महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-259, verse-15

जातस्पर्धास्ततस्ते तु तपसे धृतनिश्चयाः ।
ब्रह्माणं तोषयामासुर्घोरेण तपसा तदा ॥१५॥

15. jātaspardhāstataste tu tapase dhṛtaniścayāḥ ,
brahmāṇaṁ toṣayāmāsurghoreṇa tapasā tadā.

15. jātaspardhāḥ tataḥ te tu tapase dhṛtaniścayāḥ
brahmāṇam toṣayāmāsuḥ ghoreṇa tapasā tadā

15. Then, a rivalry arose among them, and they, determined to undertake asceticism (tapas), pleased Brahma at that time with fierce asceticism (tapas).

Words meanings summery:

• जातस्पर्धाः (jātaspardhāḥ) - A feeling of competition arose in them after seeing Kubera's prosperity. (rivalry having arisen, having become competitive)

• ततः (tataḥ) - After the rivalry arose (then, thereafter)

• ते (te) - Khara and his siblings (they)

• तु (tu) - Emphasizes the shift to their resolve for asceticism (but, indeed, however)

• तपसे (tapase) - For the purpose of practicing severe asceticism. (for asceticism (tapas), for penance)

• धृतनिश्चयाः (dhṛtaniścayāḥ) - They made a firm decision to perform asceticism. (having firm resolve, determined, decided)

• ब्रह्माणम् (brahmāṇam) - Brahma (the creator god)

• तोषयामासुः (toṣayāmāsuḥ) - They caused Brahma to be pleased. (they pleased (causative))

• घोरेण (ghoreṇa) - Describing the severity of their asceticism. (by terrible, by fierce, by dreadful)

• तपसा (tapasā) - The means by which they pleased Brahma. (by asceticism (tapas), by penance)

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

Words meanings and morphology

जातस्पर्धाः (jātaspardhāḥ) - A feeling of competition arose in them after seeing Kubera's prosperity. (rivalry having arisen, having become competitive)

(compound adjective)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (jāta+spardhā)

• jāta – born, produced, arisen
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)
• spardhā – rivalry, competition, emulation
  noun (feminine)

Note: Refers to the group of Khara and his siblings.

ततः (tataḥ) - After the rivalry arose (then, thereafter)

(indeclinable)

ते (te) - Khara and his siblings (they)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those

तु (tu) - Emphasizes the shift to their resolve for asceticism (but, indeed, however)

(indeclinable)

तपसे (tapase) - For the purpose of practicing severe asceticism. (for asceticism (tapas), for penance)

(noun)

Dative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - asceticism (tapas), penance, heat, spiritual fervor

धृतनिश्चयाः (dhṛtaniścayāḥ) - They made a firm decision to perform asceticism. (having firm resolve, determined, decided)

(compound adjective)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dhṛta+niścaya)

• dhṛta – held, firm, fixed
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root dhṛ (to hold, support)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• niścaya – resolve, determination, decision
  noun (masculine)

Note: Refers to the group of Khara and his siblings.

ब्रह्माणम् (brahmāṇam) - Brahma (the creator god)

(proper noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of brahman

brahman - Brahma (the creator god), prayer, sacred word

तोषयामासुः (toṣayāmāsuḥ) - They caused Brahma to be pleased. (they pleased (causative))

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, perfect (lit) of tuṣ

Causative Perfect Active Third Plural

From root tuṣ (to be pleased), causative stem toṣaya-

Root: tuṣ (class 4)

Note: Causative perfect form of tuṣ.

घोरेण (ghoreṇa) - Describing the severity of their asceticism. (by terrible, by fierce, by dreadful)

(adjective)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of ghora

ghora - terrible, fierce, dreadful, intense

Note: Agrees with tapasā in neuter instrumental singular.

तपसा (tapasā) - The means by which they pleased Brahma. (by asceticism (tapas), by penance)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - asceticism (tapas), penance, heat, spiritual fervor

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)