महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-104, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
कथं मृदौ कथं तीक्ष्णे महापक्षे च पार्थिव ।
अरौ वर्तेत नृपतिस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
kathaṁ mṛdau kathaṁ tīkṣṇe mahāpakṣe ca pārthiva ,
arau varteta nṛpatistanme brūhi pitāmaha.

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca kathaṃ mṛdau kathaṃ tīkṣṇe mahāpakṣe
ca pārthiva arau varteta nṛpatiḥ tat me brūhi pitāmaha

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca pitāmaha pārthiva nṛpatiḥ mṛdau arau
kathaṃ varteta kathaṃ tīkṣṇe ca mahāpakṣe tat me brūhi

1. Yudhiṣṭhira said: "O Grandfather, O King (pārthiva), please tell me how a ruler should conduct himself towards an enemy who is mild, how towards one who is fierce, and how towards an enemy who has strong support."

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• कथं (kathaṁ) - how, in what manner

• मृदौ (mṛdau) - towards a mild enemy (towards a mild one, in a mild way)

• कथं (kathaṁ) - how, in what manner

• तीक्ष्णे (tīkṣṇe) - towards a fierce enemy (towards a fierce one, in a harsh way)

• महापक्षे (mahāpakṣe) - towards an enemy with powerful allies (towards one with a large party/side, with strong support)

• च (ca) - and, also

• पार्थिव (pārthiva) - O King, addressing Bhishma (O king, O prince)

• अरौ (arau) - towards an enemy, in an enemy

• वर्तेत (varteta) - should act, should conduct oneself

• नृपतिः (nṛpatiḥ) - a king, a ruler

• तत् (tat) - that

• मे (me) - to me, for me

• ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Grandfather, addressing Bhishma (O grandfather)

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhiṣṭhira

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - Yudhiṣṭhira (a proper name, the eldest Pāṇḍava prince)

Compound 'yu-dhi-ṣṭhira' (steady in battle)

Compound type : aluk tatpuruṣa (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle, in war
  noun (feminine)
  Locative singular of yudh (battle)
• sthira – firm, steady, stable
  adjective (masculine)
  From root sthā (to stand)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of uvāca

perfect tense

Perfect active, 3rd person singular of the root vac

Root: vac (class 2)

कथं (kathaṁ) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

मृदौ (mṛdau) - towards a mild enemy (towards a mild one, in a mild way)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of mṛdu

mṛdu - mild, soft, gentle, tender

कथं (kathaṁ) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

तीक्ष्णे (tīkṣṇe) - towards a fierce enemy (towards a fierce one, in a harsh way)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of tīkṣṇa

tīkṣṇa - sharp, fierce, harsh, severe

महापक्षे (mahāpakṣe) - towards an enemy with powerful allies (towards one with a large party/side, with strong support)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of mahāpakṣa

mahāpakṣa - having a large following, having strong support, powerful

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (mahā+pakṣa)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective (feminine)
• pakṣa – side, wing, party, following, support
  noun (masculine)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

पार्थिव (pārthiva) - O King, addressing Bhishma (O king, O prince)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pārthiva

pārthiva - of the earth, earthly; a king, a prince

Derived from pṛthivī (earth) with the suffix -a

अरौ (arau) - towards an enemy, in an enemy

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of ari

ari - enemy, foe

वर्तेत (varteta) - should act, should conduct oneself

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhilin) of vṛt

optative mood

Optative mood, Ātmanepada, 3rd person singular of the root vṛt

Root: vṛt (class 1)

नृपतिः (nṛpatiḥ) - a king, a ruler

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nṛpati

nṛpati - a king, a sovereign, lord of men

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nṛ+pati)

• nṛ – man, human being
  noun (masculine)
• pati – master, lord, owner, husband
  noun (masculine)

तत् (tat) - that

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

मे (me) - to me, for me

(pronoun)

Dative, singular of mad

mad - I, me

1st person pronoun

ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell, speak

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (lot) of brūhi

imperative mood

Imperative active, 2nd person singular of the root brū (an irregular form of vac)

Root: brū (class 2)

पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Grandfather, addressing Bhishma (O grandfather)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - grandfather, (Brahman as) the great father

Compound 'pitṛ' (father) + 'maha' (great)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pitṛ+maha)

• pitṛ – father
  noun (masculine)
• maha – great, large, mighty
  adjective (masculine)