महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-89, verse-4

मधुदोहं दुहेद्राष्ट्रं भ्रमरान्न विपातयेत् ।
वत्सापेक्षी दुहेच्चैव स्तनांश्च न विकुट्टयेत् ॥४॥

4. madhudohaṁ duhedrāṣṭraṁ bhramarānna vipātayet ,
vatsāpekṣī duheccaiva stanāṁśca na vikuṭṭayet.

4. madhudoham duhet rāṣṭram bhramarān na vipātayet
vatsāpekṣī duhet ca eva stanān ca na vikuṭṭayet

4. rājā madhudoham rāṣṭram duhet bhramarān na vipātayet
ca vatsāpekṣī eva duhet ca stanān na vikuṭṭayet

4. A king should 'milk' the kingdom for revenue like a bee collects honey, without destroying the bees themselves. He should 'milk' the kingdom, keeping in mind the future well-being of the 'calf' (the subjects' prosperity), and he should not injure the 'teats' (the sources of wealth).

Words meanings summery:

• मधुदोहम् (madhudoham) - like a bee collecting honey (metaphorically for revenue collection) (honey-milking, like milking honey)

• दुहेत् (duhet) - should collect revenue (should milk, should draw forth, should extract)

• राष्ट्रम् (rāṣṭram) - kingdom, country, nation

• भ्रमरान् (bhramarān) - bees

• न (na) - not, no

• विपातयेत् (vipātayet) - should not fell, should not destroy, should not cause to fall

• वत्सापेक्षी (vatsāpekṣī) - keeping in mind the subjects' long-term well-being (like a calf for milk) (one desiring the calf, considering the calf)

• दुहेत् (duhet) - should collect revenue (should milk, should draw forth, should extract)

• च (ca) - and

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

• स्तनान् (stanān) - the sources of wealth (metaphorically) (teats, breasts)

• च (ca) - and

• न (na) - not, no

• विकुट्टयेत् (vikuṭṭayet) - should not injure, should not cut, should not break

Words meanings and morphology

मधुदोहम् (madhudoham) - like a bee collecting honey (metaphorically for revenue collection) (honey-milking, like milking honey)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of madhudoha

madhudoha - honey-milking, collection of honey

Tatpuruṣa compound of 'madhu' (honey) and 'doha' (milking/extraction). Used here adverbially in accusative singular.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (madhu+doha)

• madhu – honey, sweet
  noun (neuter)
• doha – milking, drawing forth, extraction
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from the root √duh (to milk)
  Root: duh (class 2)

Note: Functions adverbially.

दुहेत् (duhet) - should collect revenue (should milk, should draw forth, should extract)

(verb)

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

Optative Active

3rd person singular Optative active of the root √duh

Root: duh (class 2)

राष्ट्रम् (rāṣṭram) - kingdom, country, nation

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of rāṣṭra

rāṣṭra - kingdom, country, nation, realm

Neuter noun, accusative singular form

Root: rāj (class 1)

भ्रमरान् (bhramarān) - bees

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of bhramara

bhramara - bee, large black bee

Masculine noun, accusative plural form

Root: bhram (class 1)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Negative particle

विपातयेत् (vipātayet) - should not fell, should not destroy, should not cause to fall

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of vi-pat

Optative Active (Causative stem)

3rd person singular Optative active of the causative stem of the root √pat (to fall) with prefix vi-

Prefix: vi

Root: pat (class 1)

वत्सापेक्षी (vatsāpekṣī) - keeping in mind the subjects' long-term well-being (like a calf for milk) (one desiring the calf, considering the calf)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vatsāpekṣin

vatsāpekṣin - one who desires the calf, considering the calf's needs, expecting the calf

Compound of 'vatsa' (calf) and 'apekṣin' (expecting, considering, desiring). Nominative singular masculine.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vatsa+apekṣin)

• vatsa – calf, young one, child
  noun (masculine)
  Root: vad (class 1)
• apekṣin – expecting, looking for, considering, desiring
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun from the root √īkṣ (to see) with prefix apa and suffix -in
  Prefix: apa
  Root: īkṣ (class 1)

दुहेत् (duhet) - should collect revenue (should milk, should draw forth, should extract)

(verb)

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

Optative Active

3rd person singular Optative active of the root √duh

Root: duh (class 2)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

(indeclinable)

स्तनान् (stanān) - the sources of wealth (metaphorically) (teats, breasts)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of stana

stana - teat, breast, udder

Masculine noun, accusative plural form

Root: stan (class 1)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Negative particle

विकुट्टयेत् (vikuṭṭayet) - should not injure, should not cut, should not break

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of vi-kuṭṭ

Optative Active

3rd person singular Optative active of the root √kuṭṭ (to cut, to pound) with prefix vi-

Prefix: vi

Root: kuṭṭ (class 10)