महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-44, verse-50

देवरं प्रविशेत्कन्या तप्येद्वापि महत्तपः ।
तमेवानुव्रता भूत्वा पाणिग्राहस्य नाम सा ॥५०॥

50. devaraṁ praviśetkanyā tapyedvāpi mahattapaḥ ,
tamevānuvratā bhūtvā pāṇigrāhasya nāma sā.

50. devaram praviśet kanyā tapyet vā api mahat tapaḥ
tam eva anuvratā bhūtvā pāṇigrāhasya nāma sā

50. kanyā devaram praviśet vā api mahat tapaḥ tapyet
tam eva anuvratā bhūtvā sā pāṇigrāhasya nāma

50. A woman should either marry her husband's brother or undertake great asceticism (tapas). Having become solely devoted to her husband, she remains known by his name.

Words meanings summery:

• देवरम् (devaram) - her husband's brother (brother-in-law (husband's brother))

• प्रविशेत् (praviśet) - should marry, should take (as husband) (should enter, should go into)

• कन्या (kanyā) - a woman (e.g., widow, or one whose marriage is in question) (maiden, girl, daughter, young woman)

• तप्येत् (tapyet) - should undertake (perform) asceticism (tapas) (should perform penance, should suffer, should burn)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

• अपि (api) - (emphasizes the alternative) (also, even, too)

• महत् (mahat) - great (great, large, important)

• तपः (tapaḥ) - asceticism (tapas) (asceticism, penance, heat)

• तम् (tam) - him (her husband) (him, that (masculine))

• एव (eva) - solely, exclusively (indeed, only, certainly)

• अनुव्रता (anuvratā) - devoted (to him) (devoted, obedient, conforming to a vow)

• भूत्वा (bhūtvā) - having become (having been, having become)

• पाणिग्राहस्य (pāṇigrāhasya) - of her husband (of the hand-taker, of the husband)

• नाम (nāma) - name

• सा (sā) - she (the woman/kanyā) (she, that (feminine))

Words meanings and morphology

देवरम् (devaram) - her husband's brother (brother-in-law (husband's brother))

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of devara

devara - husband's brother, brother-in-law

Note: Object of 'praviśet', implying 'marry'.

प्रविशेत् (praviśet) - should marry, should take (as husband) (should enter, should go into)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of viś

Optative Mood

Prefix: pra

Root: viś (class 6)

Note: Used here in the sense of 'to enter into a relationship', i.e., marriage.

कन्या (kanyā) - a woman (e.g., widow, or one whose marriage is in question) (maiden, girl, daughter, young woman)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kanyā

kanyā - maiden, girl, daughter, young woman

Note: Subject of 'praviśet' and 'tapyet'.

तप्येत् (tapyet) - should undertake (perform) asceticism (tapas) (should perform penance, should suffer, should burn)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, ātmanepada, optative (liṅ) of tap

Optative Mood (ātmanepada)

Root: tap (class 1)

Note: Used with 'tapaḥ' to mean 'perform penance'.

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction indicating choice.

अपि (api) - (emphasizes the alternative) (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle intensifying the alternative.

महत् (mahat) - great (great, large, important)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, vast, mighty

Note: Agrees with 'tapaḥ'.

तपः (tapaḥ) - asceticism (tapas) (asceticism, penance, heat)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - heat, religious austerity, asceticism, penance

Derived from root √tap (to heat, to perform penance)

Root: tap (class 1)

Note: Object of 'tapyet'.

तम् (tam) - him (her husband) (him, that (masculine))

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, those

Note: Refers to the (first) husband.

एव (eva) - solely, exclusively (indeed, only, certainly)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

अनुव्रता (anuvratā) - devoted (to him) (devoted, obedient, conforming to a vow)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of anuvrata

anuvrata - following a vow, devoted, obedient, faithful

Compound: anu (after) + vrata (vow)

Compound type : tatpurusha (anu+vrata)

• anu – after, along, following (prefix)
  indeclinable
• vrata – vow, sacred practice, observance
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with the implied subject, 'kanyā'.

भूत्वा (bhūtvā) - having become (having been, having become)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive/Gerund

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Indicates prior action.

पाणिग्राहस्य (pāṇigrāhasya) - of her husband (of the hand-taker, of the husband)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of pāṇigrāha

pāṇigrāha - hand-taker, husband (one who takes the hand in marriage)

Compound: pāṇi (hand) + grāha (taker)

Compound type : tatpurusha (pāṇi+grāha)

• pāṇi – hand
  noun (masculine)
• grāha – taker, seizure
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root √grah (to seize, take)
  Root: grah (class 9)

Note: Possessive case modifying 'nāma'.

नाम (nāma) - name

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of nāman

nāman - name, appellation

Note: Predicate nominative with implied 'asti'.

सा (sā) - she (the woman/kanyā) (she, that (feminine))

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of tad

tad - that, those

Note: Subject of the implied 'asti' and refers back to 'kanyā'.