महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-159, verse-12

आख्यातव्यं नृपस्यैतत्पृच्छतोऽपृच्छतोऽपि वा ।
न तस्मै धारयेद्दण्डं राजा धर्मेण धर्मवित् ॥१२॥

12. ākhyātavyaṁ nṛpasyaitatpṛcchato'pṛcchato'pi vā ,
na tasmai dhārayeddaṇḍaṁ rājā dharmeṇa dharmavit.

12. ākhyātavyam nṛpasya etat pṛcchataḥ apṛcchataḥ api vā
na tasmai dhārayet daṇḍam rājā dharmeṇa dharmavit

12. etat nṛpasya pṛcchataḥ vā apṛcchataḥ api ākhyātavyam
dharmavit rājā tasmai dharmeṇa daṇḍam na dhārayet

12. This matter should be reported to the king, whether he asks or not. The king, being a knower of (dharma) natural law, should not impose punishment on him according to (dharma) law.

Words meanings summery:

• आख्यातव्यम् (ākhyātavyam) - should be reported, should be told

• नृपस्य (nṛpasya) - to the king (genitive with dative sense)

• एतत् (etat) - this (matter)

• पृच्छतः (pṛcchataḥ) - to one who asks, of one asking

• अपृच्छतः (apṛcchataḥ) - to one who does not ask, of one not asking

• अपि (api) - even, also

• वा (vā) - or

• न (na) - not, no

• तस्मै (tasmai) - to him

• धारयेत् (dhārayet) - one should impose, one should hold, one should inflict

• दण्डम् (daṇḍam) - punishment, stick

• राजा (rājā) - the king

• धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by (natural) law, righteously, according to (dharma) duty

• धर्मवित् (dharmavit) - knower of (dharma) natural law, one who understands righteousness

Words meanings and morphology

आख्यातव्यम् (ākhyātavyam) - should be reported, should be told

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ākhyātavya

ākhyātavya - to be told, to be narrated, to be reported

Gerundive

from root khyā with prefix ā

Prefix: ā

Root: khyā (class 2)

Note: Agrees with etat.

नृपस्य (nṛpasya) - to the king (genitive with dative sense)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of nṛpati

nṛpati - king, lord of men

Compound type : tatpurusha (nṛ+pati)

• nṛ – man, human
  noun (masculine)
• pati – lord, master, protector
  noun (masculine)

Note: Has the force of a dative case, indicating 'to whom'.

एतत् (etat) - this (matter)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this here

Note: Subject of ākhyātavyam.

पृच्छतः (pṛcchataḥ) - to one who asks, of one asking

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of pṛcchat

pṛcchat - asking, inquiring

Present Active Participle

from root prach

Root: prach (class 6)

Note: Modifies nṛpasya in its dative sense.

अपृच्छतः (apṛcchataḥ) - to one who does not ask, of one not asking

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of apṛcchat

apṛcchat - not asking, not inquiring

Present Active Participle

from root prach (to ask), negated by a-

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+pṛcchat)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  negative prefix
• pṛcchat – asking, inquiring
  adjective (masculine)
  Present Active Participle
  from root prach
  Root: prach (class 6)

Note: Modifies nṛpasya in its dative sense.

अपि (api) - even, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes "even if not asking".

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction "or".

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Negation.

तस्मै (tasmai) - to him

(pronoun)

Dative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, those

Note: Refers to the person from whom food was taken as per previous verse.

धारयेत् (dhārayet) - one should impose, one should hold, one should inflict

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of dhṛ

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Subject is rājā.

दण्डम् (daṇḍam) - punishment, stick

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of daṇḍa

daṇḍa - stick, rod, punishment, fine

Note: Object of dhārayet.

राजा (rājā) - the king

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Note: Subject of dhārayet.

धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by (natural) law, righteously, according to (dharma) duty

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - righteousness, duty, natural law, constitution, virtue

from root dhṛ (to uphold, support)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Indicates the means or standard for not imposing punishment.

धर्मवित् (dharmavit) - knower of (dharma) natural law, one who understands righteousness

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharmavid

dharmavid - knower of dharma/law/duty

compound of dharma (law) and vid (knowing)

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+vid)

• dharma – righteousness, duty, natural law (dharma)
  noun (masculine)
  from root dhṛ (to uphold, support)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• vid – knowing, wise, understander
  adjective (masculine)
  from root vid (to know)
  Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Qualifies rājā.