महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-259, verse-12

न मूलघातः कर्तव्यो नैष धर्मः सनातनः ।
अपि खल्ववधेनैव प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते ॥१२॥

12. na mūlaghātaḥ kartavyo naiṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ,
api khalvavadhenaiva prāyaścittaṁ vidhīyate.

12. na mūlaghātaḥ kartavyaḥ na eṣaḥ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ
api khalu avadhena eva prāyaścittam vidhīyate

12. na mūlaghātaḥ kartavyaḥ eṣaḥ sanātanaḥ dharmaḥ na
[asti] api khalu avadhena eva prāyaścittam vidhīyate

12. Complete destruction [of an offender] should not be done; this is not the eternal natural law (dharma). Indeed, atonement is prescribed even through non-lethal means.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• मूलघातः (mūlaghātaḥ) - complete destruction [of an offender] (destruction of the root, complete destruction, uprooting)

• कर्तव्यः (kartavyaḥ) - to be done, should be done, ought to be done

• न (na) - not, no

• एषः (eṣaḥ) - this (masculine)

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, righteous conduct, duty)

• सनातनः (sanātanaḥ) - eternal, perpetual, everlasting

• अपि (api) - also, even, and, even if

• खलु (khalu) - indeed, certainly, surely

• अवधेन (avadhena) - by non-killing, without killing, by non-lethal means

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

• प्रायश्चित्तम् (prāyaścittam) - atonement, expiation, penance

• विधीयते (vidhīyate) - is prescribed, is ordained, is laid down

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

मूलघातः (mūlaghātaḥ) - complete destruction [of an offender] (destruction of the root, complete destruction, uprooting)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mūlaghāta

mūlaghāta - destruction of the root, complete destruction, uprooting

Compound formed from mūla (root) and ghāta (killing, striking, destruction)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (mūla+ghāta)

• mūla – root, origin, foundation, base
  noun (neuter)
• ghāta – act of striking, killing, destruction, injury
  noun (masculine)
  derived from root han (to strike, kill)
  Action noun from root han
  Root: han (class 2)

कर्तव्यः (kartavyaḥ) - to be done, should be done, ought to be done

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kartavya

kartavya - to be done, proper to be done, duty

Gerundive / Future Passive Participle

Formed from root kṛ + suffix -tavya

Root: kṛ (class 8)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

एषः (eṣaḥ) - this (masculine)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of etad

etad - this, that

धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - natural law (dharma) (natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, righteous conduct, duty)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, constitution, intrinsic nature, righteous conduct, duty, virtue, justice

From root dhṛ (to uphold, sustain)

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

सनातनः (sanātanaḥ) - eternal, perpetual, everlasting

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sanātana

sanātana - eternal, perpetual, everlasting, ancient

Derived from sanā (always, eternally)

अपि (api) - also, even, and, even if

(indeclinable)

खलु (khalu) - indeed, certainly, surely

(indeclinable)

अवधेन (avadhena) - by non-killing, without killing, by non-lethal means

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of avadha

avadha - non-killing, non-slaughter, immunity from death

Negative compound (nañ-tatpuruṣa) of vadha (killing)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+vadha)

• a – not, un-, non-
  indeclinable
  negating prefix
• vadha – killing, slaughter, striking, injury
  noun (masculine)
  derived from root han (to strike, kill)
  Action noun from root han with v-prefix
  Root: han (class 2)

एव (eva) - only, just, indeed, alone

(indeclinable)

प्रायश्चित्तम् (prāyaścittam) - atonement, expiation, penance

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of prāyaścitta

prāyaścitta - atonement, expiation, penance, religious observance for removal of sin

विधीयते (vidhīyate) - is prescribed, is ordained, is laid down

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of vidhā

Present Passive Indicative

Root dhā with prefix vi, conjugated in present passive, 3rd person singular

Prefix: vi

Root: dhā (class 3)