महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-128, verse-41

द्रुमाः केचन सामन्ता ध्रुवं छिन्दन्ति तानपि ।
ते चापि निपतन्तोऽन्यान्निघ्नन्ति च वनस्पतीन् ॥४१॥

41. drumāḥ kecana sāmantā dhruvaṁ chindanti tānapi ,
te cāpi nipatanto'nyānnighnanti ca vanaspatīn.

41. drumāḥ kecana sāmantāḥ dhruvaṃ chindanti tān api
te ca api nipatantaḥ anyān nighnanti ca vanaspatīn

41. kecana sāmantāḥ drumāḥ dhruvaṃ tān api chindanti
ca te api nipatantaḥ anyān vanaspatīn ca nighnanti

41. Just as some prominent (sāmantāḥ) trees are certainly cut down, and those (very trees), while falling, also strike down other trees.

Words meanings summery:

• द्रुमाः (drumāḥ) - trees

• केचन (kecana) - some, certain

• सामन्ताः (sāmantāḥ) - prominent, bordering (used metaphorically for trees) (neighboring, adjacent, a neighbor, a neighboring ruler or chieftain)

• ध्रुवं (dhruvaṁ) - certainly, surely, constantly

• छिन्दन्ति (chindanti) - are cut down (implied passive) (cut, sever, cleave)

• तान् (tān) - referring to the aforementioned trees (them)

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• ते (te) - referring to the trees that were cut down (they, those)

• च (ca) - and

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• निपतन्तः (nipatantaḥ) - while falling (falling down)

• अन्यान् (anyān) - others, other ones

• निघ्नन्ति (nighnanti) - strike down, damage (strike down, destroy, kill)

• च (ca) - and

• वनस्पतीन् (vanaspatīn) - trees, forest lords

Words meanings and morphology

द्रुमाः (drumāḥ) - trees

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of druma

druma - tree, wood, a tree in general

केचन (kecana) - some, certain

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kécana

kécana - some, any, a certain one

Formed from 'ka' (who) + 'cana' (an indefinite particle).

Note: Used adjectivally here

सामन्ताः (sāmantāḥ) - prominent, bordering (used metaphorically for trees) (neighboring, adjacent, a neighbor, a neighboring ruler or chieftain)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sāmanta

sāmanta - neighboring, bordering, a neighbor, a feudatory, a chieftain

From 'samanta' (proximity) + 'aṇ' suffix.

Note: Used adjectivally to describe trees.

ध्रुवं (dhruvaṁ) - certainly, surely, constantly

(indeclinable)

From 'dhru' (to be firm).

Root: dhru (class 1)

Note: Functions as an adverb.

छिन्दन्ति (chindanti) - are cut down (implied passive) (cut, sever, cleave)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of chid

Present active indicative

Root 'chid' (7th class, rudhādigana).

Root: chid (class 7)

Note: The active voice here implies an unstated agent (e.g., people).

तान् (tān) - referring to the aforementioned trees (them)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun.

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

ते (te) - referring to the trees that were cut down (they, those)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

निपतन्तः (nipatantaḥ) - while falling (falling down)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nipatant

nipatant - falling down, descending

Present active participle

From 'ni' (down) + 'pat' (to fall).

Prefix: ni

Root: pat (class 1)

अन्यान् (anyān) - others, other ones

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of anya

anya - other, another, different

निघ्नन्ति (nighnanti) - strike down, damage (strike down, destroy, kill)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of han

Present active indicative

Root 'han' (2nd class, adādigana), with prefix 'ni'.

Prefix: ni

Root: han (class 2)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

वनस्पतीन् (vanaspatīn) - trees, forest lords

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of vanaspati

vanaspati - tree, plant, especially a large tree bearing fruit without blossoms, lord of the forest

Compound of 'vana' (forest) and 'pati' (lord).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vana+pati)

• vana – forest, wood, grove
  noun (neuter)
• pati – lord, master, husband, owner
  noun (masculine)