महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-2, verse-40

अर्थ एव हि केषांचिदनर्थो भविता नृणाम् ।
अर्थश्रेयसि चासक्तो न श्रेयो विन्दते नरः ।
तस्मादर्थागमाः सर्वे मनोमोहविवर्धनाः ॥४०॥

40. artha eva hi keṣāṁcidanartho bhavitā nṛṇām ,
arthaśreyasi cāsakto na śreyo vindate naraḥ ,
tasmādarthāgamāḥ sarve manomohavivardhanāḥ.

40. arthaḥ eva hi keṣāñcit anarthaḥ
bhavitā nṛṇām arthaśreyasi ca āsaktaḥ
na śreyaḥ vindate naraḥ tasmāt
arthāgamāḥ sarve manomohavivardhanāḥ

40. Indeed, for some people, wealth (artha) itself turns into misfortune. A person engrossed in material prosperity (artha-śreyas) does not attain true welfare (śreyas). Therefore, all acquisitions of wealth (artha) are merely augmenters of mental delusion.

Words meanings summery:

• अर्थः (arthaḥ) - wealth, material possessions (wealth, object, purpose, meaning)

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, just

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, because

• केषाञ्चित् (keṣāñcit) - for some, of some

• अनर्थः (anarthaḥ) - misfortune, adverse consequence (misfortune, evil, uselessness)

• भविता (bhavitā) - will prove to be (will be, will become)

• नृणाम् (nṛṇām) - for men, of men, for people

• अर्थश्रेयसि (arthaśreyasi) - in the pursuit or enjoyment of material welfare (in material prosperity, in the pursuit of wealth)

• च (ca) - and

• आसक्तः (āsaktaḥ) - engrossed in, clinging to (attached, engrossed, addicted)

• न (na) - not, no

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - true or ultimate well-being, spiritual welfare (śreyas) (welfare, good, ultimate good, prosperity)

• विन्दते (vindate) - obtains, finds, gets

• नरः (naraḥ) - man, person, human being

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

• अर्थागमाः (arthāgamāḥ) - acquisitions of wealth, income, gain

• सर्वे (sarve) - all, every, whole

• मनोमोहविवर्धनाः (manomohavivardhanāḥ) - increasing mental delusion, promoting infatuation of the mind

Words meanings and morphology

अर्थः (arthaḥ) - wealth, material possessions (wealth, object, purpose, meaning)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - wealth, property, purpose, object, meaning, gain

Root: ṛ

एव (eva) - indeed, only, just

(indeclinable)

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, because

(indeclinable)

केषाञ्चित् (keṣāñcit) - for some, of some

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of kim

kim - who, what, which

Indefinite pronoun formed with the particle `-cit`.

अनर्थः (anarthaḥ) - misfortune, adverse consequence (misfortune, evil, uselessness)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of anartha

anartha - misfortune, evil, calamity, uselessness, non-wealth

Negative compound (nañ-tatpuruṣa) of `an` (not) and `artha` (wealth/purpose).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (an+artha)

• an – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• artha – wealth, purpose, object
  noun (masculine)
  Root: ṛ

भविता (bhavitā) - will prove to be (will be, will become)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, future (periphrastic) (luṭ) of bhū

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: The agent noun `bhavitṛ` is used to form the periphrastic future tense.

नृणाम् (nṛṇām) - for men, of men, for people

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of nṛ

nṛ - man, person, male

अर्थश्रेयसि (arthaśreyasi) - in the pursuit or enjoyment of material welfare (in material prosperity, in the pursuit of wealth)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of arthaśreyas

arthaśreyas - material prosperity, welfare connected with wealth

Compound of `artha` (wealth) and `śreyas` (welfare, prosperity).

Compound type : tatpurusha (artha+śreyas)

• artha – wealth, object, purpose
  noun (masculine)
  Root: ṛ
• śreyas – welfare, good, ultimate good, superior
  noun (neuter)
  Comparative degree of `śrī` (prosperity) or `praśasta` (excellent).

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

आसक्तः (āsaktaḥ) - engrossed in, clinging to (attached, engrossed, addicted)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of āsakta

āsakta - attached, devoted, engrossed, addicted

Past Passive Participle

From the root `sañj` (to cling, attach) with the prefix `ā-`.

Prefix: ā

Root: sañj (class 7)

Note: Qualifies `naraḥ`.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - true or ultimate well-being, spiritual welfare (śreyas) (welfare, good, ultimate good, prosperity)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - welfare, good, ultimate good, superior, prosperity

Comparative degree of `śrī` (prosperity) or `praśasta` (excellent).

Note: Object of `vindate`.

विन्दते (vindate) - obtains, finds, gets

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active (atmanepada), present (laṭ) of vid

Root: vid (class 6)

नरः (naraḥ) - man, person, human being

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nara

nara - man, human being, person

Root: nṛ

Note: Subject of `vindate`.

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore, from that

(indeclinable)

अर्थागमाः (arthāgamāḥ) - acquisitions of wealth, income, gain

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of arthāgama

arthāgama - acquisition of wealth, income, gain

Compound of `artha` (wealth) and `āgama` (coming, arrival, acquisition).

Compound type : tatpurusha (artha+āgama)

• artha – wealth, object, purpose
  noun (masculine)
  Root: ṛ
• āgama – coming, arrival, acquisition
  noun (masculine)
  From the root `gam` (to go) with the prefix `ā-`.
  Prefix: ā
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Subject of the implied verb 'are'.

सर्वे (sarve) - all, every, whole

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

Note: Agrees with `arthāgamāḥ`.

मनोमोहविवर्धनाः (manomohavivardhanāḥ) - increasing mental delusion, promoting infatuation of the mind

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of manomohavivardhana

manomohavivardhana - increasing the delusion of the mind, augmenting mental infatuation

Complex compound: `manas` (mind) + `moha` (delusion) = `manomoha` (mental delusion). Then `manomoha` + `vivardhana` (increasing, augmenting).

Compound type : tatpurusha (manas+moha+vivardhana)

• manas – mind, intellect, thought
  noun (neuter)
  Root: man (class 4)
• moha – delusion, infatuation, confusion, ignorance
  noun (masculine)
  From the root `muh` (to be bewildered, confused).
  Root: muh (class 4)
• vivardhana – increasing, augmenting, promoting
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun/adjective
  From the root `vṛdh` (to grow, increase) with the prefix `vi-`.
  Prefix: vi
  Root: vṛdh (class 1)

Note: Agrees with `arthāgamāḥ`.