महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-2, verse-72

तत्र पूर्वश्चतुर्वर्गः पितृयानपथे स्थितः ।
कर्तव्यमिति यत्कार्यं नाभिमानात्समाचरेत् ॥७२॥

72. tatra pūrvaścaturvargaḥ pitṛyānapathe sthitaḥ ,
kartavyamiti yatkāryaṁ nābhimānātsamācaret.

72. tatra pūrvaḥ caturvargaḥ pitṛyānapathe sthitaḥ
kartavyam iti yat kāryam na abhimānāt samācaret

72. Among these, the former four categories (sacrifice, study, generosity, austerity) are situated on the path of the ancestors (pitṛyāna). Whatever action is to be done, understanding it as a duty, one should not perform it out of pride.

Words meanings summery:

• तत्र (tatra) - there, in that, among them, in this matter

• पूर्वः (pūrvaḥ) - former, first, earlier

• चतुर्वर्गः (caturvargaḥ) - four-fold division, group of four

• पितृयानपथे (pitṛyānapathe) - on the path of the ancestors

• स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - situated, stands, fixed

• कर्तव्यम् (kartavyam) - to be done, ought to be done, duty

• इति (iti) - thus, so saying, indicating direct speech

• यत् (yat) - which, whatever, that which

• कार्यम् (kāryam) - action, work, duty, what is to be done

• न (na) - not, no

• अभिमानात् (abhimānāt) - from pride, due to egoism

• समाचरेत् (samācaret) - one should practice/perform

Words meanings and morphology

तत्र (tatra) - there, in that, among them, in this matter

(indeclinable)

Note: Refers to the eight-fold path mentioned in the previous verse.

पूर्वः (pūrvaḥ) - former, first, earlier

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pūrva

pūrva - former, prior, earlier, eastern

Note: Refers to the first four items: 'ijya', 'adhyayana', 'dāna', 'tapas'.

चतुर्वर्गः (caturvargaḥ) - four-fold division, group of four

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of caturvarga

caturvarga - four-fold group, quadruple; here, the first four of the eight qualities (sacrifice, study, generosity, austerity)

Compound type : tatpurusha (catur+varga)

• catur – four
  numeral
• varga – class, group, division
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vṛj (class 1)

पितृयानपथे (pitṛyānapathe) - on the path of the ancestors

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of pitṛyānapatha

pitṛyānapatha - the path of the ancestors (leading to ancestral realms), the southern path of the sun

Compound type : tatpurusha (pitṛyāna+patha)

• pitṛyāna – path of the ancestors (those who perform rituals and good deeds, leading to rebirth)
  noun (masculine)
  Compound of 'pitṛ' (ancestor) and 'yāna' (vehicle/path)
• patha – path, road
  noun (masculine)

स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - situated, stands, fixed

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sthita

sthita - standing, situated, abiding, fixed, firm

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root 'sthā' (to stand) with suffix '-ta'

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Describes 'caturvargaḥ'.

कर्तव्यम् (kartavyam) - to be done, ought to be done, duty

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kartavya

kartavya - to be done, proper to be done, duty

Gerundive

Derived from root 'kṛ' (to do) with suffix '-tavya'

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Functions as a noun here, 'what is to be done'.

इति (iti) - thus, so saying, indicating direct speech

(indeclinable)

यत् (yat) - which, whatever, that which

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, that, what, whoever

Note: Refers to 'kāryam'.

कार्यम् (kāryam) - action, work, duty, what is to be done

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kārya

kārya - to be done, duty, action, business, purpose

Gerundive

Derived from root 'kṛ' (to do) with suffix '-ya'

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: It is a gerundive used as a noun.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

अभिमानात् (abhimānāt) - from pride, due to egoism

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of abhimāna

abhimāna - pride, egoism, conceit, arrogance

Prefix: abhi

Root: man (class 4)

समाचरेत् (samācaret) - one should practice/perform

(verb)

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

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: car (class 1)