महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-28, verse-3

एवमेतावापदि लिङ्गमेतद्धर्माधर्मौ वृत्तिनित्यौ भजेताम् ।
आद्यं लिङ्गं यस्य तस्य प्रमाणमापद्धर्मं संजय तं निबोध ॥३॥

3. evametāvāpadi liṅgameta;ddharmādharmau vṛttinityau bhajetām ,
ādyaṁ liṅgaṁ yasya tasya pramāṇa;māpaddharmaṁ saṁjaya taṁ nibodha.

3. evam etau āpadi liṅgam etat
dharmādharmau vṛttinityau bhajetām |
ādyam liṅgam yasya tasya pramāṇam
āpaddharmam saṃjaya tam nibodha

3. Thus, in times of calamity (āpad), these two—natural law (dharma) and unrighteousness (adharma)—which are constant in their nature, may assume this characteristic. O Sanjaya, understand that the primary distinguishing mark (liṅgam) of emergency natural law (āpaddharma) is its authoritative essence (pramāṇa).

Words meanings summery:

• एवम् (evam) - thus, in this way, so

• एतौ (etau) - these two

• आपदि (āpadi) - in calamity, in distress, in adversity

• लिङ्गम् (liṅgam) - sign, characteristic, mark, indicator

• एतत् (etat) - this

• धर्माधर्मौ (dharmādharmau) - natural law (dharma) and unrighteousness (adharma)

• वृत्तिनित्यौ (vṛttinityau) - constant in their function/nature, always existing in their mode of being

• भजेताम् (bhajetām) - they may attain, they may resort to, they may possess

• आद्यम् (ādyam) - primary, original, first, foremost

• लिङ्गम् (liṅgam) - sign, characteristic, mark, indicator

• यस्य (yasya) - of whom, of which

• तस्य (tasya) - of that, of him

• प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - authoritative essence/standard (authority, measure, standard, proof, evidence)

• आपद्धर्मम् (āpaddharmam) - natural law (dharma) in distress, emergency natural law

• संजय (saṁjaya) - O Sanjaya

• तम् (tam) - that (emergency natural law) (that, him)

• निबोध (nibodha) - understand, learn, perceive

Words meanings and morphology

एवम् (evam) - thus, in this way, so

(indeclinable)

एतौ (etau) - these two

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of etad

etad - this, these

आपदि (āpadi) - in calamity, in distress, in adversity

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of āpad

āpad - calamity, distress, misfortune, adversity

Prefix: ā

Root: pad (class 4)

लिङ्गम् (liṅgam) - sign, characteristic, mark, indicator

(noun)

neuter, singular of liṅga

liṅga - sign, mark, characteristic, indicator, gender

एतत् (etat) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, these

धर्माधर्मौ (dharmādharmau) - natural law (dharma) and unrighteousness (adharma)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of dharmādharma

dharmādharma - dharma and adharma, righteousness and unrighteousness

Compound type : dvandva (dharma+adharma)

• dharma – natural law, righteousness, duty, virtue, constitution, intrinsic nature, religion
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• adharma – unrighteousness, unholy conduct, injustice, violation of natural law
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: a

वृत्तिनित्यौ (vṛttinityau) - constant in their function/nature, always existing in their mode of being

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of vṛttinitya

vṛttinitya - constant in function, perpetual in existence, whose nature is to exist

Compound type : bahuvrīhi/tatpuruṣa (vṛtti+nitya)

• vṛtti – mode of being, function, course of action, existence
  noun (feminine)
  Root: vṛt (class 1)
• nitya – eternal, constant, perpetual
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Agrees with 'dharmādharmau'

भजेताम् (bhajetām) - they may attain, they may resort to, they may possess

(verb)

3rd person , dual, middle, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of bhaj

Root: bhaj (class 1)

आद्यम् (ādyam) - primary, original, first, foremost

(adjective)

neuter, singular of ādya

ādya - first, initial, primary, original, foremost

लिङ्गम् (liṅgam) - sign, characteristic, mark, indicator

(noun)

neuter, singular of liṅga

liṅga - sign, mark, characteristic, indicator, gender

यस्य (yasya) - of whom, of which

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine/neuter, singular of yad

yad - which, who, what

तस्य (tasya) - of that, of him

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine/neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - authoritative essence/standard (authority, measure, standard, proof, evidence)

(noun)

neuter, singular of pramāṇa

pramāṇa - measure, standard, authority, proof, evidence, means of knowledge

Prefix: pra

Root: mā (class 3)

आपद्धर्मम् (āpaddharmam) - natural law (dharma) in distress, emergency natural law

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of āpaddharma

āpaddharma - dharma for times of distress, emergency dharma

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (āpad+dharma)

• āpad – calamity, distress, misfortune, adversity
  noun (feminine)
  Prefix: ā
• dharma – natural law, righteousness, duty, virtue, constitution, intrinsic nature, religion
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)

संजय (saṁjaya) - O Sanjaya

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of saṃjaya

saṁjaya - Sanjaya (proper name), victory, complete triumph

तम् (tam) - that (emergency natural law) (that, him)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

निबोध (nibodha) - understand, learn, perceive

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of nibudh

From prefix ni and root budh (to know, wake)

Prefix: ni

Root: budh (class 1)