महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-8, chapter-49, verse-54

यः स्तेनैः सह संबन्धान्मुच्यते शपथैरपि ।
श्रेयस्तत्रानृतं वक्तुं तत्सत्यमविचारितम् ॥५४॥

54. yaḥ stenaiḥ saha saṁbandhānmucyate śapathairapi ,
śreyastatrānṛtaṁ vaktuṁ tatsatyamavicāritam.

54. yaḥ stenaiḥ saha saṃbandhāt mucyate śapathaiḥ api
śreyaḥ tatra anṛtam vaktum tat satyam avicāritam

54. yaḥ stenaiḥ saha saṃbandhāt śapathaiḥ api mucyate,
tatra anṛtam vaktum śreyaḥ tat avicāritam satyam

54. He who is freed from associations with thieves, even by means of oaths, it is better in that situation to speak a falsehood. Such a falsehood is considered a truth that should not be questioned.

Words meanings summery:

• यः (yaḥ) - who, he who

• स्तेनैः (stenaiḥ) - by thieves, with thieves

• सह (saha) - with, accompanied by

• संबन्धात् (saṁbandhāt) - from connection, from association

• मुच्यते (mucyate) - is freed, is released

• शपथैः (śapathaiḥ) - by (false) oaths (by oaths, by vows)

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, excellent, auspicious

• तत्र (tatra) - there, in that case, in that situation

• अनृतम् (anṛtam) - falsehood, lie, untrue

• वक्तुम् (vaktum) - to speak, to say, to utter

• तत् (tat) - that

• सत्यम् (satyam) - truth, reality

• अविचारितम् (avicāritam) - unquestioned, uninvestigated, not considered

Words meanings and morphology

यः (yaḥ) - who, he who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, who, what, that

स्तेनैः (stenaiḥ) - by thieves, with thieves

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of stena

stena - thief, robber

From root sten (to steal).

Root: sten

Note: Used with saha (with).

सह (saha) - with, accompanied by

(indeclinable)

संबन्धात् (saṁbandhāt) - from connection, from association

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of saṃbandha

saṁbandha - connection, relation, association

From sam + bandh + gha (masc. noun formation)

Prefix: sam

Root: bandh (class 9)

Note: Indicates separation from (mucyate).

मुच्यते (mucyate) - is freed, is released

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle/passive, present (laṭ) of muc

Present tense, 3rd person singular, middle voice (or passive). Root muc + ya (passive/middle suffix).

Root: muc (class 6)

शपथैः (śapathaiḥ) - by (false) oaths (by oaths, by vows)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of śapatha

śapatha - oath, vow, curse

From root śap (to curse, swear).

Root: śap (class 1)

Note: Means by which freedom is attained.

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better, excellent, auspicious

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, more excellent, welfare, good fortune

Comparative form of praśasya.

तत्र (tatra) - there, in that case, in that situation

(indeclinable)

Formed from tad (that) + tral suffix.

अनृतम् (anṛtam) - falsehood, lie, untrue

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of anṛta

anṛta - untrue, false, a lie, falsehood

a (negation) + ṛta (truth).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+ṛta)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• ṛta – truth, right, cosmic order
  noun (neuter)
  Root: ṛ (class 3)

Note: Object of vaktum.

वक्तुम् (vaktum) - to speak, to say, to utter

(verb)

active, infinitive (tumun) of vac

infinitive

Infinitive form of root vac.

Root: vac (class 2)

तत् (tat) - that

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this, it

सत्यम् (satyam) - truth, reality

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of satya

satya - truth, real, true

From sat (being, existing).

Root: as (class 2)

अविचारितम् (avicāritam) - unquestioned, uninvestigated, not considered

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of avicārita

avicārita - uninvestigated, unexamined, not questioned

Past Passive Participle

a (negation) + vi + car + kta (PPP suffix).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+vicārita)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• vicārita – investigated, considered
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Particulation
  Prefix: vi
  Root: car (class 1)

Note: Agrees with satyam.