महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-38, verse-21

कर्मणां तु प्रशस्तानामनुष्ठानं सुखावहम् ।
तेषामेवाननुष्ठानं पश्चात्तापकरं महत् ॥२१॥

21. karmaṇāṁ tu praśastānāmanuṣṭhānaṁ sukhāvaham ,
teṣāmevānanuṣṭhānaṁ paścāttāpakaraṁ mahat.

21. karmaṇām tu praśastānām anuṣṭhānam sukhāvaham
teṣām eva ananuṣṭhānam paścāttāpakaram mahat

21. Indeed, the performance of praiseworthy actions (karma) is conducive to happiness. Conversely, the non-performance of those very actions leads to great regret.

Words meanings summery:

• कर्मणाम् (karmaṇām) - of actions, of deeds

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however, on the other hand

• प्रशस्तानाम् (praśastānām) - of praised, of excellent, of virtuous

• अनुष्ठानम् (anuṣṭhānam) - performance, execution, practice

• सुखावहम् (sukhāvaham) - bringing happiness, conducive to happiness, pleasant

• तेषाम् (teṣām) - of those actions (karma) (of them)

• एव (eva) - only, indeed, precisely, very

• अननुष्ठानम् (ananuṣṭhānam) - non-performance, neglect

• पश्चात्तापकरम् (paścāttāpakaram) - causing regret, bringing remorse

• महत् (mahat) - great, extensive, important

Words meanings and morphology

कर्मणाम् (karmaṇām) - of actions, of deeds

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of karman

karman - action, deed, work, ritual

Root: kṛ (class 8)

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

प्रशस्तानाम् (praśastānām) - of praised, of excellent, of virtuous

(adjective)

Genitive, neuter, plural of praśasta

praśasta - praised, excellent, auspicious, virtuous

Past Passive Participle

Derived from the root śaṃs (to praise) with the prefix pra-

Prefix: pra

Root: śaṃs (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'karmaṇām'

अनुष्ठानम् (anuṣṭhānam) - performance, execution, practice

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anuṣṭhāna

anuṣṭhāna - performance, execution, practice, observance

Action noun

Formed from the root sthā (to stand) with the prefix anu-

Prefix: anu

Root: sthā (class 1)

सुखावहम् (sukhāvaham) - bringing happiness, conducive to happiness, pleasant

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sukhāvaha

sukhāvaha - bringing happiness, causing pleasure, conducive to welfare

Compound: sukha + āvaha (bringing)

Note: Agrees with 'anuṣṭhānam'

तेषाम् (teṣām) - of those actions (karma) (of them)

(pronoun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of tad

tad - that, those

एव (eva) - only, indeed, precisely, very

(indeclinable)

अननुष्ठानम् (ananuṣṭhānam) - non-performance, neglect

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ananuṣṭhāna

ananuṣṭhāna - non-performance, neglect, failure to observe

Action noun

Compound with negative prefix 'an-'

Compound type : Nañ-Tatpurusha (an+anuṣṭhāna)

• an – not, non-
  indeclinable
• anuṣṭhāna – performance, execution, practice
  noun (neuter)
  Action noun
  Formed from the root sthā (to stand) with the prefix anu-
  Prefix: anu
  Root: sthā (class 1)

पश्चात्तापकरम् (paścāttāpakaram) - causing regret, bringing remorse

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of paścāttāpakara

paścāttāpakara - causing regret, producing repentance

Compound: paścāttāpa (regret) + kara (making/causing)

Note: Agrees with 'ananuṣṭhānam'

महत् (mahat) - great, extensive, important

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, important, mighty

Note: Agrees with 'paścāttāpakaram'