महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-94, verse-20

महाभाग कथं यज्ञेष्वागमो नृपते स्मृतः ।
यष्टव्यं पशुभिर्मेध्यैरथो बीजैरजैरपि ॥२०॥

20. mahābhāga kathaṁ yajñeṣvāgamo nṛpate smṛtaḥ ,
yaṣṭavyaṁ paśubhirmedhyairatho bījairajairapi.

20. mahābhāga katham yajñeṣu āgamaḥ nṛpate smṛtaḥ
yaṣṭavyam paśubhiḥ medhyaiḥ atho bījaiḥ ajaiḥ api

20. O glorious one, King, how is the proper procedure (āgama) remembered for Vedic rituals (yajñas)? Should the Vedic ritual (yajña) be performed with pure animals, or alternatively, with seeds, or even with goats?

Words meanings summery:

• महाभाग (mahābhāga) - O great one, O glorious one, O fortunate one

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner, why

• यज्ञेषु (yajñeṣu) - in Vedic rituals, in sacrifices, in worships

• आगमः (āgamaḥ) - the proper procedure, the traditional rule (coming, approach, tradition, sacred text, injunction, method)

• नृपते (nṛpate) - O King, O ruler

• स्मृतः (smṛtaḥ) - remembered, enjoined, prescribed, considered

• यष्टव्यम् (yaṣṭavyam) - that which should be sacrificed/worshipped, one should perform Vedic ritual

• पशुभिः (paśubhiḥ) - by animals, with animals, with cattle

• मेध्यैः (medhyaiḥ) - pure, sacred, fit for sacrifice, suitable for a Vedic ritual

• अथो (atho) - or alternatively (and, moreover, or, alternatively)

• बीजैः (bījaiḥ) - by seeds, with seeds, with germs

• अजैः (ajaiḥ) - with goats (as sacrificial offerings) (by goats, by the unborn/unproduced)

• अपि (api) - also, even, too

Words meanings and morphology

महाभाग (mahābhāga) - O great one, O glorious one, O fortunate one

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of mahābhāga

mahābhāga - great-fated, glorious, noble, highly fortunate

Compound type : bahuvrīhi/tatpuruṣa (mahat+bhāga)

• mahat – great, large, important
  adjective
• bhāga – share, portion, fortune, destiny
  noun (masculine)

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner, why

(indeclinable)

यज्ञेषु (yajñeṣu) - in Vedic rituals, in sacrifices, in worships

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of yajña

yajña - Vedic ritual, sacrifice, worship

Derived from root \u221Ayaj (to worship, sacrifice)

Root: yaj (class 1)

आगमः (āgamaḥ) - the proper procedure, the traditional rule (coming, approach, tradition, sacred text, injunction, method)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of āgama

āgama - approach, arrival, tradition, sacred doctrine, injunction

Derived from root \u221Agam with prefix \u0101

Prefix: ā

Root: gam (class 1)

नृपते (nṛpate) - O King, O ruler

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of nṛpati

nṛpati - king, lord of men

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nṛ+pati)

• nṛ – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• pati – lord, master, husband
  noun (masculine)

स्मृतः (smṛtaḥ) - remembered, enjoined, prescribed, considered

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of smṛta

smṛta - remembered, recalled, prescribed, enjoined

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root \u221Asmṛ with suffix -ta

Root: smṛ (class 1)

यष्टव्यम् (yaṣṭavyam) - that which should be sacrificed/worshipped, one should perform Vedic ritual

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of yaṣṭavya

yaṣṭavya - to be worshipped or sacrificed

Gerundive

Derived from root \u221Ayaj with suffix -tavya

Root: yaj (class 1)

Note: Implies "it should be offered/sacrificed."

पशुभिः (paśubhiḥ) - by animals, with animals, with cattle

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of paśu

paśu - animal, beast, cattle

मेध्यैः (medhyaiḥ) - pure, sacred, fit for sacrifice, suitable for a Vedic ritual

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of medhya

medhya - pure, sacred, fit for sacrifice, pure for a Vedic ritual

Root: medh

Note: Agrees with paśubhiḥ.

अथो (atho) - or alternatively (and, moreover, or, alternatively)

(indeclinable)

Note: Sandhi of atha + u.

बीजैः (bījaiḥ) - by seeds, with seeds, with germs

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of bīja

bīja - seed, germ, origin, element

अजैः (ajaiḥ) - with goats (as sacrificial offerings) (by goats, by the unborn/unproduced)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of aja

aja - goat, unborn, not born, primordial

Derived from root \u221Ajan (to be born) with negation a-

Compound type : negation tatpuruṣa (a+ja)

• a – not, non
  indeclinable
• ja – born, produced
  adjective
  Derived from root \u221Ajan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Here 'goats' is more probable due to being a sacrificial animal, parallel to 'paśubhiḥ'.

अपि (api) - also, even, too

(indeclinable)