महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-166, verse-5

एकमेव हि लोकेऽस्मिन्नात्मनो गुणवत्तरम् ।
इच्छन्ति पुत्रं पुरुषा लोके नान्यं कथंचन ॥५॥

5. ekameva hi loke'sminnātmano guṇavattaram ,
icchanti putraṁ puruṣā loke nānyaṁ kathaṁcana.

5. ekam eva hi loke asmin ātmanaḥ guṇavattaram
icchanti putram puruṣāḥ loke na anyam kathaṃcana

5. hi asmin loke puruṣāḥ ātmanaḥ guṇavattaram ekam
putram eva icchanti na kathaṃcana anyam loke

5. Indeed, in this world, men (puruṣa) desire only one son (putra) who is more virtuous than themselves (ātman), and certainly no other in any way.

Words meanings summery:

• एकम् (ekam) - one, single

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

• हि (hi) - surely, for, because, indeed

• लोके (loke) - in the world, in this sphere

• अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this

• आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself, from oneself, than oneself, the soul (ātman)

• गुणवत्तरम् (guṇavattaram) - more virtuous, more excellent, more endowed with qualities

• इच्छन्ति (icchanti) - they desire, wish

• पुत्रम् (putram) - son

• पुरुषाः (puruṣāḥ) - men, persons, male beings (puruṣa)

• लोके (loke) - in the world, in this sphere

• न (na) - not

• अन्यम् (anyam) - another, other

• कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - in any way, by any means, ever

Words meanings and morphology

एकम् (ekam) - one, single

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of eka

eka - one, a single one, sole, unique

Note: Modifies 'putram'.

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

(indeclinable)

हि (hi) - surely, for, because, indeed

(indeclinable)

लोके (loke) - in the world, in this sphere

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, realm, people

अस्मिन् (asmin) - in this

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, that

Note: Modifies 'loke'.

आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself, from oneself, than oneself, the soul (ātman)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - soul, self, spirit, essential nature (ātman)

Note: Used in the ablative case for comparison with 'guṇavattaram'.

गुणवत्तरम् (guṇavattaram) - more virtuous, more excellent, more endowed with qualities

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of guṇavattara

guṇavattara - more endowed with good qualities, more virtuous, more excellent

Comparative form of 'guṇavat' (endowed with qualities) using the suffix -tara.

Note: Modifies 'putram'.

इच्छन्ति (icchanti) - they desire, wish

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of icch

Present 3rd plural active.

Root: iṣ (class 6)

पुत्रम् (putram) - son

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son

पुरुषाः (puruṣāḥ) - men, persons, male beings (puruṣa)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of puruṣa

puruṣa - man, person, male being, spirit, the Cosmic Person (puruṣa)

लोके (loke) - in the world, in this sphere

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, realm, people

Note: Repeated use of 'loke' might imply different contexts (e.g., 'in this world' vs 'in the world' generally).

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

अन्यम् (anyam) - another, other

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of anya

anya - other, another, different

Note: Modifies an implied 'putram'.

कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - in any way, by any means, ever

(indeclinable)