महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-36, verse-20

उत्तमानेव सेवेत प्राप्ते काले तु मध्यमान् ।
अधमांस्तु न सेवेत य इच्छेच्छ्रेय आत्मनः ॥२०॥

20. uttamāneva seveta prāpte kāle tu madhyamān ,
adhamāṁstu na seveta ya icchecchreya ātmanaḥ.

20. uttamān eva seveta prāpte kāle tu madhyamān
adhamān tu na seveta yaḥ icchet śreyaḥ ātmanaḥ

20. One should associate only with superior individuals. However, when the time is appropriate, one may associate with middling individuals. But one should never associate with the lowest individuals, if one desires one's own well-being (śreyas) for the self (ātman).

Words meanings summery:

• उत्तमान् (uttamān) - superior ones, best ones, excellent ones

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

• सेवेत (seveta) - one should serve, one should associate with, one should resort to

• प्राप्ते (prāpte) - when arrived, when attained, when due

• काले (kāle) - at the time, in time

• तु (tu) - but, however, indeed

• मध्यमान् (madhyamān) - middling ones, mediocre ones

• अधमान् (adhamān) - lowest ones, meanest ones, inferior ones

• तु (tu) - but, however, indeed

• न (na) - not, no

• सेवेत (seveta) - one should serve, one should associate with, one should resort to

• यः (yaḥ) - who, one who

• इच्छेत् (icchet) - one would desire, wishes, wants

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - welfare, good, prosperity, ultimate good

• आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself, for oneself (ātman)

Words meanings and morphology

उत्तमान् (uttamān) - superior ones, best ones, excellent ones

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of uttama

uttama - highest, best, chief, excellent, superior

Note: Object of 'seveta'.

एव (eva) - only, merely, indeed, just

(indeclinable)

सेवेत (seveta) - one should serve, one should associate with, one should resort to

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (liṅ) of sev

Root: sev (class 1)

Note: Expresses recommendation or desire.

प्राप्ते (prāpte) - when arrived, when attained, when due

(verbal derivative)

Note: Used adverbially with 'kāle' (when the time has arrived).

काले (kāle) - at the time, in time

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of kāla

kāla - time, season, period

तु (tu) - but, however, indeed

(indeclinable)

मध्यमान् (madhyamān) - middling ones, mediocre ones

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of madhyama

madhyama - middle, intermediate, mediocre, average

Note: Object of 'seveta'.

अधमान् (adhamān) - lowest ones, meanest ones, inferior ones

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of adhama

adhama - lowest, meanest, worst, inferior

Note: Object of 'seveta'.

तु (tu) - but, however, indeed

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

सेवेत (seveta) - one should serve, one should associate with, one should resort to

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (liṅ) of sev

Root: sev (class 1)

Note: Expresses recommendation or desire.

यः (yaḥ) - who, one who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what

Note: Relative pronoun.

इच्छेत् (icchet) - one would desire, wishes, wants

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of iṣ

Root: iṣ (class 6)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - welfare, good, prosperity, ultimate good

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, best, welfare, prosperity, ultimate good

Note: Object of 'icchet'.

आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself, for oneself (ātman)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit (ātman)

Note: Possessive of 'śreyas'.