महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-86, verse-18

ततः साक्षिबलं साधु द्वैधे वादकृतं भवेत् ।
असाक्षिकमनाथं वा परीक्ष्यं तद्विशेषतः ॥१८॥

18. tataḥ sākṣibalaṁ sādhu dvaidhe vādakṛtaṁ bhavet ,
asākṣikamanāthaṁ vā parīkṣyaṁ tadviśeṣataḥ.

18. tataḥ sākṣibalam sādhu dvaidhe vādakṛtam bhavet
asākṣikam anātham vā parīkṣyam tat viśeṣataḥ

18. tataḥ dvaidhe vādakṛtam sākṣibalam sādhu bhavet
asākṣikam vā anātham tat viśeṣataḥ parīkṣyam

18. Therefore, in a contentious legal dispute, the evidence provided by witnesses should be considered valid. A case lacking witnesses or one involving a helpless party should be investigated with particular care.

Words meanings summery:

• ततः (tataḥ) - therefore (then, therefore, from that)

• साक्षिबलम् (sākṣibalam) - evidence provided by witnesses (strength of witnesses, evidence of witnesses)

• साधु (sādhu) - valid, proper (good, proper, valid, virtuous)

• द्वैधे (dvaidhe) - in a contentious legal dispute (in doubt, in a dispute, in a case of two sides)

• वादकृतम् (vādakṛtam) - related to a legal dispute (caused by a dispute, made into a lawsuit)

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

• असाक्षिकम् (asākṣikam) - a case lacking witnesses (without witnesses, un-witnessed)

• अनाथम् (anātham) - involving a helpless party (helpless, without a protector)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either...or)

• परीक्ष्यम् (parīkṣyam) - should be investigated (to be examined, should be investigated)

• तत् (tat) - that (case/matter) (that, it)

• विशेषतः (viśeṣataḥ) - with particular care (especially, particularly, distinctively)

Words meanings and morphology

ततः (tataḥ) - therefore (then, therefore, from that)

(indeclinable)

ablative of tad, used as an adverb

साक्षिबलम् (sākṣibalam) - evidence provided by witnesses (strength of witnesses, evidence of witnesses)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sākṣibala

sākṣibala - power of witnesses, strength of evidence

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sākṣin+bala)

• sākṣin – a witness
  noun (masculine)
• bala – strength, power, force, evidence
  noun (neuter)

साधु (sādhu) - valid, proper (good, proper, valid, virtuous)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sādhu

sādhu - good, virtuous, proper, valid, righteous

Note: Acts as an adjective qualifying 'sākṣibalam' implicitly, therefore neuter nominative singular.

द्वैधे (dvaidhe) - in a contentious legal dispute (in doubt, in a dispute, in a case of two sides)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of dvaidha

dvaidha - doubt, uncertainty, two-fold state, dispute, dissension

derived from dvi (two)

वादकृतम् (vādakṛtam) - related to a legal dispute (caused by a dispute, made into a lawsuit)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vādakṛta

vādakṛta - caused by a dispute, made into a lawsuit

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vāda+kṛta)

• vāda – discussion, dispute, lawsuit, contention
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vad (class 1)
• kṛta – done, made, caused
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  from root kṛ (to do, make)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Qualifies `dvaidhe` or the implied 'case'.

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

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of bhū

Optative Mood, Third Person Singular

Root: bhū (class 1)

असाक्षिकम् (asākṣikam) - a case lacking witnesses (without witnesses, un-witnessed)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of asākṣika

asākṣika - without witnesses, un-witnessed

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+sākṣin)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
• sākṣika – having witnesses, attested
  adjective (masculine)
  from sākṣin + ika

Note: Qualifies 'case' (implied).

अनाथम् (anātham) - involving a helpless party (helpless, without a protector)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anātha

anātha - without a master, helpless, unprotected

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+nātha)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
• nātha – master, lord, protector, refuge
  noun (masculine)

Note: Qualifies 'case' (implied).

वा (vā) - or (or, either...or)

(indeclinable)

परीक्ष्यम् (parīkṣyam) - should be investigated (to be examined, should be investigated)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of parīkṣya

parīkṣya - to be examined, to be investigated, examinable

Gerundive

from root īkṣ with prefix pari, suffix -ya

Prefix: pari

Root: īkṣ (class 1)

Note: Functions as a predicate adjective, implying 'it should be investigated'.

तत् (tat) - that (case/matter) (that, it)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

Note: Refers to the implied 'case'.

विशेषतः (viśeṣataḥ) - with particular care (especially, particularly, distinctively)

(indeclinable)

suffix -tas indicates 'from, in respect of'