महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-14, chapter-96, verse-5

जिज्ञासुस्तमृषिश्रेष्ठं किं कुर्याद्विप्रिये कृते ।
इति संचिन्त्य दुर्मेधा धर्षयामास तत्पयः ॥५॥

5. jijñāsustamṛṣiśreṣṭhaṁ kiṁ kuryādvipriye kṛte ,
iti saṁcintya durmedhā dharṣayāmāsa tatpayaḥ.

5. jijñāsuḥ tam ṛṣiśreṣṭham kim kuryāt vipriye kṛte
iti saṃcintya durmedhāḥ dharṣayāmāsa tat payaḥ

5. jijñāsuḥ durmedhāḥ,
iti saṃcintya (kim kuryāt vipriye kṛte tam ṛṣiśreṣṭham),
tat payaḥ dharṣayāmāsa.

5. The one desirous of knowing pondered, 'What would the best of sages do if an unpleasant act were committed?' Thus reflecting, the dull-witted one violated his sacred offering.

Words meanings summery:

• जिज्ञासुः (jijñāsuḥ) - The one desiring to know (about the nature of sages/deities). (desirous of knowing, curious, seeker)

• तम् (tam) - refers to the 'best of sages'. (him, that)

• ऋषिश्रेष्ठम् (ṛṣiśreṣṭham) - Refers to the sage being tested. (best of sages, excellent sage)

• किम् (kim) - 'What' (as an interrogative pronoun) (what, why)

• कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - 'should do' in a hypothetical situation. (should do, would do)

• विप्रिये (vipriye) - 'an unpleasant act' or 'offense'. (unpleasant, disagreeable, an offense)

• कृते (kṛte) - 'when it has been done'. (done, made, performed)

• इति (iti) - Marks the end of the thought. (thus, so, indicates direct speech or thought)

• संचिन्त्य (saṁcintya) - Having thought through the question. (having pondered, having considered deeply)

• दुर्मेधाः (durmedhāḥ) - The foolish agent performing the act. (dull-witted, foolish, unintelligent)

• धर्षयामास (dharṣayāmāsa) - He committed an act of aggression/violation. (he violated, assaulted, outraged, oppressed)

• तत् (tat) - 'his' (referring to the sage's). (that, his)

• पयः (payaḥ) - A sacred liquid or offering, or metaphorically, the tranquil essence. (milk, water, essence, vital fluid, sacred offering)

Words meanings and morphology

जिज्ञासुः (jijñāsuḥ) - The one desiring to know (about the nature of sages/deities). (desirous of knowing, curious, seeker)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of jijñāsu

jijñāsu - desirous of knowing, curious, seeking

Desiderative noun/adjective from root jñā

From √jñā (to know) + desiderative suffix -san + u suffix

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Acts as a noun here.

तम् (tam) - refers to the 'best of sages'. (him, that)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

ऋषिश्रेष्ठम् (ṛṣiśreṣṭham) - Refers to the sage being tested. (best of sages, excellent sage)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ṛṣiśreṣṭha

ṛṣiśreṣṭha - best among sages

Compound type : tatpurusha (ṛṣi+śreṣṭha)

• ṛṣi – seer, sage, inspired poet
  noun (masculine)
• śreṣṭha – best, most excellent, pre-eminent
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative of praśasya (excellent).

किम् (kim) - 'What' (as an interrogative pronoun) (what, why)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, which, why

कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - 'should do' in a hypothetical situation. (should do, would do)

(verb)

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

Optative mood, 3rd person singular

From √kṛ (class 8), optative parasmaipada

Root: kṛ (class 8)

विप्रिये (vipriye) - 'an unpleasant act' or 'offense'. (unpleasant, disagreeable, an offense)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of vipriya

vipriya - unpleasant, disagreeable, disliked, offense

From vi- + priya (dear, pleasing)

Note: Locative absolute construction with 'kṛte'.

कृते (kṛte) - 'when it has been done'. (done, made, performed)

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of kṛta

kṛta - done, made, performed

Past Passive Participle

From √kṛ (to do) + suffix -ta

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Locative absolute construction with 'vipriye'.

इति (iti) - Marks the end of the thought. (thus, so, indicates direct speech or thought)

(indeclinable)

संचिन्त्य (saṁcintya) - Having thought through the question. (having pondered, having considered deeply)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

From pra- + √cit (to perceive, understand) + suffix -ya (after upasarga)

Prefix: sam

Root: cit (class 10)

दुर्मेधाः (durmedhāḥ) - The foolish agent performing the act. (dull-witted, foolish, unintelligent)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of durmedhas

durmedhas - dull-witted, foolish, unintelligent

From dur- (bad) + medhas (intellect)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (dur+medhas)

• dur – bad, difficult, ill
  indeclinable
• medhas – intellect, wisdom, spiritual wisdom
  noun (neuter)

Note: Acts as a noun here.

धर्षयामास (dharṣayāmāsa) - He committed an act of aggression/violation. (he violated, assaulted, outraged, oppressed)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of dhṛṣ

Perfect tense (ām-suffix conjugation), 3rd person singular

From √dhṛṣ (class 5) in causative form (dharṣaya) and periphrastic perfect formation.

Root: dhṛṣ (class 5)

Note: Causal stem with periphrastic perfect ending.

तत् (tat) - 'his' (referring to the sage's). (that, his)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, his, her, its

Note: Adjectival pronoun modifying 'payaḥ'.

पयः (payaḥ) - A sacred liquid or offering, or metaphorically, the tranquil essence. (milk, water, essence, vital fluid, sacred offering)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of payas

payas - milk, water, liquid, sap, vital energy, essence, offering