महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-138, verse-1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
युगक्षयात्परिक्षीणे धर्मे लोके च भारत ।
दस्युभिः पीड्यमाने च कथं स्थेयं पितामह ॥१॥

1. yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ,
yugakṣayātparikṣīṇe dharme loke ca bhārata ,
dasyubhiḥ pīḍyamāne ca kathaṁ stheyaṁ pitāmaha.

1. yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca yugakṣayāt parikṣīṇe dharme loke ca
bhārata dasyubhiḥ pīḍyamāne ca kathaṃ stheyam pitāmaha

1. bhārata pitāmaha yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca yugakṣayāt dharme
ca loke parikṣīṇe ca dasyubhiḥ pīḍyamāne kathaṃ stheyam

1. Yudhishthira said: "O Bhārata, O Grandfather, when the natural law (dharma) and the world are diminished due to the decline of the age, and people are being oppressed by robbers, how should one conduct oneself?"

Words meanings summery:

• युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhishthira

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• युगक्षयात् (yugakṣayāt) - due to the decline/destruction of an age

• परिक्षीणे (parikṣīṇe) - when diminished, when wasted away

• धर्मे (dharme) - in the natural law (dharma) (in natural law, in righteousness)

• लोके (loke) - in the world, in society

• च (ca) - and

• भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata (addressing Bhishma) (O descendant of Bharata)

• दस्युभिः (dasyubhiḥ) - by robbers, by dacoits

• पीड्यमाने (pīḍyamāne) - when being oppressed, while being tormented

• च (ca) - and

• कथं (kathaṁ) - how, in what manner

• स्थेयम् (stheyam) - one should stand, one should remain, one should behave

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

Words meanings and morphology

युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhishthira

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yudhiṣṭhira

yudhiṣṭhira - firm in battle, Yudhishthira (eldest of the Pandavas)

Compound of 'yudhi' (in battle) and 'sthira' (firm).

Compound type : aluk-tatpuruṣa (yudhi+sthira)

• yudhi – in battle, in war
  noun (feminine)
  Locative singular of yudh (battle).
  Root: yudh (class 4)
• 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 vac

Root: vac (class 2)

युगक्षयात् (yugakṣayāt) - due to the decline/destruction of an age

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of yugakṣaya

yugakṣaya - decline of an age, end of an epoch

Compound of 'yuga' (age) and 'kṣaya' (decline).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (yuga+kṣaya)

• yuga – age, epoch, yoke
  noun (neuter)
• kṣaya – decline, destruction, end
  noun (masculine)
  From root kṣi (to destroy, to waste).
  Root: kṣi (class 5)

परिक्षीणे (parikṣīṇe) - when diminished, when wasted away

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of parikṣīṇa

parikṣīṇa - diminished, exhausted, wasted away

Past Passive Participle

Formed from root kṣi with prefix pari-.

Prefix: pari

Root: kṣi (class 5)

Note: Acts as an adjective qualifying 'dharme' and 'loke', hence locative singular.

धर्मे (dharme) - in the natural law (dharma) (in natural law, in righteousness)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - natural law, righteousness, duty, virtue, constitution, intrinsic nature

From root dhṛ (to uphold, sustain).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

लोके (loke) - in the world, in society

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, people, realm, society

From root lok (to see).

Root: lok (class 1)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata (addressing Bhishma) (O descendant of Bharata)

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bhārata

bhārata - descendant of Bharata, relating to Bharata

A patronymic from Bharata.

दस्युभिः (dasyubhiḥ) - by robbers, by dacoits

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of dasyu

dasyu - robber, dacoit, barbarian

पीड्यमाने (pīḍyamāne) - when being oppressed, while being tormented

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of pīḍyamāna

pīḍyamāna - being oppressed, being tormented

Present Passive Participle

From root pīḍ (to oppress) in passive voice, present tense.

Root: pīḍ (class 10)

Note: The locative singular form suggests it modifies an unstated subject in the locative (e.g., 'jāne' in people, or 'loke' the world itself as being oppressed) or refers to a state of affairs when things are being oppressed.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

कथं (kathaṁ) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

स्थेयम् (stheyam) - one should stand, one should remain, one should behave

(indeclinable)

Gerundive/Passive Future Participle

From root sthā (to stand).

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Acts as an impersonal verbal adjective.

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

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - grandfather (father's father), Brahma