महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-65, verse-8

त्रैविद्यानां या गतिर्ब्राह्मणानां यश्चैवोक्तोऽथाश्रमो ब्राह्मणानाम् ।
एतत्कर्म ब्राह्मणस्याहुरग्र्यमन्यत्कुर्वञ्शूद्रवच्छस्त्रवध्यः ॥८॥

8. traividyānāṁ yā gatirbrāhmaṇānāṁ; yaścaivokto'thāśramo brāhmaṇānām ,
etatkarma brāhmaṇasyāhuragrya;manyatkurvañśūdravacchastravadhyaḥ.

8. traividyānām yā gatiḥ brāhmaṇānām yaḥ
ca eva uktaḥ atha āśramaḥ brāhmaṇānām
etat karma brāhmaṇasya āhuḥ agryam
anyat kurvan śūdravat śastravadhyaḥ

8. traividyānām brāhmaṇānām yā gatiḥ ca
atha brāhmaṇānām yaḥ eva āśramaḥ
uktaḥ etat karma brāhmaṇasya agryam āhuḥ
anyat kurvan śūdravat śastravadhyaḥ

8. They declare this action (karma) to be foremost for a Brahmin: that path (gati) meant for those proficient in the three Vedas and that way of life (āśrama) which is also stated for Brahmins. A Brahmin who performs any other action (karma) is considered like a śūdra and deserves death by weapons.

Words meanings summery:

• त्रैविद्यानाम् (traividyānām) - of those knowing the three Vedas

• या (yā) - which, who

• गतिः (gatiḥ) - path (gati) (path, course, movement, state, destiny)

• ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brahmins

• यः (yaḥ) - who, which

• च (ca) - and, also

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

• उक्तः (uktaḥ) - said, spoken, declared

• अथ (atha) - then, now, thereupon, moreover

• आश्रमः (āśramaḥ) - way of life (āśrama) (way of life, stage of life, diligent effort, hermitage)

• ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brahmins

• एतत् (etat) - this

• कर्म (karma) - action (karma) (action, deed, duty, ritual)

• ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of a Brahmin

• आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare, they speak

• अग्र्यम् (agryam) - foremost, principal, best, excellent

• अन्यत् (anyat) - other, different, another

• कुर्वन् (kurvan) - doing, performing, making

• शूद्रवत् (śūdravat) - like a śūdra, in the manner of a śūdra

• शस्त्रवध्यः (śastravadhyaḥ) - punishable by weapons, worthy of death by arms

Words meanings and morphology

त्रैविद्यानाम् (traividyānām) - of those knowing the three Vedas

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of traividya

traividya - one who knows the three Vedas, pertaining to the three Vedas

derived from 'tri' (three) and 'vidyā' (knowledge, especially Vedic knowledge)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (tri+vidyā)

• tri – three
  numeral
• vidyā – knowledge, learning, science
  noun (feminine)
  from root √vid (to know)
  Root: vid (class 2)

या (yā) - which, who

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of yad

yad - which, who, what

relative pronoun

Note: Agrees with 'gatiḥ'

गतिः (gatiḥ) - path (gati) (path, course, movement, state, destiny)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of gati

gati - path, course, movement, going, state, condition, destiny, means of attaining

from root √gam (to go)

Root: gam (class 1)

ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brahmins

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, related to Brahman, belonging to the priestly class

derived from 'brahman' (ultimate reality, sacred knowledge)

यः (yaḥ) - who, which

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, who, what

relative pronoun

Note: Agrees with 'āśramaḥ'

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

conjunctive particle

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

(indeclinable)

उक्तः (uktaḥ) - said, spoken, declared

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ukta

ukta - said, spoken, declared, mentioned

Past Passive Participle

from √vac (to speak, say)

Root: vac (class 2)

Note: Agrees with 'āśramaḥ'

अथ (atha) - then, now, thereupon, moreover

(indeclinable)

particle indicating commencement, sequence, or emphasis

आश्रमः (āśramaḥ) - way of life (āśrama) (way of life, stage of life, diligent effort, hermitage)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of āśrama

āśrama - stage of life, way of life, hermitage, proper conduct, diligent effort

derived from √śram with ā-prefix, meaning 'to toil towards', 'to strive for'

Prefix: ā

Root: śram (class 4)

ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brahmins

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, related to Brahman, belonging to the priestly class

derived from 'brahman' (ultimate reality, sacred knowledge)

एतत् (etat) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, these

demonstrative pronoun

Note: Agrees with 'karma'

कर्म (karma) - action (karma) (action, deed, duty, ritual)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of karma

karma - action, deed, work, duty, ritual, fate, consequence of actions

from root √kṛ (to do, make)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of a Brahmin

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, related to Brahman, belonging to the priestly class

derived from 'brahman' (ultimate reality, sacred knowledge)

आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say, they declare, they speak

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of ah

Present Active Indicative

irregular verb; often used in the 3rd person singular and plural

Root: ah (class 2)

अग्र्यम् (agryam) - foremost, principal, best, excellent

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of agrya

agrya - foremost, principal, excellent, chief, best

derived from 'agra' (front, tip, chief)

अन्यत् (anyat) - other, different, another

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of anya

anya - other, another, different, distinct

कुर्वन् (kurvan) - doing, performing, making

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kṛ

kṛ - to do, to make, to perform

Present Active Participle

from √kṛ (class 8)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

शूद्रवत् (śūdravat) - like a śūdra, in the manner of a śūdra

(indeclinable)

'vat' suffix denotes 'like, similar to'

Note: Functions as an adverb modifying 'śastravadhyaḥ'

शस्त्रवध्यः (śastravadhyaḥ) - punishable by weapons, worthy of death by arms

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śastravadhya

śastravadhya - worthy of being killed with weapons, punishable by weapons

Gerundive

Compound of 'śastra' (weapon) and 'vadhya' (to be killed, worthy of death)

Compound type : tatpurusha (śastra+vadhya)

• śastra – weapon, arm, knife
  noun (neuter)
  from root √śas (to cut, kill)
  Root: śas (class 1)
• vadhya – to be killed, worthy of death, punishable
  adjective (masculine)
  Gerundive/Future Passive Participle
  from √vadh (to kill)
  Root: vadh (class 1)

Note: Qualifies an implied 'brāhmaṇaḥ'