महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-194, verse-2

पूर्वमेव हि ते सूक्ष्मैरुपायैर्यतितास्त्वया ।
निग्रहीतुं यदा वीर शकिता न तदा त्वया ॥२॥

2. pūrvameva hi te sūkṣmairupāyairyatitāstvayā ,
nigrahītuṁ yadā vīra śakitā na tadā tvayā.

2. pūrvam eva hi te sūkṣmaiḥ upāyaiḥ yatitāḥ tvayā
nigrahītum yadā vīra śakitāḥ na tadā tvayā

2. Indeed, O hero, you had already attempted to restrain them with subtle means, but you were unable to do so then.

Words meanings summery:

• पूर्वम् (pūrvam) - before, formerly, previously

• एव (eva) - even, only, just, indeed

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

• ते (te) - they (the Pāṇḍavas) (they, those)

• सूक्ष्मैः (sūkṣmaiḥ) - by subtle, by minute

• उपायैः (upāyaiḥ) - by means, by stratagems

• यतिताः (yatitāḥ) - (they were) tried to be controlled (tried, attempted, striven)

• त्वया (tvayā) - by you

• निग्रहीतुम् (nigrahītum) - to restrain, to control, to check

• यदा (yadā) - when

• वीर (vīra) - Addressed to Duryodhana. (O hero, O brave one)

• शकिताः (śakitāḥ) - (they were) capable (of being restrained) (able, capable)

• न (na) - not

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• त्वया (tvayā) - by you

Words meanings and morphology

पूर्वम् (pūrvam) - before, formerly, previously

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverbial accusative.

एव (eva) - even, only, just, indeed

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

(indeclinable)

ते (te) - they (the Pāṇḍavas) (they, those)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it, they

Note: Refers to the Pāṇḍavas.

सूक्ष्मैः (sūkṣmaiḥ) - by subtle, by minute

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of sūkṣma

sūkṣma - subtle, minute, delicate, clever

उपायैः (upāyaiḥ) - by means, by stratagems

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of upāya

upāya - means, method, stratagem, expedient

Root: i (class 2)

यतिताः (yatitāḥ) - (they were) tried to be controlled (tried, attempted, striven)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of yatita

yatita - tried, attempted, striven for

Past Passive Participle

root yat (to strive) + kta (past participle suffix)

Root: yat (class 1)

Note: Functions as the predicate here.

त्वया (tvayā) - by you

(pronoun)

Instrumental, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you, your

Note: Agent in the passive construction.

निग्रहीतुम् (nigrahītum) - to restrain, to control, to check

(indeclinable)

Infinitive

upasarga ni + root grah (to seize) + tumun (infinitive suffix)

Prefix: ni

Root: grah (class 9)

Note: An infinitive ending in -tum is indeclinable.

यदा (yadā) - when

(indeclinable)

वीर (vīra) - Addressed to Duryodhana. (O hero, O brave one)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vīra

vīra - hero, brave man, champion

शकिताः (śakitāḥ) - (they were) capable (of being restrained) (able, capable)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śakita

śakita - capable, able, empowered

Past Passive Participle

root śak (to be able) + kta (past participle suffix)

Root: śak (class 5)

Note: Predicative use.

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

त्वया (tvayā) - by you

(pronoun)

Instrumental, singular of yuṣmad

yuṣmad - you, your

Note: Agent in the passive construction.