महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-159, verse-44

भ्रूणहाहवमध्ये तु शुध्यते शस्त्रपातितः ।
आत्मानं जुहुयाद्वह्नौ समिद्धे तेन शुध्यति ॥४४॥

44. bhrūṇahāhavamadhye tu śudhyate śastrapātitaḥ ,
ātmānaṁ juhuyādvahnau samiddhe tena śudhyati.

44. bhrūṇahā āhavamadhye tu śudhyate śastrapātitaḥ
ātmānam juhuyāt vahnau samiddhe tena śudhyati

44. tu bhrūṇahā āhavamadhye śastrapātitaḥ (san) śudhyate
(athavā yaḥ) ātmānam samiddhe vahnau juhuyāt tena śudhyati

44. Indeed, a person who has killed a Brahmin or an embryo (bhrūṇahan) becomes purified if he is struck down by a weapon in the midst of battle. Alternatively, if he sacrifices himself (ātman) into a blazing fire, he is thereby purified.

Words meanings summery:

• भ्रूणहा (bhrūṇahā) - a killer of an embryo or Brahmin

• आहवमध्ये (āhavamadhye) - in the midst of battle

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• शुध्यते (śudhyate) - he is purified, becomes pure

• शस्त्रपातितः (śastrapātitaḥ) - struck down by a weapon, fallen by a weapon

• आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - himself, the self (ātman)

• जुहुयात् (juhuyāt) - he should sacrifice, he would offer

• वह्नौ (vahnau) - in the fire

• समिद्धे (samiddhe) - referring to the fire (vahnau) (in the blazing, ignited (fire))

• तेन (tena) - by that, thereby

• शुध्यति (śudhyati) - he is purified, becomes pure

Words meanings and morphology

भ्रूणहा (bhrūṇahā) - a killer of an embryo or Brahmin

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhrūṇahan

bhrūṇahan - killer of an embryo, killer of a Brahmin

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (bhrūṇa+han)

• bhrūṇa – embryo, fetus, a learned Brahmin
  noun (neuter)
• han – killer, striker
  noun (masculine)
  From root 'han' (to strike, kill).
  Root: han (class 2)

आहवमध्ये (āhavamadhye) - in the midst of battle

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of āhavamadhya

āhavamadhya - midst of battle

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (āhava+madhya)

• āhava – battle, war, combat
  noun (masculine)
• madhya – middle, midst, center
  noun (neuter)

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

शुध्यते (śudhyate) - he is purified, becomes pure

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of śudh

Root: śudh (class 4)

Note: Can have a passive sense.

शस्त्रपातितः (śastrapātitaḥ) - struck down by a weapon, fallen by a weapon

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śastrapātita

śastrapātita - struck down or killed by a weapon

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śastra+pātita)

• śastra – weapon, arm, instrument
  noun (neuter)
• pātita – fallen, caused to fall, struck down
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From the causative stem of root 'pat' (to fall).
  Root: pat (class 1)

आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - himself, the self (ātman)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, essence, mind, vital breath

जुहुयात् (juhuyāt) - he should sacrifice, he would offer

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of hu

Root: hu (class 3)

वह्नौ (vahnau) - in the fire

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of vahni

vahni - fire, Agni (god of fire)

समिद्धे (samiddhe) - referring to the fire (vahnau) (in the blazing, ignited (fire))

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of samiddha

samiddha - blazing, ignited, kindled, inflamed

Past Passive Participle

From root 'indh' (to kindle, ignite) with prefix 'sam'.

Prefix: sam

Root: indh (class 7)

Note: Qualifies 'vahnau'.

तेन (tena) - by that, thereby

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the act of sacrificing oneself.

शुध्यति (śudhyati) - he is purified, becomes pure

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of śudh

Root: śudh (class 4)