महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-159, verse-17

वेदे षडङ्गे निरताः शुचयः सत्यवादिनः ।
धर्मात्मानः कृतात्मानः स्युर्नृपाणां पुरोहिताः ॥१७॥

17. vede ṣaḍaṅge niratāḥ śucayaḥ satyavādinaḥ ,
dharmātmānaḥ kṛtātmānaḥ syurnṛpāṇāṁ purohitāḥ.

17. vede ṣaḍaṅge niratāḥ śucayaḥ satyavādinaḥ
dharmātmānaḥ kṛtātmānaḥ syuḥ nṛpāṇām purohitāḥ

17. Devoted to the Veda and its six ancillary branches, pure, truth-speaking, righteous (dharmātman), and disciplined (kṛtātman) individuals should be the priests (purohita) of kings.

Words meanings summery:

• वेदे (vede) - in the Veda

• षडङ्गे (ṣaḍaṅge) - with its six limbs/ancillaries

• निरताः (niratāḥ) - devoted, absorbed, engaged in

• शुचयः (śucayaḥ) - pure, clean, holy

• सत्यवादिनः (satyavādinaḥ) - truth-speaking, truthful

• धर्मात्मानः (dharmātmānaḥ) - righteous, whose nature is dharma, virtuous

• कृतात्मानः (kṛtātmānaḥ) - self-disciplined, perfected in self-control, whose self is accomplished

• स्युः (syuḥ) - they should be, they may be

• नृपाणाम् (nṛpāṇām) - of kings

• पुरोहिताः (purohitāḥ) - priests, royal chaplains

Words meanings and morphology

वेदे (vede) - in the Veda

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of veda

veda - Veda, sacred knowledge

Root: vid (class 2)

षडङ्गे (ṣaḍaṅge) - with its six limbs/ancillaries

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of ṣaḍaṅga

ṣaḍaṅga - having six limbs/parts/ancillaries (referring to the six Vedāṅgas)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (ṣaṣ+aṅga)

• ṣaṣ – six
  numeral
• aṅga – limb, part, division, accessory, ancillary
  noun (neuter)

निरताः (niratāḥ) - devoted, absorbed, engaged in

(past passive participle)

शुचयः (śucayaḥ) - pure, clean, holy

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śuci

śuci - pure, clean, holy, bright

सत्यवादिनः (satyavādinaḥ) - truth-speaking, truthful

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of satyavādin

satyavādin - truth-speaking, truthful, speaker of truth

Compound type : upapada tatpuruṣa (satya+vādin)

• satya – truth, reality, true, real
  noun (neuter)
• vādin – speaker, talker, one who says
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun
  Derived from root vad- with suffix -in
  Root: vad (class 1)

धर्मात्मानः (dharmātmānaḥ) - righteous, whose nature is dharma, virtuous

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of dharmātman

dharmātman - righteous, whose natural law (dharma) is their inner nature (ātman)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dharma+ātman)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, righteousness, duty
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence, nature
  noun (masculine)

कृतात्मानः (kṛtātmānaḥ) - self-disciplined, perfected in self-control, whose self is accomplished

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kṛtātman

kṛtātman - self-disciplined, perfected in self-control, whose self (ātman) is accomplished or formed

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (kṛta+ātman)

• kṛta – done, made, accomplished, performed
  past passive participle
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root kṛ- with suffix -ta
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence
  noun (masculine)

स्युः (syuḥ) - they should be, they may be

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

नृपाणाम् (nṛpāṇām) - of kings

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of nṛpa

nṛpa - king, protector of men

पुरोहिताः (purohitāḥ) - priests, royal chaplains

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of purohita

purohita - priest, royal chaplain