महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-36, verse-38

चलचित्तमनात्मानमिन्द्रियाणां वशानुगम् ।
अर्थाः समतिवर्तन्ते हंसाः शुष्कं सरो यथा ॥३८॥

38. calacittamanātmānamindriyāṇāṁ vaśānugam ,
arthāḥ samativartante haṁsāḥ śuṣkaṁ saro yathā.

38. calacittam anātmānam indriyāṇām vaśānugam
arthāḥ samativartante haṃsāḥ śuṣkam saraḥ yathā

38. Just as swans abandon a dry lake, so too do all worldly possessions and objectives (artha) desert a fickle-minded person who lacks self-control (anātman) and is subservient to the senses.

Words meanings summery:

• चलचित्तम् (calacittam) - a person who is fickle-minded (fickle-minded, unsteady mind)

• अनात्मानम् (anātmānam) - a person who lacks self-control (anātman) (without self-control, without (ātman) inner strength, spiritless)

• इन्द्रियाणाम् (indriyāṇām) - of the senses (of the senses, of the organs of sense)

• वशानुगम् (vaśānugam) - subservient to (following the sway of, subservient to, subject to)

• अर्थाः (arthāḥ) - all worldly possessions and objectives (artha) (objects, purposes, wealth, possessions)

• समतिवर्तन्ते (samativartante) - they desert (they pass away from, they abandon, they leave)

• हंसाः (haṁsāḥ) - swans (swans, geese)

• शुष्कम् (śuṣkam) - dry (dry, withered)

• सरः (saraḥ) - lake (lake, pond, pool)

• यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, like)

Words meanings and morphology

चलचित्तम् (calacittam) - a person who is fickle-minded (fickle-minded, unsteady mind)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of calacitta

calacitta - fickle-minded, unsteady mind

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (cala+citta)

• cala – moving, unsteady, fickle
  adjective (masculine)
  Root: cal (class 1)
• citta – mind, thought, intellect
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root cit (to perceive, think)
  Root: cit (class 10)

Note: Qualifies an implied 'puruṣam' (person).

अनात्मानम् (anātmānam) - a person who lacks self-control (anātman) (without self-control, without (ātman) inner strength, spiritless)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of anātman

anātman - lacking self-control, without inner strength, spiritless, non-self

Compound type : negation-tatpuruṣa (an+ātman)

• an – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix (used before vowels)
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essential nature, individual soul (ātman)
  noun (masculine)

Note: Qualifies an implied 'puruṣam'.

इन्द्रियाणाम् (indriyāṇām) - of the senses (of the senses, of the organs of sense)

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of indriya

indriya - sense organ, faculty, power (especially of the senses)

Note: Relates to 'vaśānugam'.

वशानुगम् (vaśānugam) - subservient to (following the sway of, subservient to, subject to)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of vaśānuga

vaśānuga - following the sway of, obedient, subservient, subject to

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vaśa+anuga)

• vaśa – will, power, control, sway
  noun (masculine)
• anuga – following, accompanying, going after
  adjective (masculine)
  From root gam (to go) with upasarga anu
  Prefix: anu
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Qualifies an implied 'puruṣam'.

अर्थाः (arthāḥ) - all worldly possessions and objectives (artha) (objects, purposes, wealth, possessions)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of artha

artha - object, purpose, meaning, wealth, possession, material prosperity (artha)

Note: Subject of 'samativartante'.

समतिवर्तन्ते (samativartante) - they desert (they pass away from, they abandon, they leave)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of samativart

Present Tense

From root vṛt (to turn, exist) with upasargas sam, ati, and vi

Prefixes: sam+ati+vi

Root: vṛt (class 1)

हंसाः (haṁsāḥ) - swans (swans, geese)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of haṃsa

haṁsa - swan, goose, a mythical bird, the sun

Note: Subject in the simile.

शुष्कम् (śuṣkam) - dry (dry, withered)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śuṣka

śuṣka - dry, withered, arid

Past Passive Participle

From root śuṣ (to dry up)

Root: śuṣ (class 4)

Note: Qualifies 'saraḥ'.

सरः (saraḥ) - lake (lake, pond, pool)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of saras

saras - lake, pond, pool

Note: Object of an implied verb in the simile (e.g., 'leave').

यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, like)

(indeclinable)