महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-37, verse-35

कपाले यद्वदापः स्युः श्वदृतौ वा यथा पयः ।
आश्रयस्थानदोषेण वृत्तहीने तथा श्रुतम् ॥३५॥

35. kapāle yadvadāpaḥ syuḥ śvadṛtau vā yathā payaḥ ,
āśrayasthānadoṣeṇa vṛttahīne tathā śrutam.

35. kapāle yadvat āpaḥ syuḥ śva-dṛtau vā yathā payaḥ
āśraya-sthāna-doṣeṇa vṛtta-hīne tathā śrutam

35. yadvat kapāle āpaḥ syuḥ vā yathā śva-dṛtau payaḥ
tathā vṛtta-hīne āśraya-sthāna-doṣeṇa śrutam

35. Just as water would be held in a skull, or milk in a dog-skin bag, similarly, sacred knowledge (śrutam) imparted to a person lacking good conduct becomes flawed due to the defect of its recipient (āśraya-sthāna).

Words meanings summery:

• कपाले (kapāle) - in a skull, in a begging bowl

• यद्वत् (yadvat) - just as, in which way

• आपः (āpaḥ) - water

• स्युः (syuḥ) - they might be, may they be

• श्व-दृतौ (śva-dṛtau) - in a dog-skin bag

• वा (vā) - or

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as

• पयः (payaḥ) - milk, water

• आश्रय-स्थान-दोषेण (āśraya-sthāna-doṣeṇa) - due to the fault of the container/recipient

• वृत्त-हीने (vṛtta-hīne) - in a person devoid of good conduct

• तथा (tathā) - similarly, in that way

• श्रुतम् (śrutam) - sacred knowledge (heard (scripture), sacred knowledge, learning)

Words meanings and morphology

कपाले (kapāle) - in a skull, in a begging bowl

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kapāla

kapāla - skull, begging bowl, potsherd

यद्वत् (yadvat) - just as, in which way

(indeclinable)

आपः (āpaḥ) - water

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of ap

ap - water

स्युः (syuḥ) - they might be, may they be

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of as

Root: as (class 2)

श्व-दृतौ (śva-dṛtau) - in a dog-skin bag

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of śva-dṛti

śva-dṛti - dog-skin bag

Compound type : tatpurusha (śvan+dṛti)

• śvan – dog
  noun (masculine)
• dṛti – skin bag, leather bottle
  noun (feminine)

Note: Locative singular of śva-dṛti

वा (vā) - or

(indeclinable)

यथा (yathā) - as, just as

(indeclinable)

पयः (payaḥ) - milk, water

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of payas

payas - milk, water, drink

आश्रय-स्थान-दोषेण (āśraya-sthāna-doṣeṇa) - due to the fault of the container/recipient

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of āśraya-sthāna-doṣa

āśraya-sthāna-doṣa - fault of the container/place of reliance

Compound type : tatpurusha (āśraya+sthāna+doṣa)

• āśraya – refuge, support, container, recipient
  noun (masculine)
  Nomen Agentis
  Derived from ā-śri (to depend on)
  Prefix: ā
  Root: śri (class 1)
• sthāna – place, position, container
  noun (neuter)
  nomen actionis
  Derived from sthā (to stand)
  Root: sthā (class 1)
• doṣa – fault, defect, vice
  noun (masculine)

वृत्त-हीने (vṛtta-hīne) - in a person devoid of good conduct

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of vṛtta-hīna

vṛtta-hīna - devoid of conduct, lacking virtue

Compound type : tatpurusha (vṛtta+hīna)

• vṛtta – conduct, course of life, action
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from vṛt (to be, exist, behave)
  Root: vṛt (class 1)
• hīna – deficient, devoid of, deprived of
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from hā (to abandon, leave)
  Root: hā (class 3)

Note: Qualifies an implied 'person' or 'student'.

तथा (tathā) - similarly, in that way

(indeclinable)

श्रुतम् (śrutam) - sacred knowledge (heard (scripture), sacred knowledge, learning)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śruta

śruta - heard, revealed, scripture, sacred knowledge

Past Passive Participle

Derived from śru (to hear)

Root: śru (class 5)