महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-296, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
नापदामस्ति मर्यादा न निमित्तं न कारणम् ।
धर्मस्तु विभजत्यत्र उभयोः पुण्यपापयोः ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
nāpadāmasti maryādā na nimittaṁ na kāraṇam ,
dharmastu vibhajatyatra ubhayoḥ puṇyapāpayoḥ.

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca na āpadām asti maryādā na nimittam na
kāraṇam dharmaḥ tu vibhajati atra ubhayoḥ puṇyapāpayoḥ

1. Yudhishthira said: "There is no fixed limit to misfortunes (āpadām), nor any specific sign or underlying cause (kāraṇam) for them. However, it is the natural law (dharma) that differentiates between the results of both merit and demerit in such situations."

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - The eldest of the Pandava brothers, known for his adherence to dharma. (Yudhishthira)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• न (na) - not, no

• आपदाम् (āpadām) - of misfortunes, of calamities

• अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

• मर्यादा (maryādā) - A fixed or prescribed limit to the extent of misfortunes. (limit, boundary, rule, restraint)

• न (na) - not, no

• निमित्तम् (nimittam) - An immediate or observable sign/cause. (cause, reason, sign, omen)

• न (na) - not, no

• कारणम् (kāraṇam) - A fundamental or underlying cause. (cause, reason, instrument)

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - The cosmic principle of natural law that governs the outcome of actions. (natural law, righteousness, duty, virtue, constitution)

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• विभजति (vibhajati) - Distinguishes between the consequences of good and evil actions. (divides, distinguishes, separates)

• अत्र (atra) - In the context of the current situation or general principle. (here, in this matter, on this occasion)

• उभयोह् (ubhayoh) - Of both merit (puṇya) and demerit (pāpa). (of both)

• पुण्यपापयोः (puṇyapāpayoḥ) - The positive and negative consequences of actions. (of merit and demerit, of good and evil)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - The eldest of the Pandava brothers, known for his adherence to dharma. (Yudhishthira)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - firm in battle; name of the eldest Pandava

Compound type : aluk-tatpurusha (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle
  noun (feminine)
• sthira – firm, steady, constant
  adjective (masculine)
  From √sthā 'to stand'
  Root: sthā (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (lit) of vac

Perfect Active

3rd person singular, perfect tense, reduplicated root

Root: vac (class 2)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

आपदाम् (āpadām) - of misfortunes, of calamities

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of āpad

āpad - misfortune, calamity, distress

अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of as

Present Active

3rd person singular, present tense

Root: as (class 2)

मर्यादा (maryādā) - A fixed or prescribed limit to the extent of misfortunes. (limit, boundary, rule, restraint)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of maryādā

maryādā - limit, boundary, rule, custom, moral law

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

निमित्तम् (nimittam) - An immediate or observable sign/cause. (cause, reason, sign, omen)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of nimitta

nimitta - cause, reason, sign, omen, mark

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

कारणम् (kāraṇam) - A fundamental or underlying cause. (cause, reason, instrument)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kāraṇa

kāraṇa - cause, reason, motive, instrument

Agent Noun

From √kṛ 'to do, make'

Root: kṛ (class 8)

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - The cosmic principle of natural law that governs the outcome of actions. (natural law, righteousness, duty, virtue, constitution)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

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

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

विभजति (vibhajati) - Distinguishes between the consequences of good and evil actions. (divides, distinguishes, separates)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of bhaj

Present Active

3rd person singular, present tense. From √bhaj with upasarga vi.

Prefix: vi

Root: bhaj (class 1)

अत्र (atra) - In the context of the current situation or general principle. (here, in this matter, on this occasion)

(indeclinable)

उभयोह् (ubhayoh) - Of both merit (puṇya) and demerit (pāpa). (of both)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, dual of ubhaya

ubhaya - both

Note: Can also be feminine/neuter dual genitive or locative. Here, it refers to 'puṇyapāpayoḥ'.

पुण्यपापयोः (puṇyapāpayoḥ) - The positive and negative consequences of actions. (of merit and demerit, of good and evil)

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, dual of puṇyapāpa

puṇyapāpa - merit and demerit, good and evil

Compound type : dvandva (puṇya+pāpa)

• puṇya – merit, virtue, good deed, sacred
  noun (neuter)
• pāpa – demerit, sin, evil, wicked
  noun (neuter)