महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-15, verse-30

दण्डश्चेन्न भवेल्लोके व्यनशिष्यन्निमाः प्रजाः ।
शूले मत्स्यानिवापक्ष्यन्दुर्बलान्बलवत्तराः ॥३०॥

30. daṇḍaścenna bhavelloke vyanaśiṣyannimāḥ prajāḥ ,
śūle matsyānivāpakṣyandurbalānbalavattarāḥ.

30. daṇḍaḥ cet na bhavet loke vyanaśiṣyan imāḥ prajāḥ
śūle matsyān iva apakṣyan durbalān balavattarāḥ

30. cet daṇḍaḥ loke na bhavet imāḥ prajāḥ vyanaśiṣyan
balavattarāḥ durbalān matsyān śūle iva apakṣyan

30. If punishment (daṇḍa) did not exist in the world, these people would certainly perish. The stronger individuals would devour the weaker ones, just as fish are consumed on a spit.

Words meanings summery:

• दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - punishment (daṇḍa) (punishment, rod, staff, authority)

• चेत् (cet) - if

• न (na) - not (not, no)

• भवेत् (bhavet) - did exist (would be, should be, existed)

• लोके (loke) - in the world (in the world, among people)

• व्यनशिष्यन् (vyanaśiṣyan) - would certainly perish (they would perish, they would be destroyed)

• इमाः (imāḥ) - these

• प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - people (people, creatures, progeny)

• शूले (śūle) - on a spit (on a spit, on a stake, on a trident)

• मत्स्यान् (matsyān) - fish

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

• अपक्ष्यन् (apakṣyan) - would devour (they would devour, they would eat)

• दुर्बलान् (durbalān) - the weaker ones (the weak, weak ones)

• बलवत्तराः (balavattarāḥ) - the stronger individuals (the stronger ones, more powerful)

Words meanings and morphology

दण्डः (daṇḍaḥ) - punishment (daṇḍa) (punishment, rod, staff, authority)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of daṇḍa

daṇḍa - rod, staff, punishment, chastisement

Root: daṇḍ (class 10)

Note: Subject of the conditional clause.

चेत् (cet) - if

(indeclinable)

Conditional particle

Note: Introduces a conditional clause.

न (na) - not (not, no)

(indeclinable)

Negative particle

Note: Negates 'bhavet'.

भवेत् (bhavet) - did exist (would be, should be, existed)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of bhū

Optative

Root `bhū` (class 1), 3rd person singular, optative mood, active voice

Root: bhū (class 1)

लोके (loke) - in the world (in the world, among people)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, people, realm

Root: lok (class 1)

व्यनशिष्यन् (vyanaśiṣyan) - would certainly perish (they would perish, they would be destroyed)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, conditional (lṛṅ) of vyanaś

Aorist (Conditional Mood)

From root `naś` (to perish) with prefix `vi`, 3rd person plural, conditional mood (based on the `sya` infix)

Prefix: vi

Root: naś (class 4)

Note: Refers to 'imāḥ prajāḥ'.

इमाः (imāḥ) - these

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of idam

idam - this, these

Demonstrative pronoun

Note: Qualifies 'prajāḥ'.

प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - people (people, creatures, progeny)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of prajā

prajā - progeny, offspring, people, subjects

From root `jan` (to be born) with prefix `pra`

Prefix: pra

Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Subject of 'vyanaśiṣyan'.

शूले (śūle) - on a spit (on a spit, on a stake, on a trident)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of śūla

śūla - spit, stake, trident, lance

Root: śūl (class 0)

Note: Indicates the place/means of the action.

मत्स्यान् (matsyān) - fish

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of matsya

matsya - fish

Root: mats (class 0)

Note: Object of implicit 'devouring' or comparison.

इव (iva) - just as (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

Particle of comparison

Note: Connects 'matsyān' to the devouring action.

अपक्ष्यन् (apakṣyan) - would devour (they would devour, they would eat)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, conditional (lṛṅ) of apakṣ

Aorist (Conditional Mood)

From root `ad` (to eat) with prefix `apa`, 3rd person plural, conditional mood

Prefix: apa

Root: ad (class 2)

Note: Refers to 'balavattarāḥ'.

दुर्बलान् (durbalān) - the weaker ones (the weak, weak ones)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of durbala

durbala - weak, feeble, powerless

Tatpuruṣa compound: `dur` (bad, difficult) + `bala` (strength)

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (dur+bala)

• dur – bad, difficult, ill
  indeclinable
  Prefix indicating difficulty or badness
• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)
  Root: bal (class 1)

Note: Object of 'apakṣyan'.

बलवत्तराः (balavattarāḥ) - the stronger individuals (the stronger ones, more powerful)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of balavattara

balavattara - stronger, more powerful

Comparative adjective, formed from `balavat` (strong) + `tara` (comparative suffix)

Note: Subject of 'apakṣyan'.