, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• lakṣaṇa – mark, sign, characteristic, definition
  noun (neuter)