महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-122, verse-36

उपायं धर्ममेवाहुस्त्रिवर्गस्य विशां पते ।
लिप्समानो हि तेनाशु कक्षेऽग्निरिव वर्धते ॥३६॥

36. upāyaṁ dharmamevāhustrivargasya viśāṁ pate ,
lipsamāno hi tenāśu kakṣe'gniriva vardhate.

36. upāyam dharmam eva āhuḥ trivargasya viśām pate
lipsamānaḥ hi tena āśu kakṣe agniḥ iva vardhate

36. O lord of the people, they declare natural law (dharma) to be the (proper) means for achieving the three human pursuits (trivarga). Indeed, by following it, one who desires to achieve rapidly flourishes like fire in dry grass.

Words meanings summery:

• उपायम् (upāyam) - means, method, resource

• धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue

• एव (eva) - only, merely, indeed, certainly

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare

• त्रिवर्गस्य (trivargasya) - of the group of three, of the three human pursuits (dharma, artha, kāma)

• विशाम् (viśām) - of the people, of the subjects

• पते (pate) - O lord, O master

• लिप्समानः (lipsamānaḥ) - desiring to obtain, wishing to gain

• हि (hi) - for, indeed, because

• तेन (tena) - by that (referring to dharma)

• आशु (āśu) - quickly, swiftly, rapidly

• कक्षे (kakṣe) - in dry grass, in brushwood, in a thicket

• अग्निः (agniḥ) - fire

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• वर्धते (vardhate) - grows, flourishes, increases, prospers

Words meanings and morphology

उपायम् (upāyam) - means, method, resource

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of upāya

upāya - means, method, resource, stratagem, approach

धर्मम् (dharmam) - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, virtue, custom, religion

एव (eva) - only, merely, indeed, certainly

(indeclinable)

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare

(verb)

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

Root: brū (class 2)

त्रिवर्गस्य (trivargasya) - of the group of three, of the three human pursuits (dharma, artha, kāma)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of trivarga

trivarga - the aggregate of three (dharma, artha, kāma); a group of three

Compound of 'tri' (three) and 'varga' (group).

Compound type : dvigu (tri+varga)

• tri – three
  numeral (masculine)
• varga – group, class, division, pursuit
  noun (masculine)

विशाम् (viśām) - of the people, of the subjects

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of viś

viś - people, community, subjects, settlement

पते (pate) - O lord, O master

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pati

pati - lord, master, owner, husband

लिप्समानः (lipsamānaḥ) - desiring to obtain, wishing to gain

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of lipsamāna

lipsamāna - desiring to obtain, wishing to gain

Present Active Participle (Desiderative)

Derived from the desiderative stem of root 'labh'.

Root: labh (class 1)

हि (hi) - for, indeed, because

(indeclinable)

तेन (tena) - by that (referring to dharma)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, it

आशु (āśu) - quickly, swiftly, rapidly

(indeclinable)

कक्षे (kakṣe) - in dry grass, in brushwood, in a thicket

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of kakṣa

kakṣa - dry grass, brushwood, thicket, forest; armpit, side

अग्निः (agniḥ) - fire

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of agni

agni - fire; the god of fire

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

वर्धते (vardhate) - grows, flourishes, increases, prospers

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present indicative (lat) of vṛdh

Root: vṛdh (class 1)