महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-46, verse-17

गृहस्थो ब्रह्मचारी च वानप्रस्थोऽथ वा पुनः ।
य इच्छेन्मोक्षमास्थातुमुत्तमां वृत्तिमाश्रयेत् ॥१७॥

17. gṛhastho brahmacārī ca vānaprastho'tha vā punaḥ ,
ya icchenmokṣamāsthātumuttamāṁ vṛttimāśrayet.

17. gṛhasthaḥ brahmacārī ca vānaprasthaḥ atha vā punaḥ
yaḥ icchet mokṣam āsthātum uttamām vṛttim āśrayet

17. gṛhasthaḥ brahmacārī ca vānaprasthaḥ atha vā punaḥ
yaḥ mokṣam āsthātum icchet uttamām vṛttim āśrayet

17. Whether one is a householder, a student (brahmacārī), or a forest-dweller (vānaprastha), whoever desires to attain final liberation (mokṣa) should adopt the highest mode of conduct.

Words meanings summery:

• गृहस्थः (gṛhasthaḥ) - householder

• ब्रह्मचारी (brahmacārī) - celibate student

• च (ca) - and, also

• वानप्रस्थः (vānaprasthaḥ) - forest-dweller, hermit

• अथ (atha) - now, then, moreover

• वा (vā) - or, either

• पुनः (punaḥ) - again, moreover, but

• यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

• इच्छेत् (icchet) - desires, wishes

• मोक्षम् (mokṣam) - final liberation (liberation, freedom, release)

• आस्थातुम् (āsthātum) - to attain, to establish oneself in, to resort to

• उत्तमाम् (uttamām) - highest, excellent, best

• वृत्तिम् (vṛttim) - conduct, mode of life, behavior

• आश्रयेत् (āśrayet) - should resort to, should adopt, should take refuge in

Words meanings and morphology

गृहस्थः (gṛhasthaḥ) - householder

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of gṛhastha

gṛhastha - householder, one dwelling in a house, a person in the second stage of life (āśrama)

Compound: gṛha (house) + stha (standing, abiding).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (gṛha+stha)

• gṛha – house, home
  noun (neuter)
• stha – standing, situated, dwelling, abiding
  adjective (masculine)
  From root sthā (to stand).
  Root: sthā (class 1)

ब्रह्मचारी (brahmacārī) - celibate student

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of brahmacārin

brahmacārin - a religious student, one who observes chastity, a person in the first stage of life (āśrama)

Compound of brahman (Veda/sacred knowledge) + carin (one who moves/practices).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (brahman+cārin)

• brahman – sacred knowledge, Veda, ultimate reality
  noun (neuter)
• cārin – walking, going, practicing, observing
  adjective (masculine)
  From root car (to move, practice).
  Root: car (class 1)

Note: Long 'ī' due to being a noun derived with iṇi or similar suffix.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

वानप्रस्थः (vānaprasthaḥ) - forest-dweller, hermit

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vānaprastha

vānaprastha - forest-dweller, hermit, a person in the third stage of life (āśrama)

Compound: vana (forest) + prastha (standing, situated in).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vana+prastha)

• vana – forest, wood
  noun (neuter)
• prastha – standing, situated, residing, going forth
  adjective (masculine)
  From pra-sthā (to go forth, stand)
  Prefix: pra
  Root: sthā (class 1)

अथ (atha) - now, then, moreover

(indeclinable)

वा (vā) - or, either

(indeclinable)

पुनः (punaḥ) - again, moreover, but

(indeclinable)

Note: Sandhi form of punar.

यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what (relative pronoun)

इच्छेत् (icchet) - desires, wishes

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of iṣ

Optative Mood, 3rd Person Singular

From root iṣ (to wish) in the icch form.

Root: iṣ (class 6)

मोक्षम् (mokṣam) - final liberation (liberation, freedom, release)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mokṣa

mokṣa - liberation, release, emancipation, final beatitude

From root muc (to release) + sa suffix.

Root: muc (class 6)

आस्थातुम् (āsthātum) - to attain, to establish oneself in, to resort to

(infinitive)

उत्तमाम् (uttamām) - highest, excellent, best

(adjective)

Accusative, feminine, singular of uttama

uttama - highest, best, excellent, supreme

Superlative of ud (up) or from ut + tama.

Note: Agrees with vṛttim.

वृत्तिम् (vṛttim) - conduct, mode of life, behavior

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of vṛtti

vṛtti - mode of life, course of conduct, livelihood, existence

From root vṛt (to be, exist, turn).

Root: vṛt (class 1)

आश्रयेत् (āśrayet) - should resort to, should adopt, should take refuge in

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of āśray

Optative Mood, 3rd Person Singular

From ā-śrī (to resort to, lean upon).

Prefix: ā

Root: śrī (class 1)