महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-34, verse-21

कर्शनार्थो हि यो धर्मो मित्राणामात्मनस्तथा ।
व्यसनं नाम तद्राजन्न स धर्मः कुधर्म तत् ॥२१॥

21. karśanārtho hi yo dharmo mitrāṇāmātmanastathā ,
vyasanaṁ nāma tadrājanna sa dharmaḥ kudharma tat.

21. karśana-arthaḥ hi yaḥ dharmaḥ mitrāṇām ātmanaḥ tathā
vyasanam nāma tat rājan na saḥ dharmaḥ kudharma tat

21. Indeed, any principle (dharma) that serves to cause distress to one's friends and to oneself, O king, is called a calamity (vyasana); that is not a true principle (dharma), but rather misconduct (kudharma).

Words meanings summery:

• कर्शन-अर्थः (karśana-arthaḥ) - for the purpose of distressing, aiming to weaken

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for, because

• यः (yaḥ) - which, who

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness

• मित्राणाम् (mitrāṇām) - of friends

• आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself, of the self

• तथा (tathā) - and, similarly, thus

• व्यसनम् (vyasanam) - misfortune, calamity, addiction, distress, downfall

• नाम (nāma) - by name, indeed, it is called

• तत् (tat) - that, it

• राजन् (rājan) - O king

• न (na) - not, no

• सः (saḥ) - he, that

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness

• कुधर्म (kudharma) - bad dharma, unrighteousness, misconduct

• तत् (tat) - that, it

Words meanings and morphology

कर्शन-अर्थः (karśana-arthaḥ) - for the purpose of distressing, aiming to weaken

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of karśanārtha

karśanārtha - purpose of distressing, object of weakening

Compound formed from `karśana` (distress/weakening) and `artha` (purpose/object).

Compound type : tatpurusha (karśana+artha)

• karśana – distressing, weakening, emaciating
  noun (neuter)
  action noun/gerund
  From root √kṛś (to be lean, to become emaciated) + -ana suffix.
  Root: kṛś (class 4)
• artha – purpose, meaning, object, wealth, material prosperity
  noun (masculine)

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for, because

(indeclinable)

यः (yaḥ) - which, who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, what, who

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

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

From root √dhṛ (to uphold, support, bear) + -man suffix.

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

मित्राणाम् (mitrāṇām) - of friends

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of mitra

mitra - friend, companion

Note: Though masculine, 'mitra' (friend) is often declined as neuter in plural.

आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself, of the self

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, essence, living principle

Note: Also can be ablative singular. Context indicates genitive.

तथा (tathā) - and, similarly, thus

(indeclinable)

व्यसनम् (vyasanam) - misfortune, calamity, addiction, distress, downfall

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vyasana

vyasana - misfortune, calamity, distress, addiction, ruin

From vi-as (to throw, cast) + -ana (suffix).

Prefix: vi

Root: as (class 4)

Note: Also can be accusative singular. Context indicates nominative here (it is called 'vyasanam').

नाम (nāma) - by name, indeed, it is called

(indeclinable)

तत् (tat) - that, it

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this, it

Note: Also can be accusative singular for neuter. Context indicates nominative.

राजन् (rājan) - O king

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Root: rāj

Note: The "n" is restored in the vocative case for this stem.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

सः (saḥ) - he, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, this, it

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

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

From root √dhṛ (to uphold, support, bear) + -man suffix.

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

कुधर्म (kudharma) - bad dharma, unrighteousness, misconduct

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kudharma

kudharma - bad dharma, wrong conduct, unrighteousness

Compound formed with `ku-` (bad, evil) and `dharma`.

Compound type : tatpurusha (ku+dharma)

• ku – bad, evil, wicked (prefix)
  indeclinable
• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, intrinsic nature
  noun (masculine)
  From root √dhṛ (to uphold, support, bear) + -man suffix.
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: The verse uses `kudharma tat`, so `kudharma` here is neuter singular nominative, agreeing with `tat`.

तत् (tat) - that, it

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this, it