महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-33, verse-21

कारणं तस्य देहोऽयं धातुः कर्मणि कर्मणि ।
स यथा प्रेरयत्येनं तथायं कुरुतेऽवशः ॥२१॥

21. kāraṇaṁ tasya deho'yaṁ dhātuḥ karmaṇi karmaṇi ,
sa yathā prerayatyenaṁ tathāyaṁ kurute'vaśaḥ.

21. kāraṇam tasya dehaḥ ayam dhātuḥ karmaṇi karmaṇi
saḥ yathā prerayati enam tathā ayam kurute avaśaḥ

21. This body serves as the instrument for the individual. The Ordainer (Dhātā) is active in every action (karma). As He impels this (individual through the body), so this one acts, being powerless (avaśaḥ).

Words meanings summery:

• कारणम् (kāraṇam) - the instrument (cause, reason, instrument, motive)

• तस्य (tasya) - for him (the individual) (of that, for that, of him, for him)

• देहः (dehaḥ) - the body (body)

• अयम् (ayam) - this (body) (this one)

• धातुः (dhātuḥ) - the Ordainer (Dhātā) (creator, ordainer, element, constituent)

• कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - in every action (karma) (in action, in deed)

• कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - in every action (karma) (in action, in deed)

• सः (saḥ) - He (Dhātā) (he, that)

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as (as, just as, in what manner)

• प्रेरयति (prerayati) - he impels, directs (he impels, he incites, he directs)

• एनम् (enam) - him (the individual) (him, this one)

• तथा (tathā) - so too (so, thus, in that manner)

• अयम् (ayam) - this (individual) (this one)

• कुरुते (kurute) - he acts, performs (he does, he performs, he makes)

• अवशः (avaśaḥ) - being powerless, without control (powerless, helpless, without control, dependent)

Words meanings and morphology

कारणम् (kāraṇam) - the instrument (cause, reason, instrument, motive)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kāraṇa

kāraṇa - cause, reason, instrument, motive, agent

from root kṛ 'to do'

Root: kṛ (class 8)

तस्य (tasya) - for him (the individual) (of that, for that, of him, for him)

(pronoun)

masculine/neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, those, he, she, it

देहः (dehaḥ) - the body (body)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of deha

deha - body

Root: dih (class 4)

अयम् (ayam) - this (body) (this one)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

धातुः (dhātuḥ) - the Ordainer (Dhātā) (creator, ordainer, element, constituent)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhātṛ

dhātṛ - creator, supporter, ordainer, Brahmā, primary element

agent noun from dhā

Root: dhā (class 3)

कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - in every action (karma) (in action, in deed)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of karma

karma - action, deed, work, duty, religious rite, destiny

from kṛ 'to do'

Root: kṛ (class 8)

कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - in every action (karma) (in action, in deed)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of karma

karma - action, deed, work, duty, religious rite, destiny

from kṛ 'to do'

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Repetition emphasizes 'in every'.

सः (saḥ) - He (Dhātā) (he, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, those, he, she, it

यथा (yathā) - as, just as (as, just as, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

प्रेरयति (prerayati) - he impels, directs (he impels, he incites, he directs)

(verb)

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

causative

from root īr with prefix pra; causative form

Prefix: pra

Root: īr (class 2)

एनम् (enam) - him (the individual) (him, this one)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of enam

enam - him, this one, it (anaphoric pronoun)

तथा (tathā) - so too (so, thus, in that manner)

(indeclinable)

अयम् (ayam) - this (individual) (this one)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

कुरुते (kurute) - he acts, performs (he does, he performs, he makes)

(verb)

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

Root: kṛ (class 8)

अवशः (avaśaḥ) - being powerless, without control (powerless, helpless, without control, dependent)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of avaśa

avaśa - powerless, helpless, without control, dependent, unwilling

compound of 'a' (neg.) and 'vaśa' (will)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+vaśa)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• vaśa – will, power, control, dominion
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vaś (class 2)

Note: Adjective modifying 'ayam'.