महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-2, verse-29

कोटराग्निर्यथाशेषं समूलं पादपं दहेत् ।
धर्मार्थिनं तथाल्पोऽपि रागदोषो विनाशयेत् ॥२९॥

29. koṭarāgniryathāśeṣaṁ samūlaṁ pādapaṁ dahet ,
dharmārthinaṁ tathālpo'pi rāgadoṣo vināśayet.

29. koṭarāgniḥ yathā aśeṣam samūlam pādapam dahet |
dharmārthinam tathā alpaḥ api rāgadoṣaḥ vināśayet

29. Just as a fire within a hollow tree completely burns a tree along with its roots, so too, even a small flaw of attachment can destroy a person who strives for the intrinsic nature (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• कोटराग्निः (koṭarāgniḥ) - fire burning inside a tree trunk (fire within a hollow, hollow-tree fire)

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, in which way

• अशेषम् (aśeṣam) - entirely, completely, without remainder

• समूलम् (samūlam) - with its roots, root and all

• पादपम् (pādapam) - a tree

• दहेत् (dahet) - would burn (may burn, should burn, would burn)

• धर्मार्थिनम् (dharmārthinam) - a person who strives for the intrinsic nature (dharma) (one who seeks (dharma), seeker of righteousness)

• तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly, and

• अल्पः (alpaḥ) - even a small (small, little, slight)

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, indeed)

• रागदोषः (rāgadoṣaḥ) - a flaw of attachment (fault of attachment, defect of passion)

• विनाशयेत् (vināśayet) - can destroy (may destroy, would destroy, should destroy)

Words meanings and morphology

कोटराग्निः (koṭarāgniḥ) - fire burning inside a tree trunk (fire within a hollow, hollow-tree fire)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of koṭarāgni

koṭarāgni - fire in a hollow tree or cavity

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (koṭara+agni)

• koṭara – hollow, cavity, hole in a tree
  noun (neuter)
• agni – fire, god of fire
  noun (masculine)
  Root: ag (class 1)

Note: Subject of dahet.

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, in which way

(indeclinable)

Correlative to tathā.

अशेषम् (aśeṣam) - entirely, completely, without remainder

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of aśeṣa

aśeṣa - without remainder, complete, entire

From a (negation) + śeṣa (remainder).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+śeṣa)

• a – not, un-, non-
  indeclinable
  negative prefix
• śeṣa – remainder, residue, surplus
  noun (masculine)
  From root śiṣ (to leave).
  Root: śiṣ (class 7)

Note: Functions adverbially, modifying the burning action.

समूलम् (samūlam) - with its roots, root and all

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of samūla

samūla - with roots, rooted, together with the root

From sa (with) + mūla (root).

Compound type : sahā-bahuvrīhi (sa+mūla)

• sa – with, together with (prefix)
  indeclinable
  prefix
• mūla – root, origin, foundation, source
  noun (neuter)

Note: Accusative singular neuter, agreeing with pādapam.

पादपम् (pādapam) - a tree

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pādapa

pādapa - tree (lit. "that which drinks with its feet/roots")

From pāda (foot/root) + pa (drinker, from root pā to drink).

Compound type : upapada tatpuruṣa (pāda+pa)

• pāda – foot, quarter, root (of a tree), ray (of sun)
  noun (masculine)
• pa – drinking, one who drinks (suffix)
  adjectival suffix
  Derived from root pā (to drink).
  Root: pā (class 1)

Note: Object of dahet.

दहेत् (dahet) - would burn (may burn, should burn, would burn)

(verb)

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

root

Optative mood, third person singular, active voice (parasmaipada).

Root: dah (class 1)

धर्मार्थिनम् (dharmārthinam) - a person who strives for the intrinsic nature (dharma) (one who seeks (dharma), seeker of righteousness)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharmārthin

dharmārthin - one who seeks (dharma), desirous of righteousness, a righteous person

From dharma + arthin (seeker, desirous of).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dharma+arthin)

• dharma – constitution, natural law, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty, virtue, religion
  noun (masculine)
  From root dhṛ (to uphold, sustain).
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• arthin – seeker, desirous, supplicant, wealthy
  adjective/noun (masculine)
  From artha (purpose, meaning, wealth) with suffix in.
  Root: arth (class 10)

Note: Object of vināśayet.

तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly, and

(indeclinable)

Correlative to yathā.

अल्पः (alpaḥ) - even a small (small, little, slight)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of alpa

alpa - little, small, few, insignificant

अपि (api) - even (also, even, indeed)

(indeclinable)

Emphasizes the preceding word.

रागदोषः (rāgadoṣaḥ) - a flaw of attachment (fault of attachment, defect of passion)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rāgadoṣa

rāgadoṣa - fault of attachment, defect of passion, vice of desire

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (rāga+doṣa)

• rāga – passion, attachment, desire
  noun (masculine)
  From root rañj (to color, to be affected).
  Root: rañj (class 1)
• doṣa – fault, defect, sin, blame
  noun (masculine)
  From root duṣ (to be bad).
  Root: duṣ (class 4)

Note: Subject of vināśayet.

विनाशयेत् (vināśayet) - can destroy (may destroy, would destroy, should destroy)

(verb)

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

causal root

Optative mood, third person singular, active voice (parasmaipada) of the causal form (nāśay). Causal of root naś (to perish) means "to cause to perish" or "to destroy."

Prefix: vi

Root: naś (class 4)