महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-138, verse-10

छिन्नमूले ह्यधिष्ठाने सर्वे तज्जीविनो हताः ।
कथं हि शाखास्तिष्ठेयुश्छिन्नमूले वनस्पतौ ॥१०॥

10. chinnamūle hyadhiṣṭhāne sarve tajjīvino hatāḥ ,
kathaṁ hi śākhāstiṣṭheyuśchinnamūle vanaspatau.

10. chinna-mūle hi adhiṣṭhāne sarve tat-jīvinaḥ hatāḥ
katham hi śākhāḥ tiṣṭheyuḥ chinna-mūle vanaspatau

10. hi adhiṣṭhāne chinna-mūle sarve tat-jīvinaḥ hatāḥ
hi katham śākhāḥ chinna-mūle vanaspatau tiṣṭheyuḥ

10. Indeed, if the foundation (adhiṣṭhāna) is destroyed, all those who depend on it perish. How could branches possibly remain on a tree whose root has been cut?

Words meanings summery:

• छिन्न-मूले (chinna-mūle) - having the root cut, with severed root

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for, because

• अधिष्ठाने (adhiṣṭhāne) - in the foundation or basis of power for a state/king (in the foundation, in the basis, in the seat, in the seat of power)

• सर्वे (sarve) - all, everyone

• तत्-जीविनः (tat-jīvinaḥ) - those living by it, its dependents

• हताः (hatāḥ) - killed, destroyed, ruined

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for, because

• शाखाः (śākhāḥ) - branches

• तिष्ठेयुः (tiṣṭheyuḥ) - they would stand, they would remain, they would exist

• छिन्न-मूले (chinna-mūle) - having the root cut, with severed root

• वनस्पतौ (vanaspatau) - in the tree, in the forest-lord

Words meanings and morphology

छिन्न-मूले (chinna-mūle) - having the root cut, with severed root

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of chinna-mūla

chinna-mūla - having the root cut, rootless, destroyed at the root

Locative singular, masculine/neuter. Formed by a past passive participle (chinna) with a noun (mūla).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (chinna+mūla)

• chinna – cut, severed, divided
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root chid (to cut).
  Root: chid (class 7)
• mūla – root, origin, foundation, base
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with 'adhiṣṭhāne' and 'vanaspatau'.

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for, because

(indeclinable)

अधिष्ठाने (adhiṣṭhāne) - in the foundation or basis of power for a state/king (in the foundation, in the basis, in the seat, in the seat of power)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of adhiṣṭhāna

adhiṣṭhāna - foundation, basis, seat, abode, authority, superintending, governance

Locative singular of adhiṣṭhāna.

Prefix: adhi

Root: sthā (class 1)

सर्वे (sarve) - all, everyone

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, complete

Masculine, nominative plural.

तत्-जीविनः (tat-jīvinaḥ) - those living by it, its dependents

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tat-jīvin

tat-jīvin - living on that, dependent on that

Compound noun, masculine, nominative plural.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tad+jīvin)

• tad – that, its
  pronoun (neuter)
• jīvin – living, alive, dependent on, one who lives
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root jīv (to live).
  Root: jīv (class 1)

Note: Functions as a noun here.

हताः (hatāḥ) - killed, destroyed, ruined

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of hata

hata - killed, struck, destroyed, ruined

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root han (to strike, to kill). Masculine, nominative plural.

Root: han (class 2)

Note: Often implies 'are destroyed' in the present context.

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb.

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for, because

(indeclinable)

शाखाः (śākhāḥ) - branches

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of śākhā

śākhā - branch, bough, arm, division, section

Feminine, nominative plural.

Note: Subject of 'tiṣṭheyuḥ'.

तिष्ठेयुः (tiṣṭheyuḥ) - they would stand, they would remain, they would exist

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, optative (liṅ) of sthā

Optative Mood, 3rd Person, Plural

Derived from root sthā (class 1, parasmāipada).

Root: sthā (class 1)

छिन्न-मूले (chinna-mūle) - having the root cut, with severed root

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of chinna-mūla

chinna-mūla - having the root cut, rootless, destroyed at the root

Locative singular, masculine/neuter. Formed by a past passive participle (chinna) with a noun (mūla).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (chinna+mūla)

• chinna – cut, severed, divided
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root chid (to cut).
  Root: chid (class 7)
• mūla – root, origin, foundation, base
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with 'adhiṣṭhāne' and 'vanaspatau'.

वनस्पतौ (vanaspatau) - in the tree, in the forest-lord

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of vanaspati

vanaspati - tree, large tree, lord of the forest, plant

Masculine, locative singular.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (vana+pati)

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