महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-10, chapter-17, verse-2

कथं नु कृष्ण पापेन क्षुद्रेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा ।
द्रौणिना निहताः सर्वे मम पुत्रा महारथाः ॥२॥

2. kathaṁ nu kṛṣṇa pāpena kṣudreṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā ,
drauṇinā nihatāḥ sarve mama putrā mahārathāḥ.

2. katham nu kṛṣṇa pāpena kṣudreṇa akliṣṭakarmaṇā
drauṇinā nihatāḥ sarve mama putrāḥ mahārathāḥ

2. kṛṣṇa katham nu,
sarve mama mahārathāḥ putrāḥ,
pāpena kṣudreṇa akliṣṭakarmaṇā drauṇinā nihatāḥ?

2. How then, Krishna, were all my great chariot-warrior sons killed by Droṇa's son, Aśvatthāman, that sinful, ignoble man whose deeds were unhindered?

Words meanings summery:

• कथम् (katham) - how, why, in what manner

• नु (nu) - indeed, then, now, surely (particle of interrogation or emphasis)

• कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa) - O Krishna

• पापेन (pāpena) - by the sinful Aśvatthāman (by the sinful, by the evil one)

• क्षुद्रेण (kṣudreṇa) - by the ignoble Aśvatthāman (by the wretched, by the ignoble, by the mean)

• अक्लिष्टकर्मणा (akliṣṭakarmaṇā) - by Aśvatthāman, whose cruel deeds were unhindered (by one whose deeds are unhindered, by one who acts effortlessly, by one whose actions are not blemished)

• द्रौणिना (drauṇinā) - by Droṇa's son, Aśvatthāman (by Droṇa's son)

• निहताः (nihatāḥ) - killed, slain, struck down

• सर्वे (sarve) - all, every

• मम (mama) - my (Dhṛtarāṣṭra's) (my, of me)

• पुत्राः (putrāḥ) - my sons, the Kauravas (sons)

• महारथाः (mahārathāḥ) - great chariot-warriors

Words meanings and morphology

कथम् (katham) - how, why, in what manner

(indeclinable)

नु (nu) - indeed, then, now, surely (particle of interrogation or emphasis)

(indeclinable)

कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa) - O Krishna

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of kṛṣṇa

kṛṣṇa - Krishna (a proper noun, name of a deity)

पापेन (pāpena) - by the sinful Aśvatthāman (by the sinful, by the evil one)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of pāpa

pāpa - sinful, wicked, evil; a sin, vice

Note: Refers to Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman).

क्षुद्रेण (kṣudreṇa) - by the ignoble Aśvatthāman (by the wretched, by the ignoble, by the mean)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of kṣudra

kṣudra - small, minute, low, mean, wretched, ignoble

अक्लिष्टकर्मणा (akliṣṭakarmaṇā) - by Aśvatthāman, whose cruel deeds were unhindered (by one whose deeds are unhindered, by one who acts effortlessly, by one whose actions are not blemished)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of akliṣṭakarman

akliṣṭakarman - whose deeds are not impeded, unhindered in action, effortlessly performing deeds; one whose actions are pure or unblemished (here context implies ruthlessly efficient or unhindered in wicked deeds)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (a+kliṣṭa+karman)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• kliṣṭa – distressed, afflicted, difficult, impeded
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root √kliś (to distress, suffer) + kta (suffix for PPP)
  Root: kliś (class 4)
• karman – deed, action, work
  noun (neuter)

Note: Modifies Drauṇinā.

द्रौणिना (drauṇinā) - by Droṇa's son, Aśvatthāman (by Droṇa's son)

(proper noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of drauṇi

drauṇi - son of Droṇa, Aśvatthāman

Note: Agent of the action 'killed'.

निहताः (nihatāḥ) - killed, slain, struck down

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nihata

nihata - killed, slain, struck down

Past Passive Participle

From root √han (to strike, kill) with prefix ni- (down) + kta (suffix for PPP)

Prefix: ni

Root: han (class 2)

Note: Refers to 'putrāḥ'.

सर्वे (sarve) - all, every

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, complete

Note: Agrees with 'putrāḥ'.

मम (mama) - my (Dhṛtarāṣṭra's) (my, of me)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of aham

aham - I

Note: Possessive, refers to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

पुत्राः (putrāḥ) - my sons, the Kauravas (sons)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of putra

putra - son

Note: Subject of the passive construction.

महारथाः (mahārathāḥ) - great chariot-warriors

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mahāratha

mahāratha - a great warrior, one who can fight ten thousand warriors

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+ratha)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective (masculine)
• ratha – chariot, warrior (in a chariot)
  noun (masculine)