महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-69, verse-31

ब्राह्मणस्वं न हर्तव्यं पुरुषेण विजानता ।
ब्राह्मणस्वं हृतं हन्ति नृगं ब्राह्मणगौरिव ॥३१॥

31. brāhmaṇasvaṁ na hartavyaṁ puruṣeṇa vijānatā ,
brāhmaṇasvaṁ hṛtaṁ hanti nṛgaṁ brāhmaṇagauriva.

31. brāhmaṇasvaṃ na hartavyaṃ puruṣeṇa vijānatā
brāhmaṇasvaṃ hṛtaṃ hanti nṛgaṃ brāhmaṇagau iva

31. vijānatā puruṣeṇa brāhmaṇasvaṃ na hartavyaṃ
hṛtaṃ brāhmaṇasvaṃ brāhmaṇagau iva nṛgaṃ hanti

31. A discerning person should not seize the property of a brahmin. Property belonging to a brahmin, when taken, destroys (the perpetrator), just as the brahmin's cow destroyed King Nṛga.

Words meanings summery:

• ब्राह्मणस्वं (brāhmaṇasvaṁ) - a brahmin's property, wealth of a brahmin

• न (na) - not, no

• हर्तव्यं (hartavyaṁ) - to be stolen, to be taken away

• पुरुषेण (puruṣeṇa) - by a person, by a man

• विजानता (vijānatā) - by one who knows, by a discerning person

• ब्राह्मणस्वं (brāhmaṇasvaṁ) - a brahmin's property, wealth of a brahmin

• हृतं (hṛtaṁ) - taken, stolen

• हन्ति (hanti) - kills, destroys, harms

• नृगं (nṛgaṁ) - King Nṛga, who was cursed for inadvertently giving away a brahmin's cow (King Nṛga)

• ब्राह्मणगौ (brāhmaṇagau) - brahmin's cow

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

Words meanings and morphology

ब्राह्मणस्वं (brāhmaṇasvaṁ) - a brahmin's property, wealth of a brahmin

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of brāhmaṇasva

brāhmaṇasva - property of a brahmin, brahmin's wealth

Compound type : tatpurusha (brāhmaṇa+sva)

• brāhmaṇa – brahmin, priestly class
  noun (masculine)
• sva – one's own, property, wealth
  noun (neuter)

Note: Object of 'hartavyaṃ' (to be taken).

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

हर्तव्यं (hartavyaṁ) - to be stolen, to be taken away

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of hartavya

hartavya - to be seized, to be stolen, to be taken

gerundive

Formed from root √hṛ (to seize, carry) with suffix -tavya

Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Used with 'na' to mean 'should not be taken'.

पुरुषेण (puruṣeṇa) - by a person, by a man

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of puruṣa

puruṣa - person, man, male

Note: Agent of the gerundive 'hartavyaṃ'.

विजानता (vijānatā) - by one who knows, by a discerning person

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of vijānat

vijānat - knowing, discerning, wise

present active participle

Formed from root √jñā (to know) with prefix vi-, and present participle suffix -at

Prefix: vi

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Qualifies 'puruṣeṇa'.

ब्राह्मणस्वं (brāhmaṇasvaṁ) - a brahmin's property, wealth of a brahmin

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of brāhmaṇasva

brāhmaṇasva - property of a brahmin, brahmin's wealth

Compound type : tatpurusha (brāhmaṇa+sva)

• brāhmaṇa – brahmin, priestly class
  noun (masculine)
• sva – one's own, property, wealth
  noun (neuter)

Note: Subject of 'hanti' when qualified by 'hṛtaṃ'.

हृतं (hṛtaṁ) - taken, stolen

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of hṛta

hṛta - taken, seized, stolen, carried away

past passive participle

Formed from root √hṛ (to seize, carry) with suffix -ta

Root: hṛ (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'brāhmaṇasvaṃ'.

हन्ति (hanti) - kills, destroys, harms

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of han

present indicative active 3rd person singular

From root √han (to strike, kill), parasmaipada, 3rd person singular, present tense, active voice

Root: han (class 2)

नृगं (nṛgaṁ) - King Nṛga, who was cursed for inadvertently giving away a brahmin's cow (King Nṛga)

(proper noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of nṛga

nṛga - King Nṛga (a legendary king)

Note: Object of 'hanti'.

ब्राह्मणगौ (brāhmaṇagau) - brahmin's cow

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of brāhmaṇagu

brāhmaṇagu - a brahmin's cow

Compound type : tatpurusha (brāhmaṇa+go)

• brāhmaṇa – brahmin, priestly class
  noun (masculine)
• go – cow, ox
  noun (feminine)

Note: Subject in the simile, before the particle 'iva'.

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle indicating simile.