महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-13, chapter-92, verse-12

निवप्ते चाग्निपूर्वे वै निवापे पुरुषर्षभ ।
न ब्रह्मराक्षसास्तं वै निवापं धर्षयन्त्युत ।
रक्षांसि चापवर्तन्ते स्थिते देवे विभावसौ ॥१२॥

12. nivapte cāgnipūrve vai nivāpe puruṣarṣabha ,
na brahmarākṣasāstaṁ vai nivāpaṁ dharṣayantyuta ,
rakṣāṁsi cāpavartante sthite deve vibhāvasau.

12. nivapte ca agni-pūrve vai nivāpe
puruṣarṣabha | na brahma-rākṣasāḥ tam
vai nivāpam dharṣayanti uta | rakṣāṃsi
ca apavartante sthite deve vibhāvasau

12. puruṣarṣabha ca vai agni-pūrve nivapte
nivāpe na brahma-rākṣasāḥ tam
vai nivāpam uta dharṣayanti ca deve
vibhāvasau sthite rakṣāṃsi apavartante

12. O best among men, when the oblation is made, preceded by the fire (ritual), neither the brahmarākṣas (ghosts of Brahmins) nor other demons (rakṣas) dare to violate that offering. And when the radiant deity (Agni) is present, the demons turn away.

Words meanings summery:

• निवप्ते (nivapte) - when the oblation (of the śrāddha) is offered (when an oblation is offered, in the offered oblation)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• अग्नि-पूर्वे (agni-pūrve) - preceded by the fire ritual (preceded by fire, having fire as the first part)

• वै (vai) - indeed, certainly (indeed, certainly, verily)

• निवापे (nivāpe) - in the oblation (made to ancestors) (in the oblation, in the offering)

• पुरुषर्षभ (puruṣarṣabha) - O best among men (epithet for the listener, like a king) (O best among men)

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• ब्रह्म-राक्षसाः (brahma-rākṣasāḥ) - brahmin demons (a specific type of powerful and malevolent demon) (brahmin demons, ghosts of Brahmins)

• तम् (tam) - that (offering) (that (masculine accusative singular))

• वै (vai) - indeed (indeed, certainly, verily)

• निवापम् (nivāpam) - the oblation (oblation, offering)

• धर्षयन्ति (dharṣayanti) - they dare to violate (they violate, they dare, they attack)

• उत (uta) - nor (used here to connect the previous negation) (and, or, also, moreover)

• रक्षांसि (rakṣāṁsi) - demons (evil spirits in general) (demons, evil spirits)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• अपवर्तन्ते (apavartante) - they turn away (they turn away, they recede)

• स्थिते (sthite) - when present (standing, situated, present, firm)

• देवे (deve) - when the deity (Agni) is present (in the god, to the god)

• विभावसौ (vibhāvasau) - when the radiant (Agni) is present (in the bright one, in the radiant one (Agni))

Words meanings and morphology

निवप्ते (nivapte) - when the oblation (of the śrāddha) is offered (when an oblation is offered, in the offered oblation)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine/neuter, singular of nivapta

nivapta - offered, scattered, sown

Past Passive Participle

From root vap- (to sow, scatter) with prefix ni-

Prefix: ni

Root: vap (class 1)

Note: Used as a substantive or participle in locative absolute construction with nivāpe.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction

अग्नि-पूर्वे (agni-pūrve) - preceded by the fire ritual (preceded by fire, having fire as the first part)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine/neuter, singular of agni-pūrva

agni-pūrva - preceded by fire, having fire as the first part

Compound of agni (fire) and pūrva (former, prior)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (agni+pūrva)

• agni – fire, fire deity (Agni)
  noun (masculine)
• pūrva – former, prior, eastern
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Adjective agreeing with nivāpe.

वै (vai) - indeed, certainly (indeed, certainly, verily)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

निवापे (nivāpe) - in the oblation (made to ancestors) (in the oblation, in the offering)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of nivāpa

nivāpa - oblation, offering, scattering

From root vap- (to scatter, sow) with prefix ni-, noun formation

Prefix: ni

Root: vap (class 1)

Note: Locative absolute construction with nivapte.

पुरुषर्षभ (puruṣarṣabha) - O best among men (epithet for the listener, like a king) (O best among men)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of puruṣarṣabha

puruṣarṣabha - best among men, chief of men

Compound of puruṣa (man) and ṛṣabha (bull, chief, best)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (puruṣa+ṛṣabha)

• puruṣa – man, person, male
  noun (masculine)
• ṛṣabha – bull, chief, best, excellent
  noun (masculine)

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Note: Negation particle.

ब्रह्म-राक्षसाः (brahma-rākṣasāḥ) - brahmin demons (a specific type of powerful and malevolent demon) (brahmin demons, ghosts of Brahmins)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of brahma-rākṣasa

brahma-rākṣasa - a brahmin demon, a ghost of a Brahmin

Compound of brahman (Brahmin) and rākṣasa (demon)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (brahman+rākṣasa)

• brahman – Brahmin, sacred knowledge
  noun (masculine)
• rākṣasa – demon, evil spirit
  noun (masculine)

तम् (tam) - that (offering) (that (masculine accusative singular))

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, those

Note: Accusative singular of tad.

वै (vai) - indeed (indeed, certainly, verily)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

निवापम् (nivāpam) - the oblation (oblation, offering)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of nivāpa

nivāpa - oblation, offering, scattering

From root vap- (to scatter, sow) with prefix ni-, noun formation

Prefix: ni

Root: vap (class 1)

Note: Object of dharṣayanti.

धर्षयन्ति (dharṣayanti) - they dare to violate (they violate, they dare, they attack)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of dhṛṣ

Root: dhṛṣ (class 5)

उत (uta) - nor (used here to connect the previous negation) (and, or, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Note: Often used for emphasis or continuation, here to reinforce negation.

रक्षांसि (rakṣāṁsi) - demons (evil spirits in general) (demons, evil spirits)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, plural of rakṣas

rakṣas - demon, evil spirit

Note: s-stem noun.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Conjunction

अपवर्तन्ते (apavartante) - they turn away (they turn away, they recede)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, present (laṭ) of apa-vṛt

From root vṛt- (to turn) with prefix apa-

Prefix: apa

Root: vṛt (class 1)

स्थिते (sthite) - when present (standing, situated, present, firm)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of sthita

sthita - standing, situated, firm, present

Past Passive Participle

From root sthā- (to stand)

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Locative absolute construction with deve vibhāvasau.

देवे (deve) - when the deity (Agni) is present (in the god, to the god)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of deva

deva - god, deity

विभावसौ (vibhāvasau) - when the radiant (Agni) is present (in the bright one, in the radiant one (Agni))

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of vibhāvasu

vibhāvasu - radiant, brilliant; an epithet of Agni

Compound of vi- (intensive prefix) and bhāvasu (radiant, having light/wealth)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (vi+bhāvasu)

• vi – intensive prefix
  indeclinable
• bhāvasu – radiant, brilliant; containing light/wealth
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Adjective agreeing with deve.