महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-164, verse-99

स भवांस्त्रातु नो द्रोणात्सत्याज्ज्यायोऽनृतं भवेत् ।
अनृतं जीवितस्यार्थे वदन्न स्पृश्यतेऽनृतैः ॥९९॥

99. sa bhavāṁstrātu no droṇātsatyājjyāyo'nṛtaṁ bhavet ,
anṛtaṁ jīvitasyārthe vadanna spṛśyate'nṛtaiḥ.

99. sa bhavān trātu naḥ droṇāt satyāt jyāyaḥ anṛtam bhavet
anṛtam jīvitasya arthe vadan na spṛśyate anṛtaiḥ

99. sa bhavān naḥ droṇāt trātu.
satyāt anṛtam jyāyaḥ bhavet.
jīvitasya arthe anṛtam vadan,
(saḥ) anṛtaiḥ na spṛśyate.

99. Therefore, sir, may you save us from Droṇa. It would be better to utter a falsehood (anṛta) than the truth. One who speaks a falsehood (anṛta) for the sake of life is not tainted by such untruths (anṛta).

Words meanings summery:

• स (sa) - therefore (that, he, therefore)

• भवान् (bhavān) - you (sir)

• त्रातु (trātu) - may save, may protect

• नः (naḥ) - us (us, to us, our)

• द्रोणात् (droṇāt) - from Droṇa

• सत्यात् (satyāt) - from truth

• ज्यायः (jyāyaḥ) - better, superior, preferable

• अनृतम् (anṛtam) - untruth, falsehood, sin

• भवेत् (bhavet) - it may be, it would be

• अनृतम् (anṛtam) - untruth, falsehood

• जीवितस्य (jīvitasya) - of life

• अर्थे (arthe) - for the sake, purpose

• वदन् (vadan) - (one who is) speaking (speaking, saying)

• न (na) - not

• स्पृश्यते (spṛśyate) - is touched, is tainted

• अनृतैः (anṛtaiḥ) - by such falsehoods/sins (by untruths, by falsehoods, by sins)

Words meanings and morphology

स (sa) - therefore (that, he, therefore)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Often used as a demonstrative or to introduce a new idea/sentence.

भवान् (bhavān) - you (sir)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhavat

bhavat - you (respectful term), being, existing

present active participle

from root bhū (to be); present active participle, masculine nominative singular

Root: bhū (class 1)

त्रातु (trātu) - may save, may protect

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of trā

imperative, active voice

root trā (class 2), 'trātu' is 3rd person singular imperative, active voice

Root: trā (class 2)

नः (naḥ) - us (us, to us, our)

(pronoun)

Accusative, plural of asmad

asmad - we (1st person pronoun)

Note: Can be accusative, dative, or genitive plural.

द्रोणात् (droṇāt) - from Droṇa

(proper noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of droṇa

droṇa - Droṇa (name of a warrior, guru)

सत्यात् (satyāt) - from truth

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of satya

satya - truth, real, true

Note: Used in comparison 'better than truth'.

ज्यायः (jyāyaḥ) - better, superior, preferable

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jyāyas

jyāyas - better, superior, greater, preferable

comparative degree

comparative form (irregular or from stem jya)

अनृतम् (anṛtam) - untruth, falsehood, sin

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anṛta

anṛta - untruth, falsehood, lie, sin, evil

compound of 'a' (negation) and 'ṛta' (truth, cosmic order)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+ṛta)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  negation prefix
• ṛta – truth, cosmic order, right
  noun (neuter)

भवेत् (bhavet) - it may be, it would be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of bhū

optative mood, active voice

root bhū (class 1), 'bhavet' is 3rd person singular optative, active voice

Root: bhū (class 1)

अनृतम् (anṛtam) - untruth, falsehood

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of anṛta

anṛta - untruth, falsehood, lie, sin, evil

compound of 'a' (negation) and 'ṛta' (truth, cosmic order)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+ṛta)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  negation prefix
• ṛta – truth, cosmic order, right
  noun (neuter)

जीवितस्य (jīvitasya) - of life

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of jīvita

jīvita - life, livelihood, living

past passive participle (used as noun)

from root jīv (to live)

Root: jīv (class 1)

अर्थे (arthe) - for the sake, purpose

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - purpose, object, sake, meaning, wealth

Note: Used adverbially to mean 'for the sake of'.

वदन् (vadan) - (one who is) speaking (speaking, saying)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vadat

vadat - speaking, saying

present active participle

from root vad (to speak); present active participle, masculine nominative singular

Root: vad (class 1)

Note: Functions as a substantivized participle (he who is speaking).

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

स्पृश्यते (spṛśyate) - is touched, is tainted

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of spṛś

present tense, passive voice

root spṛś (class 6); 'spṛśyate' is 3rd person singular present, passive voice

Root: spṛś (class 6)

अनृतैः (anṛtaiḥ) - by such falsehoods/sins (by untruths, by falsehoods, by sins)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of anṛta

anṛta - untruth, falsehood, lie, sin, evil

compound of 'a' (negation) and 'ṛta' (truth, cosmic order)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+ṛta)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  negation prefix
• ṛta – truth, cosmic order, right
  noun (neuter)

Note: Can also be masculine, as 'anṛta' can be masculine or neuter.