महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-120, verse-3

भीष्म उवाच ।
रक्षणं सर्वभूतानामिति क्षत्रे परं मतम् ।
तद्यथा रक्षणं कुर्यात्तथा शृणु महीपते ॥३॥

3. bhīṣma uvāca ,
rakṣaṇaṁ sarvabhūtānāmiti kṣatre paraṁ matam ,
tadyathā rakṣaṇaṁ kuryāttathā śṛṇu mahīpate.

3. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca rakṣaṇam sarvabhūtānām iti kṣatre param
matam tat yathā rakṣaṇam kuryāt tathā śṛṇu mahīpate

3. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca kṣatre sarvabhūtānām rakṣaṇam iti param
matam tat mahīpate yathā rakṣaṇam kuryāt tathā śṛṇu

3. Bhishma said: 'The protection of all beings' is considered the supreme natural law (dharma) for the warrior (kṣatra) class. Therefore, O king, listen to how one should provide such protection.

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma (Bhishma (proper name))

• उवाच (uvāca) - said (he said, he spoke)

• रक्षणम् (rakṣaṇam) - protection (protection, guarding, preserving)

• सर्वभूतानाम् (sarvabhūtānām) - of all beings (of all beings, of all creatures)

• इति (iti) - (marks quotation) (thus, so, this, marks quotation)

• क्षत्रे (kṣatre) - for the warrior class (kṣatra) (in the warrior class, for the warrior class, among kṣatriyas)

• परम् (param) - supreme (duty/dharma) (supreme, highest, excellent)

• मतम् (matam) - considered (the dharma) (opinion, view, doctrine, approved, considered)

• तत् (tat) - therefore (that, therefore)

• यथा (yathā) - how (as, how, in which way)

• रक्षणम् (rakṣaṇam) - protection (protection, guarding)

• कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - one should provide (one should do, he should make/perform)

• तथा (tathā) - thus, in that way (so, thus, in that way)

• शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen (listen, hear)

• महीपते (mahīpate) - O king (O king, O protector of the earth)

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma (Bhishma (proper name))

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhishma (name of a Kuru patriarch), terrible, dreadful

उवाच (uvāca) - said (he said, he spoke)

(verb)

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

Root: vac (class 2)

रक्षणम् (rakṣaṇam) - protection (protection, guarding, preserving)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of rakṣaṇa

rakṣaṇa - protection, guarding, preserving, defence

From root rakṣ (to protect)

Root: rakṣ (class 1)

Note: Subject of the quoted statement.

सर्वभूतानाम् (sarvabhūtānām) - of all beings (of all beings, of all creatures)

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of sarvabhūta

sarvabhūta - all beings, all creatures, everything that exists

Compound type : karma-dhāraya (sarva+bhūta)

• sarva – all, every, entire
  adjective (masculine)
• bhūta – being, creature, element, past
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root bhū (to be, exist)
  Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Qualifies rakṣaṇam.

इति (iti) - (marks quotation) (thus, so, this, marks quotation)

(indeclinable)

क्षत्रे (kṣatre) - for the warrior class (kṣatra) (in the warrior class, for the warrior class, among kṣatriyas)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kṣatra

kṣatra - warrior class, royal power, rule, dominion

Note: Indicates the sphere of application.

परम् (param) - supreme (duty/dharma) (supreme, highest, excellent)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, ultimate, excellent, other, beyond

Note: Agrees with matam.

मतम् (matam) - considered (the dharma) (opinion, view, doctrine, approved, considered)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mata

mata - opinion, view, doctrine, approved, desired, thought, considered

Past Passive Participle

From root man (to think)

Root: man (class 4)

Note: Predicate nominative.

तत् (tat) - therefore (that, therefore)

(indeclinable)

Note: Correlates with yathā and tathā.

यथा (yathā) - how (as, how, in which way)

(indeclinable)

Note: Correlative with tathā.

रक्षणम् (rakṣaṇam) - protection (protection, guarding)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of rakṣaṇa

rakṣaṇa - protection, guarding, preserving, defence

From root rakṣ (to protect)

Root: rakṣ (class 1)

Note: Object of kuryāt.

कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - one should provide (one should do, he should make/perform)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of kṛ

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Potential mood, indicating duty or possibility.

तथा (tathā) - thus, in that way (so, thus, in that way)

(indeclinable)

Note: Correlative with yathā.

शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen (listen, hear)

(verb)

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

Root: śru (class 5)

महीपते (mahīpate) - O king (O king, O protector of the earth)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of mahīpati

mahīpati - lord of the earth, king, monarch

Compound type : tatpurusha (mahī+pati)

• mahī – earth, ground
  noun (feminine)
• pati – lord, master, husband, protector
  noun (masculine)

Note: Addressed to Yudhishthira.