महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-77, verse-17

पृष्टं तु साक्ष्ये प्रवदन्तमन्यथा वदन्ति मिथ्योपहितं नरेन्द्र ।
एकार्थतायां तु समाहितायां मिथ्या वदन्तमनृतं हिनस्ति ॥१७॥

17. pṛṣṭaṁ tu sākṣye pravadantamanyathā; vadanti mithyopahitaṁ narendra ,
ekārthatāyāṁ tu samāhitāyāṁ; mithyā vadantamanṛtaṁ hinasti.

17. pṛṣṭam tu sākṣye pravadantam
anyathā vadanti mithyāupahitam narendra
| ekārthatāyām tu samāhitāyām
mithyā vadantam anṛtam hinasti

17. But a person questioned in testimony who speaks differently (from the truth) is called a false witness, O King. However, when the truth is firmly established and clear, speaking falsehood then indeed causes harm (is a sin).

Words meanings summery:

• पृष्टम् (pṛṣṭam) - a person who is questioned (questioned, asked)

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• साक्ष्ये (sākṣye) - in testimony, in evidence, in witness

• प्रवदन्तम् (pravadantam) - one who speaks (in testimony) (speaking, declaring)

• अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise, differently, falsely

• वदन्ति (vadanti) - they say, they call, they declare

• मिथ्याउपहितम् (mithyāupahitam) - one who has presented false testimony, a false witness (falsely deposited, falsely presented, false witness)

• नरेन्द्र (narendra) - O King, O lord of men

• एकार्थतायाम् (ekārthatāyām) - in the state of having one meaning, when the meaning is single/clear

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• समाहितायाम् (samāhitāyām) - when the truth is firmly established (firmly established, collected, fixed)

• मिथ्या (mithyā) - falsely, untruthfully

• वदन्तम् (vadantam) - one who speaks (falsely) (speaking, one who speaks)

• अनृतम् (anṛtam) - untruth, falsehood, sin

• हिनस्ति (hinasti) - causes (sinful) harm, injures (the speaker by incurring sin) (harms, injures, destroys)

Words meanings and morphology

पृष्टम् (pṛṣṭam) - a person who is questioned (questioned, asked)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pṛṣṭa

pṛṣṭa - asked, questioned

Past Passive Participle

Formed from root 'prach' (to ask).

Root: prach (class 6)

Note: Used substantively, referring to 'him who is questioned'.

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

साक्ष्ये (sākṣye) - in testimony, in evidence, in witness

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of sākṣya

sākṣya - testimony, evidence, witness

प्रवदन्तम् (pravadantam) - one who speaks (in testimony) (speaking, declaring)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pravadat

pravadat - speaking, declaring, one who speaks

Present Active Participle

Formed from root 'vad' (to speak) with prefix 'pra' (forth, publicly).

Prefix: pra

Root: vad (class 1)

Note: Used substantively, referring to 'him who speaks'.

अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise, differently, falsely

(indeclinable)

वदन्ति (vadanti) - they say, they call, they declare

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (Laṭ) of vad

Root: vad (class 1)

मिथ्याउपहितम् (mithyāupahitam) - one who has presented false testimony, a false witness (falsely deposited, falsely presented, false witness)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mithyopahita

mithyopahita - falsely presented, falsely placed; a false witness

Compound type : Tatpurusha (mithyā+upahita)

• mithyā – falsely, untruly, erroneously
  indeclinable
• upahita – placed, deposited, presented, put near
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  Formed from root 'dhā' (to place, put) with prefix 'upa' (near, towards).
  Prefix: upa
  Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Used substantively, referring to 'him who is falsely placed/presented'.

नरेन्द्र (narendra) - O King, O lord of men

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of narendra

narendra - king, lord of men

Compound type : Tatpurusha (nara+indra)

• nara – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• indra – lord, chief, best
  noun (masculine)

एकार्थतायाम् (ekārthatāyām) - in the state of having one meaning, when the meaning is single/clear

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of ekārthatā

ekārthatā - singleness of meaning, clarity, uniformity of purpose

Derived from 'ekārtha' (having one meaning) with suffix 'tā' (abstract noun).

Compound type : Tatpurusha (eka+artha)

• eka – one, single, unique
  adjective
• artha – meaning, purpose, object, wealth
  noun (masculine)

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

समाहितायाम् (samāhitāyām) - when the truth is firmly established (firmly established, collected, fixed)

(adjective)

Locative, feminine, singular of samāhita

samāhita - collected, fixed, concentrated, firmly established, proper

Past Passive Participle

Formed from root 'dhā' (to place) with prefixes 'sam' (together, completely) and 'ā' (towards, fully).

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: dhā (class 3)

मिथ्या (mithyā) - falsely, untruthfully

(indeclinable)

वदन्तम् (vadantam) - one who speaks (falsely) (speaking, one who speaks)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of vadat

vadat - speaking, declaring, one who speaks

Present Active Participle

Formed from root 'vad' (to speak).

Root: vad (class 1)

Note: Used substantively, referring to 'him who speaks'.

अनृतम् (anṛtam) - untruth, falsehood, sin

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anṛta

anṛta - untruth, falsehood, lie; that which is not true

From 'ṛta' (truth) with negative prefix 'a-'.

हिनस्ति (hinasti) - causes (sinful) harm, injures (the speaker by incurring sin) (harms, injures, destroys)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (Laṭ) of hiṃs

Root: hiṃs (class 7)