महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-238, verse-18

श्लाघते श्लाघनीयाय प्रशान्ताय तपस्विने ।
इदं प्रियाय पुत्राय शिष्यायानुगताय च ।
रहस्यधर्मं वक्तव्यं नान्यस्मै तु कथंचन ॥१८॥

18. ślāghate ślāghanīyāya praśāntāya tapasvine ,
idaṁ priyāya putrāya śiṣyāyānugatāya ca ,
rahasyadharmaṁ vaktavyaṁ nānyasmai tu kathaṁcana.

18. ślāghate ślāghanīyāya praśāntāya
tapasvine idam priyāya putrāya
śiṣyāya anugatāya ca rahasyadharmam
vaktavyam na anyasmai tu kathaṃcana

18. idam rahasyadharmam ślāghate ślāghanīyāya
praśāntāya tapasvine priyāya
putrāya anugatāya śiṣyāya ca vaktavyam
tu na anyasmai kathaṃcana (vaktavyam)

18. This secret teaching (rahasyadharma) should be imparted to one who is devout, to the praiseworthy, to the tranquil, and to one who practices austerity (tapasvin). It should also be given to a dear son and to a devoted student. However, it should never be told to anyone else by any means.

Words meanings summery:

• श्लाघते (ślāghate) - to one who is devout (or praises, considering the positive context) (to one who praises, to one who is praised)

• श्लाघनीयाय (ślāghanīyāya) - to the praiseworthy (to the praiseworthy, to the laudable)

• प्रशान्ताय (praśāntāya) - to the tranquil (to the tranquil, to the calm)

• तपस्विने (tapasvine) - to one who practices austerity (tapasvin) (to the ascetic, to one practicing austerity)

• इदम् (idam) - this (teaching) (this)

• प्रियाय (priyāya) - to a dear (son) (to the dear, to the beloved)

• पुत्राय (putrāya) - to a son (to the son)

• शिष्याय (śiṣyāya) - to a student (to the student, to the disciple)

• अनुगताय (anugatāya) - to a devoted (student) (to the devoted, to the obedient)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• रहस्यधर्मम् (rahasyadharmam) - this secret teaching (rahasyadharma) (secret doctrine, esoteric teaching, secret law/constitution)

• वक्तव्यम् (vaktavyam) - should be imparted (to be spoken, to be said, should be told)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• अन्यस्मै (anyasmai) - to anyone else (to another, to anyone else)

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

• कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - by any means (in a negative sense, "never") (by any means, in any way, somehow)

Words meanings and morphology

श्लाघते (ślāghate) - to one who is devout (or praises, considering the positive context) (to one who praises, to one who is praised)

(adjective)

Dative, masculine, singular of ślāghant

ślāghant - praising, extolling, boasting, praiseworthy

Present Participle (Ātmanepada)

Derived from √ślāgh

Root: ślāgh (class 1)

Note: Fits the list of dative recipients.

श्लाघनीयाय (ślāghanīyāya) - to the praiseworthy (to the praiseworthy, to the laudable)

(adjective)

Dative, masculine, singular of ślāghanīya

ślāghanīya - praiseworthy, laudable, commendable

Gerundive

Formed from √ślāgh with suffix -anīya

Root: ślāgh (class 1)

प्रशान्ताय (praśāntāya) - to the tranquil (to the tranquil, to the calm)

(adjective)

Dative, masculine, singular of praśānta

praśānta - tranquil, calm, pacified

Past Passive Participle

Derived from pra-√śam

Prefix: pra

Root: śam (class 4)

तपस्विने (tapasvine) - to one who practices austerity (tapasvin) (to the ascetic, to one practicing austerity)

(adjective)

Dative, masculine, singular of tapasvin

tapasvin - practicing austerity, ascetic, pious

Possessive suffix -vin added to tapas

इदम् (idam) - this (teaching) (this)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the teaching being discussed.

प्रियाय (priyāya) - to a dear (son) (to the dear, to the beloved)

(adjective)

Dative, masculine, singular of priya

priya - dear, beloved, pleasing, one's own

Note: Qualifies 'putrāya'.

पुत्राय (putrāya) - to a son (to the son)

(noun)

Dative, masculine, singular of putra

putra - son, child

शिष्याय (śiṣyāya) - to a student (to the student, to the disciple)

(noun)

Dative, masculine, singular of śiṣya

śiṣya - student, pupil, disciple

Gerundive

From root śās (to teach), with suffix -ya (to be taught)

Root: śās (class 2)

अनुगताय (anugatāya) - to a devoted (student) (to the devoted, to the obedient)

(adjective)

Dative, masculine, singular of anugata

anugata - followed, obedient, devoted, conforming

Past Passive Participle

Derived from anu-√gam

Prefix: anu

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'śiṣyāya'.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects the items in the list of worthy recipients.

रहस्यधर्मम् (rahasyadharmam) - this secret teaching (rahasyadharma) (secret doctrine, esoteric teaching, secret law/constitution)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of rahasyadharma

rahasyadharma - secret teaching, esoteric doctrine, hidden principle

Compound type : karmadhāraya (rahasya+dharma)

• rahasya – secret, private, mysterious
  adjective (neuter)
• dharma – constitution, natural law, intrinsic nature, righteousness, duty, religion
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Object of 'vaktavyam'.

वक्तव्यम् (vaktavyam) - should be imparted (to be spoken, to be said, should be told)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vaktavya

vaktavya - to be spoken, to be said, fit to be told

Gerundive

Formed from √vac with suffix -tavya

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Predicate adjective to "idam rahasyadharmam".

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

अन्यस्मै (anyasmai) - to anyone else (to another, to anyone else)

(pronoun)

Dative, masculine, singular of anya

anya - other, another, different

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

(indeclinable)

Note: Indicates a contrast or a shift.

कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - by any means (in a negative sense, "never") (by any means, in any way, somehow)

(indeclinable)