महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-84, verse-51

धर्मार्थकामज्ञमुपेत्य पृच्छेद्युक्तो गुरुं ब्राह्मणमुत्तमार्थम् ।
निष्ठा कृता तेन यदा सह स्यात्तं तत्र मार्गं प्रणयेदसक्तम् ॥५१॥

51. dharmārthakāmajñamupetya pṛcche;dyukto guruṁ brāhmaṇamuttamārtham ,
niṣṭhā kṛtā tena yadā saha syā;ttaṁ tatra mārgaṁ praṇayedasaktam.

51. dharmārthakāmajñam upetya pṛcchet
yuktaḥ gurum brāhmaṇam uttamārtham
niṣṭhā kṛtā tena yadā saha syāt
tam tatra mārgam praṇayet asaktam

51. yuktaḥ gurum brāhmaṇam dharmārthakāmajñam
uttamārtham upetya pṛcchet
yadā tena kṛtā niṣṭhā saha syāt
tam tatra mārgam asaktam praṇayet

51. One should approach a competent (yukta) teacher (guru), a Brahmin (brāhmaṇa) knowledgeable in natural law (dharma), prosperity, and desires, and inquire about the ultimate goal. When a firm conviction (niṣṭhā) has been established by that teacher, one should then proceed on that path without attachment (asaktam).

Words meanings summery:

• धर्मार्थकामज्ञम् (dharmārthakāmajñam) - knowing natural law, prosperity, and pleasure/desire

• उपेत्य (upetya) - having approached, having gone near

• पृच्छेत् (pṛcchet) - one should ask, he should ask

• युक्तः (yuktaḥ) - competent or focused in the context of a teacher. (connected, joined, engaged, competent, composed, focused)

• गुरुम् (gurum) - teacher, preceptor, respected elder

• ब्राह्मणम् (brāhmaṇam) - Brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class, a learned person

• उत्तमार्थम् (uttamārtham) - concerning the highest goal/purpose

• निष्ठा (niṣṭhā) - firm resolution, conviction, devotion, conclusion

• कृता (kṛtā) - made, done, performed, established

• तेन (tena) - by that teacher (by him, by that)

• यदा (yadā) - when, whenever

• सह (saha) - with, together with

• स्यात् (syāt) - is established or becomes (may be, should be, happens)

• तम् (tam) - that path (that, him)

• तत्र (tatra) - there, in that matter

• मार्गम् (mārgam) - path, way, road

• प्रणयेत् (praṇayet) - one should proceed (one should lead, one should proceed, one should apply)

• असक्तम् (asaktam) - unattached, unhindered, without impediment

Words meanings and morphology

धर्मार्थकामज्ञम् (dharmārthakāmajñam) - knowing natural law, prosperity, and pleasure/desire

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharmārthakāmajña

dharmārthakāmajña - one who knows natural law, prosperity, and desire

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dharma+artha+kāma+jña)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, prosperity
  noun (masculine)
  Root: arth (class 10)
• kāma – desire, pleasure, love
  noun (masculine)
  Root: kam (class 1)
• jña – knower, understanding
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root jñā (to know)
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Refers to the teacher (guru/brāhmaṇa).

उपेत्य (upetya) - having approached, having gone near

(indeclinable)

absolutive / gerund

Formed from upa + root i + suffix tya.

Prefix: upa

Root: i (class 2)

पृच्छेत् (pṛcchet) - one should ask, he should ask

(verb)

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

optative mood, 3rd person singular

From root prac (to ask), changed to pṛcch in present stem.

Root: prac (class 6)

Note: Expresses command, request, or possibility.

युक्तः (yuktaḥ) - competent or focused in the context of a teacher. (connected, joined, engaged, competent, composed, focused)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yukta

yukta - joined, yoked, engaged, competent, proper

Past Passive Participle

From root yuj (to join, to yoke).

Root: yuj (class 7)

Note: Qualifies guru.

गुरुम् (gurum) - teacher, preceptor, respected elder

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of guru

guru - teacher, spiritual guide, heavy, important

Note: Object of upetya and pṛcchet.

ब्राह्मणम् (brāhmaṇam) - Brahmin, one belonging to the priestly class, a learned person

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, related to Brahman, sacred text

Derived from brahman.

Note: In apposition to gurum.

उत्तमार्थम् (uttamārtham) - concerning the highest goal/purpose

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of uttamārtha

uttamārtha - highest purpose, ultimate goal

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (uttama+artha)

• uttama – highest, best, supreme
  adjective (masculine)
• artha – purpose, meaning, goal, wealth
  noun (masculine)
  Root: arth (class 10)

Note: Object of inquiry.

निष्ठा (niṣṭhā) - firm resolution, conviction, devotion, conclusion

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of niṣṭhā

niṣṭhā - firm resolution, devotion, completion, conclusion

From root sthā with ni.

Prefix: ni

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Subject of syāt.

कृता (kṛtā) - made, done, performed, established

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kṛta

kṛta - done, made, accomplished, established

Past Passive Participle

From root kṛ (to do, to make).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

तेन (tena) - by that teacher (by him, by that)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the guru.

यदा (yadā) - when, whenever

(indeclinable)

Note: Temporal conjunction.

सह (saha) - with, together with

(indeclinable)

स्यात् (syāt) - is established or becomes (may be, should be, happens)

(verb)

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

optative mood, 3rd person singular

From root as (to be).

Root: as (class 2)

तम् (tam) - that path (that, him)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

तत्र (tatra) - there, in that matter

(indeclinable)

मार्गम् (mārgam) - path, way, road

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mārga

mārga - path, way, road, course

Root: mṛg (class 10)

Note: Object of praṇayet.

प्रणयेत् (praṇayet) - one should proceed (one should lead, one should proceed, one should apply)

(verb)

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

optative mood, 3rd person singular

From pra + root nī (to lead). ṇ for n due to retroflexion rule.

Prefix: pra

Root: nī (class 1)

असक्तम् (asaktam) - unattached, unhindered, without impediment

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of asakta

asakta - unattached, unhindered, independent

Past Passive Participle (with negative prefix)

Formed from a (negative prefix) + sakta (from root sañj, to cling, to be attached).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+sakta)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• sakta – attached, clinging, devoted
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root sañj (to cling)
  Root: sañj (class 7)

Note: Adverbial usage, describing how one should proceed.