महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-107, verse-37

शिरःस्नातश्च तैलेन नाङ्गं किंचिदुपस्पृशेत् ।
तिलपिष्टं न चाश्नीयात्तथायुर्विन्दते महत् ॥३७॥

37. śiraḥsnātaśca tailena nāṅgaṁ kiṁcidupaspṛśet ,
tilapiṣṭaṁ na cāśnīyāttathāyurvindate mahat.

37. śiraḥsnātaḥ ca tailena na aṅgam kiñcit upaspr̥śet
tilapiṣṭam na ca aśnīyāt tathā āyuḥ vindate mahat

37. śiraḥsnātaḥ ca tailena kiñcit aṅgam na upaspr̥śet
ca tilapiṣṭam na aśnīyāt tathā mahat āyuḥ vindate

37. A person who has bathed their head with oil should not touch any part of their body. They should also not eat sesame paste. By following these rules, one obtains a long life.

Words meanings summery:

• शिरःस्नातः (śiraḥsnātaḥ) - bathed in the head, one who has bathed their head

• च (ca) - and, also

• तैलेन (tailena) - by oil, with oil

• न (na) - not

• अङ्गम् (aṅgam) - body, limb, part

• किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - anything, something

• उपस्प्र्̥शेत् (upaspr̥śet) - should touch

• तिलपिष्टम् (tilapiṣṭam) - sesame paste

• न (na) - not

• च (ca) - and, also

• अश्नीयात् (aśnīyāt) - should eat

• तथा (tathā) - By following these rules (thus, in that way, accordingly)

• आयुः (āyuḥ) - life, lifespan

• विन्दते (vindate) - obtains, finds

• महत् (mahat) - great, large, long

Words meanings and morphology

शिरःस्नातः (śiraḥsnātaḥ) - bathed in the head, one who has bathed their head

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śiraḥsnāta

śiraḥsnāta - one who has bathed their head

Compound of śiras (head) and snāta (bathed).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śiras+snāta)

• śiras – head
  noun (neuter)
• snāta – bathed, having bathed
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root snā- 'to bathe'.
  Root: snā (class 2)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

तैलेन (tailena) - by oil, with oil

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of taila

taila - oil

Derived from tila (sesame)

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

अङ्गम् (aṅgam) - body, limb, part

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of aṅga

aṅga - limb, body, part

किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - anything, something

(indeclinable)

From kim + cit

Note: Here used to emphasize 'any part'.

उपस्प्र्̥शेत् (upaspr̥śet) - should touch

(verb)

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

Optative mood

Root spṛś with upasarga upa-

Prefix: upa

Root: spṛś (class 6)

Note: The prefix upasarga `upa` implies 'near' or 'closely'.

तिलपिष्टम् (tilapiṣṭam) - sesame paste

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tilapiṣṭa

tilapiṣṭa - sesame paste, ground sesame

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tila+piṣṭa)

• tila – sesame seed
  noun (masculine)
• piṣṭa – ground, pounded, paste
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root piṣ- 'to grind, pound'.
  Root: piṣ (class 7)

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

अश्नीयात् (aśnīyāt) - should eat

(verb)

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

Optative mood

Root aś- (class 9)

Root: aś (class 9)

तथा (tathā) - By following these rules (thus, in that way, accordingly)

(indeclinable)

आयुः (āyuḥ) - life, lifespan

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of āyus

āyus - life, vitality, lifespan

विन्दते (vindate) - obtains, finds

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present indicative (laṭ) of vid

Present indicative

Root vid- (class 6, middle voice)

Root: vid (class 6)

Note: The root `vid` has several meanings and conjugations depending on the class and voice. Here it means 'to obtain' (class 6).

महत् (mahat) - great, large, long

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, vast, long

Note: Used here in the sense of 'long' when referring to lifespan.