धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः । तस्माद्धर्मो न हन्तव्यो मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत् ॥
धर्मःdharma / righteousness
एवindeed / verily
हतःdestroyed / struck down
हन्तिdestroys / strikes
रक्षतिprotects
रक्षितःwhen protected / the protected
तस्मात्therefore
न हन्तव्यःmust not be destroyed
माlest / do not (prohibitive)
नःus
हतःdestroyed (here: the slain dharma)
अवधीत्may slay / destroy (aorist)
Dharma destroyed destroys in return; dharma protected protects in return. Therefore dharma must not be destroyed, lest dharma destroyed destroy us.
dharmaprotectionrighteousness