महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-5, verse-2

एतच्च पूर्वकार्यं नः सुनीतमभिकाङ्क्षताम् ।
अन्यथा ह्याचरन्कर्म पुरुषः स्यात्सुबालिशः ॥२॥

2. etacca pūrvakāryaṁ naḥ sunītamabhikāṅkṣatām ,
anyathā hyācarankarma puruṣaḥ syātsubāliśaḥ.

2. etat ca pūrvakāryam naḥ sunītam abhīkāṅkṣatām
anyathā hi ācaran karma puruṣaḥ syāt subāliśaḥ

2. Moreover, this is our proper course of action for those who desire good policy. Indeed, a person (puruṣa) who acts otherwise would be exceedingly foolish.

Words meanings summery:

• एतत् (etat) - this

• च (ca) - and, moreover

• पूर्वकार्यम् (pūrvakāryam) - primary duty, prior action, proper course of action

• नः (naḥ) - our, to us

• सुनीतम् (sunītam) - good policy, good conduct

• अभीकाङ्क्षताम् (abhīkāṅkṣatām) - for those who desire/wish

• अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise, differently

• हि (hi) - indeed, for

• आचरन् (ācaran) - acting, performing

• कर्म (karma) - action (karma)

• पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - a person, a man (puruṣa)

• स्यात् (syāt) - would be, might be

• सुबालिशः (subāliśaḥ) - very foolish, exceedingly childish

Words meanings and morphology

एतत् (etat) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etat

etat - this

Note: Refers to the proposed course of action/statement.

च (ca) - and, moreover

(indeclinable)

पूर्वकार्यम् (pūrvakāryam) - primary duty, prior action, proper course of action

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pūrvakārya

pūrvakārya - former action, primary duty

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pūrva+kārya)

• pūrva – former, prior
  adjective (neuter)
• kārya – to be done, duty, action
  noun (neuter)
  Gerundive
  from kṛ
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

नः (naḥ) - our, to us

(pronoun)

Genitive, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

Note: Enclitic form of asmākam

सुनीतम् (sunītam) - good policy, good conduct

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of sunīta

sunīta - good policy, good conduct, well-conducted

Compound type : karmadhāraya (su+nīta)

• su – good, well
  indeclinable
• nīta – led, conducted, policy
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  from nī
  Root: nī (class 1)

Note: Object of abhīkāṅkṣatām.

अभीकाङ्क्षताम् (abhīkāṅkṣatām) - for those who desire/wish

(adjective (participle))

Note: Refers to "us" (implied, the speaker and his party/Drupada's party).

अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise, differently

(indeclinable)

हि (hi) - indeed, for

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

आचरन् (ācaran) - acting, performing

(adjective (participle))

Note: Refers to puruṣaḥ.

कर्म (karma) - action (karma)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of karma

karma - action, deed, work (karma)

Note: Object of ācaran.

पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - a person, a man (puruṣa)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of puruṣa

puruṣa - man, person, human being, spirit (puruṣa)

Note: Subject of syāt.

स्यात् (syāt) - would be, might be

(verb)

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

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Expresses potential or condition.

सुबालिशः (subāliśaḥ) - very foolish, exceedingly childish

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of subāliśa

subāliśa - very foolish, very childish

Compound type : karmadhāraya (su+bāliśa)

• su – very, greatly
  indeclinable
• bāliśa – childish, foolish
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Agrees with puruṣaḥ.