महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-35, verse-17

प्रगृह्य शस्त्रमायान्तमपि वेदान्तगं रणे ।
जिघांसन्तं निहत्याजौ न तेन ब्रह्महा भवेत् ॥१७॥

17. pragṛhya śastramāyāntamapi vedāntagaṁ raṇe ,
jighāṁsantaṁ nihatyājau na tena brahmahā bhavet.

17. pragṛhya śastram āyāntam api vedāntagāṃ raṇe
jighāṃsantam nihatya ājau na tena brahmahā bhavet

17. api vedāntagāṃ śastram pragṛhya āyāntam jighāṃsantam
raṇe ājau nihatya tena brahmahā na bhavet

17. If one kills in battle an aggressor who, even though versed in the Vedāntas, approaches with a weapon intending to kill, one does not thereby become a killer of a Brahmin (brahmahā).

Words meanings summery:

• प्रगृह्य (pragṛhya) - having grasped (having seized, having grasped, having taken)

• शस्त्रम् (śastram) - weapon (weapon, instrument, sword)

• आयान्तम् (āyāntam) - approaching (aggressor) (approaching, coming)

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

• वेदान्तगां (vedāntagāṁ) - one versed in the Vedāntas (one who has gone to the end of the Vedas, one who is versed in Vedānta, a knower of Vedānta)

• रणे (raṇe) - in battle (in battle, in war)

• जिघांसन्तम् (jighāṁsantam) - intending to kill (wishing to kill, intending to kill)

• निहत्य (nihatya) - having killed (having killed, having struck down)

• आजौ (ājau) - in combat (in battle, in combat)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• तेन (tena) - thereby (by that act) (by that, by him, thereby)

• ब्रह्महा (brahmahā) - a killer of a Brahmin (brahmahā) (killer of a Brahmin, Brahminicide)

• भवेत् (bhavet) - would become, should be (would be, should be, may be)

Words meanings and morphology

प्रगृह्य (pragṛhya) - having grasped (having seized, having grasped, having taken)

(indeclinable)

Gerund (absolutive)

Derived from root `grah` (to seize) with prefix `pra`

Prefix: pra

Root: grah (class 9)

शस्त्रम् (śastram) - weapon (weapon, instrument, sword)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śastra

śastra - weapon, instrument, sword

From root `śas` (to hurt)

Root: śas (class 2)

Note: Also nominative singular neuter, but context demands accusative.

आयान्तम् (āyāntam) - approaching (aggressor) (approaching, coming)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of āyānt

āyānt - approaching, coming

Present active participle

From root `i` (to go) with prefix `ā`

Prefix: ā

Root: i (class 2)

Note: Participle functioning as an adjective for the implied aggressor.

अपि (api) - even if, although (even, also, if)

(indeclinable)

वेदान्तगां (vedāntagāṁ) - one versed in the Vedāntas (one who has gone to the end of the Vedas, one who is versed in Vedānta, a knower of Vedānta)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of vedāntaga

vedāntaga - one who has gone to the end of the Vedas, one who is versed in Vedānta, a knower of Vedānta

Compound of `vedānta` (end of Veda) + `ga` (going, knowing)

Compound type : tatpurusha (vedānta+ga)

• vedānta – end of the Vedas, Vedānta philosophy
  noun (masculine)
• ga – going, moving, knower of, versed in
  adjective (masculine)
  From root `gam` (to go)
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Refers to the aggressor, who is "versed in the Vedāntas".

रणे (raṇe) - in battle (in battle, in war)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of raṇa

raṇa - battle, war, combat

Root: raṇ (class 1)

जिघांसन्तम् (jighāṁsantam) - intending to kill (wishing to kill, intending to kill)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of jighāṃsant

jighāṁsant - wishing to kill, intending to kill

Desiderative present active participle

Desiderative form of root `han` (to strike, kill)

Root: han (class 2)

Note: Participle functioning as an adjective for the implied aggressor.

निहत्य (nihatya) - having killed (having killed, having struck down)

(indeclinable)

Gerund (absolutive)

Derived from root `han` (to kill) with prefix `ni`

Prefix: ni

Root: han (class 2)

आजौ (ājau) - in combat (in battle, in combat)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of āji

āji - battle, fight, combat

Root: aj (class 1)

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

तेन (tena) - thereby (by that act) (by that, by him, thereby)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the act of killing.

ब्रह्महा (brahmahā) - a killer of a Brahmin (brahmahā) (killer of a Brahmin, Brahminicide)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of brahmahan

brahmahan - killer of a Brahmin, Brahminicide

Compound of `brahman` (Brahmin) + `han` (killer)

Compound type : tatpurusha (brahman+han)

• brahman – Brahmin, priest
  noun (masculine)
• han – killer, striker
  noun (masculine)
  Agent noun from root `han` (to kill)
  Root: han (class 2)

Note: Key term for "killer of a Brahmin".

भवेत् (bhavet) - would become, should be (would be, should be, may be)

(verb)

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

Optative mood, third person singular

Parasmaipada

Root: bhū (class 1)