महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-137, verse-35

तरसा ये न शक्यन्ते शस्त्रैः सुनिशितैरपि ।
साम्ना ते विनिगृह्यन्ते गजा इव करेणुभिः ॥३५॥

35. tarasā ye na śakyante śastraiḥ suniśitairapi ,
sāmnā te vinigṛhyante gajā iva kareṇubhiḥ.

35. tarasā ye na śakyante śastraiḥ suniśitaiḥ
api sāmnā te vinigṛhyante gajā iva kareṇubhiḥ

35. ye tarasā suniśitaiḥ śastraiḥ api na śakyante
te sāmnā kareṇubhiḥ gajā iva vinigṛhyante

35. Those who cannot be overpowered by force, even with very sharp weapons, are subdued by conciliation (sāmnā), just as wild elephants are controlled by female elephants.

Words meanings summery:

• तरसा (tarasā) - by force (by force, by speed, quickly)

• ये (ye) - those who (referring to adversaries) (who, which (plural nominative))

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• शक्यन्ते (śakyante) - can be overpowered/subdued (are able, can be)

• शस्त्रैः (śastraiḥ) - by weapons (by weapons, by arms)

• सुनिशितैः (suniśitaiḥ) - by very sharp (weapons) (by very sharp, well-sharpened)

• अपि (api) - even (also, even, moreover)

• साम्ना (sāmnā) - by conciliation (sāmnā) (by conciliation, by gentle means, by persuasion)

• ते (te) - those (referring to the same adversaries) (those, they)

• विनिगृह्यन्ते (vinigṛhyante) - are controlled, are subdued (are subdued, are controlled, are captured)

• गजा (gajā) - wild elephants (masculine) (elephants)

• इव (iva) - just as, like (like, as, as if)

• करेणुभिः (kareṇubhiḥ) - by female elephants

Words meanings and morphology

तरसा (tarasā) - by force (by force, by speed, quickly)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of taras

taras - force, vigor, speed, impetus, strength

Note: Indicates the means of subduing.

ये (ye) - those who (referring to adversaries) (who, which (plural nominative))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of yad

yad - who, which, what, whoever

Relative pronoun, masculine nominative plural.

Note: Subject of the first clause.

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates 'śakyante'.

शक्यन्ते (śakyante) - can be overpowered/subdued (are able, can be)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, passive, present (lat) of śak

Present Passive (potential sense)

Derived from root √śak (to be able), present tense, 3rd person plural, passive voice. Often implies potentiality or possibility.

Root: śak (class 5)

Note: Takes an implied agent in instrumental.

शस्त्रैः (śastraiḥ) - by weapons (by weapons, by arms)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of śastra

śastra - weapon, arm, knife, tool

From root √śaṃs (to praise, to cut).

Note: Means of overpowering.

सुनिशितैः (suniśitaiḥ) - by very sharp (weapons) (by very sharp, well-sharpened)

(adjective)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of suniśita

suniśita - very sharp, well-sharpened, keen

Past Passive Participle

Compound of 'su-' (well) and 'niśita' (sharpened, from root √śā/śi).

Compound type : prādi-tatpuruṣa (su+niśita)

• su – good, well, very, excellent
  indeclinable
• niśita – sharpened, keen, pointed
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from prefix 'ni-' and root √śā/śi (to sharpen) as a past passive participle.
  Prefix: ni
  Root: śā (class 2)

Note: Qualifies 'śastraiḥ'.

अपि (api) - even (also, even, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes 'śastraiḥ suniśitaiḥ'.

साम्ना (sāmnā) - by conciliation (sāmnā) (by conciliation, by gentle means, by persuasion)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of sāman

sāman - conciliation, gentle means, persuasion, a Sama Veda chant

Note: Means of subduing.

ते (te) - those (referring to the same adversaries) (those, they)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun, masculine nominative plural.

Note: Subject of the second clause, coreferential with 'ye'.

विनिगृह्यन्ते (vinigṛhyante) - are controlled, are subdued (are subdued, are controlled, are captured)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, passive, present (lat) of vinigrah

Present Passive

Derived from prefixes 'vi-' and 'ni-' and root √grah (to seize, to hold), present tense, 3rd person plural, passive voice.

Prefixes: vi+ni

Root: grah (class 9)

Note: Verb for 'te'.

गजा (gajā) - wild elephants (masculine) (elephants)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of gaja

gaja - elephant

Note: Subject in the simile.

इव (iva) - just as, like (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces a simile.

करेणुभिः (kareṇubhiḥ) - by female elephants

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, plural of kareṇu

kareṇu - female elephant

Note: Agent in the simile (elephants are subdued by female elephants).