महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-70, verse-38

अलाभे यो गवां दद्याद्घृतधेनुं यतव्रतः ।
तस्यैता घृतवाहिन्यः क्षरन्ते वत्सला इव ॥३८॥

38. alābhe yo gavāṁ dadyādghṛtadhenuṁ yatavrataḥ ,
tasyaitā ghṛtavāhinyaḥ kṣarante vatsalā iva.

38. alābhe yaḥ gavām dadyāt ghṛtadhenum yatavrataḥ
tasya etāḥ ghṛtavāhinyaḥ kṣarante vatsalāḥ iva

38. yatavrataḥ yaḥ gavām alābhe ghṛtadhenum dadyāt
tasya etāḥ ghṛtavāhinyaḥ vatsalāḥ iva kṣarante

38. A disciplined person who, when cows are unavailable, offers a symbolic ghee-cow (a cow made of ghee), for him, these rivers flowing with ghee stream forth like affectionate cows (to their calves).

Words meanings summery:

• अलाभे (alābhe) - in the absence, in non-attainment, without obtainment

• यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

• गवाम् (gavām) - of cows

• दद्यात् (dadyāt) - may give, should give

• घृतधेनुम् (ghṛtadhenum) - a symbolic cow made of ghee, offered as a ritual donation when actual cows are unavailable (a ghee-cow, a cow made of ghee (symbolic offering))

• यतव्रतः (yatavrataḥ) - a person who is strict in observing their religious vows and practices (disciplined, one who has controlled vows, one who has observed vows)

• तस्य (tasya) - his, to him, for him

• एताः (etāḥ) - these

• घृतवाहिन्यः (ghṛtavāhinyaḥ) - mythical rivers that stream with clarified butter (ghee) (flowing with ghee, ghee-carrying, rivers of ghee)

• क्षरन्ते (kṣarante) - they flow, they drip, they stream forth

• वत्सलाः (vatsalāḥ) - with the affection shown by a mother cow to her calf (affectionate, loving, maternal (like a cow to its calf))

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

Words meanings and morphology

अलाभे (alābhe) - in the absence, in non-attainment, without obtainment

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of alābha

alābha - non-attainment, non-obtainment, absence, loss

a (negation) + lābha (gain/attainment)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+lābha)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  negation prefix
• lābha – gain, acquisition, obtainment
  noun (masculine)
  from root labh
  Root: labh (class 1)

यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ya

ya - who, which, what (relative pronoun)

गवाम् (gavām) - of cows

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, plural of go

go - cow, ox, cattle, earth, ray of light

दद्यात् (dadyāt) - may give, should give

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present optative (vidhiliṅ) of dā

optative mood, present tense

Pāṇini Dhātupāṭha root dā (class 3)

Root: dā (class 3)

घृतधेनुम् (ghṛtadhenum) - a symbolic cow made of ghee, offered as a ritual donation when actual cows are unavailable (a ghee-cow, a cow made of ghee (symbolic offering))

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of ghṛtadhenu

ghṛtadhenu - a cow made of ghee (for ritual donation)

Compound type : karmadhāraya (ghṛta+dhenu)

• ghṛta – ghee, clarified butter
  noun (neuter)
• dhenu – milch cow
  noun (feminine)

यतव्रतः (yatavrataḥ) - a person who is strict in observing their religious vows and practices (disciplined, one who has controlled vows, one who has observed vows)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yatavrata

yatavrata - one who has controlled or restrained vows; diligent in religious observances

past passive participle of yam (yatas) + vrata

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (yata+vrata)

• yata – restrained, controlled, disciplined
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  from root yam (to control)
  Root: yam (class 1)
• vrata – vow, sacred observance, religious duty
  noun (neuter)

Note: Qualifies 'yaḥ' (whoever).

तस्य (tasya) - his, to him, for him

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it (demonstrative pronoun)

Note: Refers to 'yaḥ' (whoever).

एताः (etāḥ) - these

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of etad

etad - this, these (demonstrative pronoun)

Note: Refers to `ghṛtavāhinyaḥ`.

घृतवाहिन्यः (ghṛtavāhinyaḥ) - mythical rivers that stream with clarified butter (ghee) (flowing with ghee, ghee-carrying, rivers of ghee)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of ghṛtavāhinī

ghṛtavāhinī - flowing with ghee, ghee-carrying (often referring to rivers in mythological contexts)

ghṛta (ghee) + vāhinī (stream, river, carrier)

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (ghṛta+vāhinī)

• ghṛta – ghee, clarified butter
  noun (neuter)
• vāhinī – a stream, river; flowing; carrying
  noun (feminine)
  feminine form of vāhin (from root vah + ṇini suffix)
  Root: vah (class 1)

क्षरन्ते (kṣarante) - they flow, they drip, they stream forth

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of kṣar

present tense, middle voice (ātmanepada)

Pāṇini Dhātupāṭha root kṣar (class 1)

Root: kṣar (class 1)

वत्सलाः (vatsalāḥ) - with the affection shown by a mother cow to her calf (affectionate, loving, maternal (like a cow to its calf))

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of vatsala

vatsala - affectionate, tender, loving, fond of (especially of a mother cow for her calf)

from vatsa (calf) + -la (suffix indicating affection)

Note: Qualifies `ghṛtavāhinyaḥ`.

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)