महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-2, verse-59

एतां यो वर्तते वृत्तिं वर्तमानो गृहाश्रमे ।
तस्य धर्मं परं प्राहुः कथं वा विप्र मन्यसे ॥५९॥

59. etāṁ yo vartate vṛttiṁ vartamāno gṛhāśrame ,
tasya dharmaṁ paraṁ prāhuḥ kathaṁ vā vipra manyase.

59. etām yaḥ vartate vṛttim vartamānaḥ gṛhāśrame |
tasya dharmam param prāhuḥ kathaṃ vā vipra manyase

59. For the one who follows this way of life (vṛtti) while living in the householder's stage (āśrama), they declare this to be the supreme natural law (dharma). O brahmin, what is your opinion on this?

Words meanings summery:

• एताम् (etām) - this (feminine)

• यः (yaḥ) - who, which

• वर्तते (vartate) - practices, follows, exists, behaves

• वृत्तिम् (vṛttim) - way of life, conduct, livelihood

• वर्तमानः (vartamānaḥ) - existing, living, being

• गृहाश्रमे (gṛhāśrame) - in the householder's stage of life

• तस्य (tasya) - his, to him, of him

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law, duty, righteousness

• परम् (param) - supreme, highest, excellent

• प्राहुः (prāhuḥ) - they say, they declare

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• वा (vā) - or, indeed

• विप्र (vipra) - O brahmin, inspired one

• मन्यसे (manyase) - you think, you believe, you consider

Words meanings and morphology

एताम् (etām) - this (feminine)

(pronoun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of etad

etad - this

Note: Referring to vṛtti.

यः (yaḥ) - who, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what

वर्तते (vartate) - practices, follows, exists, behaves

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of vṛt

Root: vṛt (class 1)

वृत्तिम् (vṛttim) - way of life, conduct, livelihood

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of vṛtti

vṛtti - action, conduct, mode of life, livelihood

From root VṚT (to be, exist)

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Object of 'vartate'.

वर्तमानः (vartamānaḥ) - existing, living, being

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vartamāna

vartamāna - being, existing, living, present

Present Middle Participle

From root VṚT (to be, exist) + śānac pratyaya

Root: vṛt (class 1)

गृहाश्रमे (gṛhāśrame) - in the householder's stage of life

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of gṛhāśrama

gṛhāśrama - householder's stage of life, second stage of life (āśrama)

From gṛha + āśrama

Compound type : tatpurusha (gṛha+āśrama)

• gṛha – house, home
  noun (masculine)
  From root GṚH (to seize, take) or from archaic GṚ (to shine)
  Root: gṛh (class 9)
• āśrama – hermitage, stage of life, order of life
  noun (masculine)
  From ā- + root ŚRAM (to toil, exert oneself)
  Prefix: ā
  Root: śram (class 4)

तस्य (tasya) - his, to him, of him

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the implied subject of the first line.

धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law, duty, righteousness

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - constitution, natural law, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness, virtue, custom

From root DHṚ (to uphold, support)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Object of 'prāhuḥ'.

परम् (param) - supreme, highest, excellent

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of para

para - other, subsequent, supreme, highest, ultimate, distant

Note: Agrees with 'dharmam'.

प्राहुः (prāhuḥ) - they say, they declare

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, perfect (liṭ) of pra-āh

From pra- + root AH (to say)

Prefix: pra

Root: ah (class 2)

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

From kim + tha-pratyaya

वा (vā) - or, indeed

(indeclinable)

Note: Used here for emphasis in an interrogative sentence.

विप्र (vipra) - O brahmin, inspired one

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vipra

vipra - brahmin, inspired, wise, a priest

From root VIP (to tremble, inspire)

Root: vip (class 1)

मन्यसे (manyase) - you think, you believe, you consider

(verb)

2nd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of man

Root: man (class 4)