महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-10, chapter-9, verse-17

उपासत नृपाः पूर्वमर्थहेतोर्यमीश्वरम् ।
धिक्सद्यो निहतः शेते पश्य कालस्य पर्ययम् ॥१७॥

17. upāsata nṛpāḥ pūrvamarthahetoryamīśvaram ,
dhiksadyo nihataḥ śete paśya kālasya paryayam.

17. upāsata nṛpāḥ pūrvam arthahetoḥ yam īśvaram
dhik sadyaḥ nihataḥ śete paśya kālasya paryayam

17. dhik nṛpāḥ pūrvam arthahetoḥ yam īśvaram upāsata
sadyaḥ nihataḥ śete paśya kālasya paryayam

17. Shame! He, whom kings formerly served for the sake of gain, now lies suddenly slain. Behold the reversal of time!

Words meanings summery:

• उपासत (upāsata) - they served, attended, worshipped

• नृपाः (nṛpāḥ) - kings, rulers

• पूर्वम् (pūrvam) - formerly, before, in former times

• अर्थहेतोः (arthahetoḥ) - for the sake of gain/material benefit (for the sake of purpose, for gain, for wealth)

• यम् (yam) - whom, which

• ईश्वरम् (īśvaram) - lord, ruler, powerful one

• धिक् (dhik) - expresses strong lament or condemnation (fie! shame! woe! alas!)

• सद्यः (sadyaḥ) - instantly, immediately, suddenly

• निहतः (nihataḥ) - slain, killed, struck down

• शेते (śete) - he lies, he sleeps

• पश्य (paśya) - behold, see, look

• कालस्य (kālasya) - of time, of the right moment

• पर्ययम् (paryayam) - reversal, adverse turn (change, reversal, reverse, vicissitude)

Words meanings and morphology

उपासत (upāsata) - they served, attended, worshipped

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, past imperfect (laṅ) of upās

Imperfect

3rd person plural, imperfect tense, middle voice

Prefix: upa

Root: ās (class 2)

नृपाः (nṛpāḥ) - kings, rulers

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nṛpa

nṛpa - king, ruler (lit. 'man-protector')

Compound type : upapada-tatpuruṣa (nṛ+pa)

• nṛ – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• pa – protector, guardian (from root pā 'to protect')
  noun/agent noun (masculine)
  From root pā 'to protect'
  Root: pā (class 2)

Note: Subject of 'upāsata'.

पूर्वम् (pūrvam) - formerly, before, in former times

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverb of time.

अर्थहेतोः (arthahetoḥ) - for the sake of gain/material benefit (for the sake of purpose, for gain, for wealth)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of arthahetu

arthahetu - reason for wealth, cause of profit, for the sake of gain

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (artha+hetu)

• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, object, gain
  noun (masculine)
• hetu – cause, reason, motive
  noun (masculine)

Note: Used adverbially.

यम् (yam) - whom, which

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - who, which, what

Note: Object of 'upāsata'.

ईश्वरम् (īśvaram) - lord, ruler, powerful one

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of īśvara

īśvara - lord, master, ruler, capable, wealthy

Root: īś (class 2)

Note: Qualifies the person referred to by 'yam'.

धिक् (dhik) - expresses strong lament or condemnation (fie! shame! woe! alas!)

(indeclinable)

सद्यः (sadyaḥ) - instantly, immediately, suddenly

(indeclinable)

Note: Adverb of time.

निहतः (nihataḥ) - slain, killed, struck down

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nihata

nihata - killed, struck down, destroyed

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root han with prefix ni

Prefix: ni

Root: han (class 2)

Note: Qualifies the implied subject (the same lord/king).

शेते (śete) - he lies, he sleeps

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of śī

Present Indicative

3rd person singular, present tense, middle voice

Root: śī (class 2)

पश्य (paśya) - behold, see, look

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of dṛś

Imperative

2nd person singular, present tense, active voice. Root dṛś takes substitute paśya in present stem.

Root: dṛś (class 1)

कालस्य (kālasya) - of time, of the right moment

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of kāla

kāla - time, black, death

पर्ययम् (paryayam) - reversal, adverse turn (change, reversal, reverse, vicissitude)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of paryaya

paryaya - reversal, change, turn, vicissitude

Derived from pari-i 'to go around, change'

Prefix: pari

Root: i (class 2)