महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-167, verse-50

ब्राह्मणं वृद्धमाचार्यं न्यस्तशस्त्रं यथा मुनिम् ।
घातयित्वाद्य राज्यार्थे मृतं श्रेयो न जीवितम् ॥५०॥

50. brāhmaṇaṁ vṛddhamācāryaṁ nyastaśastraṁ yathā munim ,
ghātayitvādya rājyārthe mṛtaṁ śreyo na jīvitam.

50. brāhmaṇam vṛddham ācāryam nyastaśastram yathā munim
ghātayitvā adya rājyārthe mṛtam śreyaḥ na jīvitam

50. adya rājyārthe brāhmaṇam vṛddham ācāryam yathā
nyastaśastram munim ghātayitvā jīvitam na mṛtam śreyaḥ

50. It is better to be dead than to live after having killed today, for the sake of the kingdom, a Brahmin, an old man, and a teacher who is like a sage (muni) that has laid down his weapons.

Words meanings summery:

• ब्राह्मणम् (brāhmaṇam) - a Brahmin, a member of the priestly class

• वृद्धम् (vṛddham) - old, aged; grown, increased

• आचार्यम् (ācāryam) - a teacher, spiritual guide

• न्यस्तशस्त्रम् (nyastaśastram) - one who has laid down weapons

• यथा (yathā) - as, like, just as

• मुनिम् (munim) - a sage, ascetic, silent one

• घातयित्वा (ghātayitvā) - having caused to kill, having killed

• अद्य (adya) - today

• राज्यार्थे (rājyārthe) - for the sake of the kingdom

• मृतम् (mṛtam) - dead, deceased; death

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, more excellent; welfare, auspiciousness

• न (na) - not, no

• जीवितम् (jīvitam) - living, alive; life

Words meanings and morphology

ब्राह्मणम् (brāhmaṇam) - a Brahmin, a member of the priestly class

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of brāhmaṇa

brāhmaṇa - a Brahmin, a member of the priestly class, relating to Brahman

वृद्धम् (vṛddham) - old, aged; grown, increased

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of vṛddha

vṛddha - old, aged; grown, increased

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root vṛdh (to grow) with suffix -ta.

Root: vṛdh (class 1)

Note: Agrees with brāhmaṇam and ācāryam.

आचार्यम् (ācāryam) - a teacher, spiritual guide

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ācārya

ācārya - a teacher, preceptor, spiritual guide

Prefix: ā

Root: car (class 1)

न्यस्तशस्त्रम् (nyastaśastram) - one who has laid down weapons

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of nyastaśastra

nyastaśastra - one who has laid down weapons, unarmed

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (nyasta+śastra)

• nyasta – laid down, placed down
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root as (to throw, cast) with upasarga ni and suffix -ta.
  Prefix: ni
  Root: as (class 2)
• śastra – weapon, instrument
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with munim.

यथा (yathā) - as, like, just as

(indeclinable)

मुनिम् (munim) - a sage, ascetic, silent one

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of muni

muni - a sage, ascetic, silent one

घातयित्वा (ghātayitvā) - having caused to kill, having killed

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (causative)

Derived from causative stem of root han (to strike, kill) with suffix -tvā.

Root: han (class 2)

Note: Refers to the agent of the action (Arjuna).

अद्य (adya) - today

(indeclinable)

राज्यार्थे (rājyārthe) - for the sake of the kingdom

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of rājyārtha

rājyārtha - for the sake of the kingdom

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (rājya+artha)

• rājya – kingdom, sovereignty
  noun (neuter)
• artha – purpose, aim, sake, wealth
  noun (masculine)

Note: Used in the sense of 'for the purpose of'.

मृतम् (mṛtam) - dead, deceased; death

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mṛta

mṛta - dead, deceased; death

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root mṛ (to die) with suffix -ta. Can function as a noun (death).

Root: mṛ (class 6)

Note: Acts as a noun here.

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, more excellent; welfare, auspiciousness

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, more excellent, superior; welfare, auspiciousness

Comparative form of praśasya (excellent).

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

जीवितम् (jīvitam) - living, alive; life

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jīvita

jīvita - living, alive; life

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root jīv (to live) with suffix -ta. Can function as a noun (life).

Root: jīv (class 1)

Note: Acts as a noun here.