महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-24, verse-40

नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥४०॥

40. nehābhikramanāśo'sti pratyavāyo na vidyate ,
svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt.

40. na iha abhikramanāśaḥ asti pratyavāyaḥ na vidyate
svalpam api asya dharmasya trāyate mahataḥ bhayāt

40. iha abhikramanāśaḥ na asti pratyavāyaḥ na vidyate
asya dharmasya svalpam api mahataḥ bhayāt trāyate

40. In this path, there is no wasted effort, nor are there any adverse consequences. Even a small amount of this intrinsic nature (dharma) protects one from great fear.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not (not, no, nor)

• इह (iha) - in this endeavor, in this path (here, in this world, in this endeavor)

• अभिक्रमनाशः (abhikramanāśaḥ) - wasted effort, loss of effort (destruction of effort, loss of undertaking)

• अस्ति (asti) - exists (is, exists)

• प्रत्यवायः (pratyavāyaḥ) - adverse consequence (obstacle, adverse consequence, transgression)

• न (na) - not (not, no, nor)

• विद्यते (vidyate) - exists (exists, is found, is known)

• स्वल्पम् (svalpam) - even a small amount (a little, small)

• अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

• अस्य (asya) - of this (of this, its)

• धर्मस्य (dharmasya) - of this intrinsic nature (dharma) (of natural law, of intrinsic nature, of righteousness)

• त्रायते (trāyate) - protects (protects, saves, rescues)

• महतः (mahataḥ) - from great (from great, from large)

• भयात् (bhayāt) - from great fear (from fear, from danger)

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not (not, no, nor)

(indeclinable)

इह (iha) - in this endeavor, in this path (here, in this world, in this endeavor)

(indeclinable)

अभिक्रमनाशः (abhikramanāśaḥ) - wasted effort, loss of effort (destruction of effort, loss of undertaking)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of abhikramanāśa

abhikramanāśa - destruction of undertaking/effort

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (abhikrama+nāśa)

• abhikrama – beginning, undertaking, effort
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root kram- with prefix abhi-
  Prefix: abhi
  Root: kram (class 1)
• nāśa – destruction, loss, ruin
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root naś-
  Root: naś (class 4)

अस्ति (asti) - exists (is, exists)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of as

Present Active Indicative 3rd Person Singular

Root as- (2nd class), Parasmaipada, Present tense

Root: as (class 2)

प्रत्यवायः (pratyavāyaḥ) - adverse consequence (obstacle, adverse consequence, transgression)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pratyavāya

pratyavāya - obstacle, impediment, adverse consequence, transgression, defect

Derived from root i- with prefixes prati- and ava-

Prefixes: prati+ava

Root: i (class 2)

न (na) - not (not, no, nor)

(indeclinable)

विद्यते (vidyate) - exists (exists, is found, is known)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of vid

Present Middle Indicative 3rd Person Singular

Root vid- (4th class), Atmanepada, Present tense

Root: vid (class 4)

Note: From root 'vid' meaning 'to be, exist', not 'to know'.

स्वल्पम् (svalpam) - even a small amount (a little, small)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of svalpa

svalpa - very little, small, insignificant

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (su+alpa)

• su – good, well, easily
  indeclinable
• alpa – small, little, few
  adjective (neuter)

Note: Used adverbially here. Can also be nominative neuter.

अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

अस्य (asya) - of this (of this, its)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

Note: Refers to 'dharmasya'.

धर्मस्य (dharmasya) - of this intrinsic nature (dharma) (of natural law, of intrinsic nature, of righteousness)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty, constitution

Derived from root dhṛ- (to hold, support)

Root: dhṛ (class 3)

Note: Refers to the path of action or yoga being discussed.

त्रायते (trāyate) - protects (protects, saves, rescues)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of trā

Present Middle Indicative 3rd Person Singular

Root trā- (2nd class), Atmanepada, Present tense

Root: trā (class 2)

महतः (mahataḥ) - from great (from great, from large)

(adjective)

Ablative, masculine, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, vast, mighty

Note: Agrees with 'bhayāt'.

भयात् (bhayāt) - from great fear (from fear, from danger)

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of bhaya

bhaya - fear, dread, danger

Derived from root bhī- (to fear)

Root: bhī (class 3)