महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-159, verse-69

भवेत्तु मानुषेष्वेवं प्रायश्चित्तमनुत्तमम् ।
दानं वादानसक्तेषु सर्वमेव प्रकल्पयेत् ।
अनास्तिकेषु गोमात्रं प्राणमेकं प्रचक्षते ॥६९॥

69. bhavettu mānuṣeṣvevaṁ prāyaścittamanuttamam ,
dānaṁ vādānasakteṣu sarvameva prakalpayet ,
anāstikeṣu gomātraṁ prāṇamekaṁ pracakṣate.

69. bhavet tu mānuṣeṣu evam prāyaścittam
anuttamam dānam vā adānasakteṣu
sarvam eva prakalpayet anāstikeṣu
gomātram prāṇam ekam pracakṣate

69. mānuṣeṣu evam tu anuttamam prāyaścittam
bhavet vā adānasakteṣu sarvam
dānam eva prakalpayet anāstikeṣu
ekam gomātram prāṇam pracakṣate

69. Thus, for humans, this is indeed an excellent atonement (prāyaścitta). Alternatively, one should offer all kinds of gifts (dāna) to those who are not attached (to material things or receiving gifts). Among the non-atheists (anāstika), they declare a mere cow to be a single life (prāṇa).

Words meanings summery:

• भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, should be, let it be, exists

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however, on the other hand

• मानुषेषु (mānuṣeṣu) - among men, among humans

• एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner, so

• प्रायश्चित्तम् (prāyaścittam) - atonement, expiation, penance

• अनुत्तमम् (anuttamam) - unsurpassed, excellent, best

• दानम् (dānam) - gift, giving, donation

• वा (vā) - or, either...or

• अदानसक्तेषु (adānasakteṣu) - to those who are not attached to material possessions or receiving gifts, making them worthy recipients of dāna. (to those not attached to giving/receiving, to those disinclined to give/receive)

• सर्वम् (sarvam) - all, every, whole

• एव (eva) - only, just, indeed, precisely

• प्रकल्पयेत् (prakalpayet) - should arrange, should offer, should prepare

• अनास्तिकेषु (anāstikeṣu) - among the non-atheists, among believers

• गोमात्रम् (gomātram) - a mere cow, only a cow

• प्राणम् (prāṇam) - life, vital breath, life-force

• एकम् (ekam) - one, single, unique

• प्रचक्षते (pracakṣate) - they declare, they state, they proclaim

Words meanings and morphology

भवेत् (bhavet) - may be, should be, let it be, exists

(verb)

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

Optative Mood, 3rd Person Singular

Derived from root 'bhū' (class 1) in optative mood, parasmaipada.

Root: bhū (class 1)

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

Note: Used as an emphatic particle or a conjunction.

मानुषेषु (mānuṣeṣu) - among men, among humans

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of mānuṣa

mānuṣa - human, man, human being

Derived from 'manu' (man, human).

एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner, so

(indeclinable)

प्रायश्चित्तम् (prāyaścittam) - atonement, expiation, penance

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of prāyaścitta

prāyaścitta - atonement, expiation, penance

Compound of 'prāyaś' (an offence, sin) and 'citta' (intention, consideration).

Note: The term for ritual or ethical expiation for sins.

अनुत्तमम् (anuttamam) - unsurpassed, excellent, best

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anuttama

anuttama - unsurpassed, excellent, best

Compound of 'an' (not) and 'uttama' (highest, best).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (an+uttama)

• an – not, un-
  indeclinable
• uttama – highest, best, chief
  adjective (neuter)
  Superlative form of 'ud' or 'ava'.

दानम् (dānam) - gift, giving, donation

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of dāna

dāna - gift, giving, donation

Derived from root 'dā' (to give).

Root: dā (class 3)

वा (vā) - or, either...or

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects 'prāyaścitta' with 'dāna' as alternatives.

अदानसक्तेषु (adānasakteṣu) - to those who are not attached to material possessions or receiving gifts, making them worthy recipients of dāna. (to those not attached to giving/receiving, to those disinclined to give/receive)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, plural of adānasakta

adānasakta - not attached to giving, not clinging to giving, not greedy for gifts

Compound of 'a' (not), 'dāna' (giving/gift), and 'sakta' (attached/devoted to).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+dāna+sakta)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• dāna – giving, gift
  noun (neuter)
  Root: dā (class 3)
• sakta – attached, devoted, clinging to
  Past Passive Participle (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root 'sañj' (to cling, to be attached).
  Root: sañj (class 7)

सर्वम् (sarvam) - all, every, whole

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

एव (eva) - only, just, indeed, precisely

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

प्रकल्पयेत् (prakalpayet) - should arrange, should offer, should prepare

(verb)

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

Optative Mood, 3rd Person Singular, Causative

Derived from root 'kḷp' (class 1) with upasarga 'pra' in causative stem (kalpaya), optative mood, parasmaipada.

Prefix: pra

Root: kḷp (class 1)

Note: The implied subject is 'one' or 'the person seeking atonement'.

अनास्तिकेषु (anāstikeṣu) - among the non-atheists, among believers

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, plural of anāstika

anāstika - not an atheist, believer, orthodox

Compound of 'an' (not) and 'āstika' (believer). 'āstika' means 'one who believes in existence (of a soul, God, or afterlife), orthodox'.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (an+āstika)

• an – not, un-
  indeclinable
• āstika – believer, orthodox (one who believes in the Vedas, or in an afterlife, etc.)
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from 'asti' (is, exists).

Note: Refers to people who are believers, as opposed to atheists.

गोमात्रम् (gomātram) - a mere cow, only a cow

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of gomātra

gomātra - a mere cow, only a cow

Compound of 'go' (cow) and 'mātra' (measure, only, mere).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (go+mātra)

• go – cow, ox
  noun (feminine)
• mātra – measure, quantity, only, mere
  adjective (neuter)

Note: Emphasizes the perceived smallness or simplicity of a cow, contrasted with its significant value.

प्राणम् (prāṇam) - life, vital breath, life-force

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of prāṇa

prāṇa - life, vital breath, life-force, spirit

From 'pra' + root 'an' (to breathe).

Prefix: pra

Root: an (class 2)

Note: Here, it denotes 'a life' in the sense of a living being.

एकम् (ekam) - one, single, unique

(numeral)

प्रचक्षते (pracakṣate) - they declare, they state, they proclaim

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of cakṣ

Present Tense, 3rd Person Plural

Derived from root 'cakṣ' (class 2 or irregular, often used in middle voice) with upasarga 'pra' in present tense, ātmanepada.

Prefix: pra

Root: cakṣ (class 2)

Note: The implied subject is 'sages' or 'authorities'.