महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-33, verse-58

चत्वारि राज्ञा तु महाबलेन वर्ज्यान्याहुः पण्डितस्तानि विद्यात् ।
अल्पप्रज्ञैः सह मन्त्रं न कुर्यान्न दीर्घसूत्रैरलसैश्चारणैश्च ॥५८॥

58. catvāri rājñā tu mahābalena; varjyānyāhuḥ paṇḍitastāni vidyāt ,
alpaprajñaiḥ saha mantraṁ na kuryā;nna dīrghasūtrairalasaiścāraṇaiśca.

58. catvāri rājñā tu mahābalena varjyāni
āhuḥ paṇḍitaḥ tāni vidyāt
alpaprājñaiḥ saha mantram na kuryāt
na dīrghasūtraiḥ alasaiḥ cāraṇaiḥ ca

58. Indeed, the wise declare that a mighty king should avoid four things, and a scholar should know these. One should not take counsel (mantra) with those of little intelligence, nor with procrastinators, nor with the lazy, nor with bards.

Words meanings summery:

• चत्वारि (catvāri) - four things to be avoided (four)

• राज्ञा (rājñā) - by the king

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• महाबलेन (mahābalena) - by the mighty, by the very strong

• वर्ज्यानि (varjyāni) - to be avoided, to be shunned, prohibited

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare

• पण्डितः (paṇḍitaḥ) - a wise person, a scholar, a learned man

• तानि (tāni) - referring to the four things/types of people mentioned later (those)

• विद्यात् (vidyāt) - one should know, one should understand

• अल्पप्राज्ञैः (alpaprājñaiḥ) - with those of little intelligence, with ignorant persons

• सह (saha) - with, along with

• मन्त्रम् (mantram) - counsel, consultation (counsel, advice, secret, sacred formula (mantra))

• न (na) - not

• कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - one should do, one should make

• न (na) - nor, not

• दीर्घसूत्रैः (dīrghasūtraiḥ) - with procrastinators, with those who delay unnecessarily

• अलसैः (alasaiḥ) - with the lazy, with the indolent

• चारणैः (cāraṇaiḥ) - likely refers to those who might spread secrets or are unreliable (with bards, with wandering entertainers, with spies)

• च (ca) - and

Words meanings and morphology

चत्वारि (catvāri) - four things to be avoided (four)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of catur

catur - four

राज्ञा (rājñā) - by the king

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

n-stem noun.

Root: rāj (class 1)

Note: Agent of 'varjyāni' (to be avoided by the king).

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

Conjunction/particle.

महाबलेन (mahābalena) - by the mighty, by the very strong

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of mahābala

mahābala - mighty, very strong, powerful

'mahā' (great) + 'bala' (strength).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+bala)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective (feminine)
• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)
  Root: bal (class 1)

वर्ज्यानि (varjyāni) - to be avoided, to be shunned, prohibited

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, plural of varjya

varjya - to be avoided, to be shunned, to be excluded, prohibited

Gerundive

From root 'vṛj' (to avoid, abandon) + 'ya' suffix.

Root: vṛj (class 1)

Note: Predicate adjective for 'catvāri'.

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare

(verb)

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

Perfect Active

Root 'ah' (defective verb). 3rd person plural.

Root: ah (class 2)

Note: The implied subject is 'paṇḍitāḥ' (wise people).

पण्डितः (paṇḍitaḥ) - a wise person, a scholar, a learned man

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of paṇḍita

paṇḍita - learned, wise, scholar, pundit

From 'paṇḍā' (wisdom).

Note: Subject of 'vidyāt'.

तानि (tāni) - referring to the four things/types of people mentioned later (those)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Object of 'vidyāt'.

विद्यात् (vidyāt) - one should know, one should understand

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of vid

Optative Active

Root 'vid' (Class 2, 'adādi'). 3rd person singular.

Root: vid (class 2)

अल्पप्राज्ञैः (alpaprājñaiḥ) - with those of little intelligence, with ignorant persons

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of alpaprājña

alpaprājña - of little intelligence, ignorant, foolish

'alpa' (little) + 'prājña' (wise/intelligent).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (alpa+prājña)

• alpa – little, small, few
  adjective (masculine)
• prājña – wise, intelligent, knowing, discerning
  adjective (masculine)
  From 'prajñā' (wisdom).
  Prefix: pra

सह (saha) - with, along with

(indeclinable)

Preposition governing instrumental case.

मन्त्रम् (mantram) - counsel, consultation (counsel, advice, secret, sacred formula (mantra))

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of mantra

mantra - counsel, advice, plan, secret, sacred utterance (mantra)

From root 'man' (to think) + 'tra' suffix.

Root: man (class 4)

Note: Object of 'kuryāt'.

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

Negative particle.

कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - one should do, one should make

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of kṛ

Optative Active

Root 'kṛ' (class 8, 'tanādi'). 3rd person singular.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

न (na) - nor, not

(indeclinable)

Negative particle, here used for negation in a series ('nor...').

Note: Used as a coordinating conjunction to add another negative condition.

दीर्घसूत्रैः (dīrghasūtraiḥ) - with procrastinators, with those who delay unnecessarily

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of dīrghasūtra

dīrghasūtra - procrastinator, slow in action, dilatory

'dīrgha' (long) + 'sūtra' (thread, line, implying delay).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dīrgha+sūtra)

• dīrgha – long, lengthy
  adjective (masculine)
• sūtra – thread, string, rule, aphorism, process
  noun (neuter)
  From root 'siv' (to sew, string).
  Root: siv (class 4)

अलसैः (alasaiḥ) - with the lazy, with the indolent

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of alasa

alasa - lazy, indolent, inactive

From 'a' (not) + 'lasa' (active, playful).

Compound type : nair tatpuruṣa (a+lasa)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix.
• lasa – active, agile, playful
  adjective (masculine)
  From root 'las' (to shine, play, sport).
  Root: las (class 1)

चारणैः (cāraṇaiḥ) - likely refers to those who might spread secrets or are unreliable (with bards, with wandering entertainers, with spies)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of cāraṇa

cāraṇa - bard, minstrel, wandering performer, spy, attendant

From root 'car' (to move, wander).

Root: car (class 1)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.