महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-15, verse-12

ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थश्च वानप्रस्थोऽथ भिक्षुकः ।
दण्डस्यैव भयादेते मनुष्या वर्त्मनि स्थिताः ॥१२॥

12. brahmacārī gṛhasthaśca vānaprastho'tha bhikṣukaḥ ,
daṇḍasyaiva bhayādete manuṣyā vartmani sthitāḥ.

12. brahmacārī gṛhasthaḥ ca vānaprasthaḥ atha bhikṣukaḥ
daṇḍasya eva bhayāt ete manuṣyāḥ vartmani sthitāḥ

12. brahmacārī gṛhasthaḥ ca vānaprasthaḥ atha bhikṣukaḥ
ete manuṣyāḥ daṇḍasya eva bhayāt vartmani sthitāḥ

12. The student (brahmacārī), householder (gṛhastha), forest-dweller (vānaprastha), and mendicant (bhikṣuka)—these people remain on the right path only out of fear of punishment (daṇḍa).

Words meanings summery:

• ब्रह्मचारी (brahmacārī) - one in the first stage of life (āśrama) (student, celibate, one who practices brahmacarya)

• गृहस्थः (gṛhasthaḥ) - one in the second stage of life (āśrama) (householder, one who dwells in a house)

• च (ca) - and, also

• वानप्रस्थः (vānaprasthaḥ) - one in the third stage of life (āśrama) (forest-dweller, hermit)

• अथ (atha) - then, now, moreover, and

• भिक्षुकः (bhikṣukaḥ) - one in the fourth stage of life (āśrama) (mendicant, renunciant, beggar)

• दण्डस्य (daṇḍasya) - of punishment (daṇḍa) (of the rod, of punishment, of authority)

• एव (eva) - only, indeed, just, even

• भयात् (bhayāt) - from fear, out of fear

• एते (ete) - these (masculine plural)

• मनुष्याः (manuṣyāḥ) - humans, people, human beings

• वर्त्मनि (vartmani) - on the right path (of dharma) (on the path, in the road, in the course)

• स्थिताः (sthitāḥ) - situated, standing, remaining, established

Words meanings and morphology

ब्रह्मचारी (brahmacārī) - one in the first stage of life (āśrama) (student, celibate, one who practices brahmacarya)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of brahmacārin

brahmacārin - student, celibate, one who practices brahmacarya

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (brahman+carin)

• brahman – Vedic knowledge, sacred text, ultimate reality (brahman)
  noun (neuter)
• carin – practicing, moving in, performing
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun from car (to move)
  Root: car (class 1)

गृहस्थः (gṛhasthaḥ) - one in the second stage of life (āśrama) (householder, one who dwells in a house)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of gṛhastha

gṛhastha - householder, one who dwells in a house

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (gṛha+stha)

• gṛha – house, home
  noun (neuter)
• stha – standing, situated, residing, remaining
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root sthā (to stand)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

वानप्रस्थः (vānaprasthaḥ) - one in the third stage of life (āśrama) (forest-dweller, hermit)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vānaprastha

vānaprastha - forest-dweller, hermit

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vana+prastha)

• vana – forest, wood, grove
  noun (neuter)
• prastha – going forth, departing, situated in
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root sthā (to stand) with prefix pra-
  Prefix: pra
  Root: sthā (class 1)

अथ (atha) - then, now, moreover, and

(indeclinable)

भिक्षुकः (bhikṣukaḥ) - one in the fourth stage of life (āśrama) (mendicant, renunciant, beggar)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhikṣuka

bhikṣuka - mendicant, renunciant, beggar, almsman

Root: bhikṣ (class 1)

दण्डस्य (daṇḍasya) - of punishment (daṇḍa) (of the rod, of punishment, of authority)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of daṇḍa

daṇḍa - rod, staff, punishment, scepter, authority, fine

Root: daṇḍ (class 10)

एव (eva) - only, indeed, just, even

(indeclinable)

भयात् (bhayāt) - from fear, out of fear

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of bhaya

bhaya - fear, dread, terror

Root: bhī (class 3)

एते (ete) - these (masculine plural)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of etat

etat - this, these

मनुष्याः (manuṣyāḥ) - humans, people, human beings

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of manuṣya

manuṣya - human, man, person

वर्त्मनि (vartmani) - on the right path (of dharma) (on the path, in the road, in the course)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of vartman

vartman - path, road, track, course

Root: vṛt (class 1)

स्थिताः (sthitāḥ) - situated, standing, remaining, established

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sthita

sthita - situated, standing, remaining, established, firm

Past Passive Participle

From root sthā (to stand)

Root: sthā (class 1)