महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-160, verse-2

धनुः प्रहरणं श्रेष्ठमिति वादः पितामह ।
मतस्तु मम धर्मज्ञ खड्ग एव सुसंशितः ॥२॥

2. dhanuḥ praharaṇaṁ śreṣṭhamiti vādaḥ pitāmaha ,
matastu mama dharmajña khaḍga eva susaṁśitaḥ.

2. dhanuḥ praharaṇam śreṣṭham iti vādaḥ pitāmaha
mataḥ tu mama dharmajña khaḍgaḥ eva susaṃśitaḥ

2. pitāmaha dhanuḥ praharaṇam śreṣṭham iti vādaḥ
mama mataḥ tu dharmajña khaḍgaḥ eva susaṃśitaḥ

2. O Grandfather, there is a prevailing opinion that the bow is the supreme weapon. But my view, O knower of natural law (dharma), is that it is indeed the well-sharpened sword.

Words meanings summery:

• धनुः (dhanuḥ) - the weapon, bow (bow, arc)

• प्रहरणम् (praharaṇam) - a weapon (weapon, striking, blow)

• श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - the best (weapon) (best, most excellent, supreme)

• इति (iti) - marks the preceding statement as a quotation or a common opinion (thus, so, in this way (quotation marker))

• वादः (vādaḥ) - a common statement or prevailing opinion (statement, argument, discourse, opinion)

• पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Bhishma (vocative) (O grandfather)

• मतः (mataḥ) - my personal opinion (opinion, view, thought)

• तु (tu) - but, however (introduces a contrast) (but, on the other hand, indeed)

• मम (mama) - my (opinion) (my, mine)

• धर्मज्ञ (dharmajña) - O Bhishma, who understands natural law (dharma) (O knower of dharma (natural law, righteousness))

• खड्गः (khaḍgaḥ) - the sword (as a weapon) (sword)

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly (emphasizes the sword's superiority) (only, indeed, just)

• सुसंशितः (susaṁśitaḥ) - very well-sharpened (referring to the sword) (well-sharpened, very sharp)

Words meanings and morphology

धनुः (dhanuḥ) - the weapon, bow (bow, arc)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of dhanus

dhanus - bow, arc

प्रहरणम् (praharaṇam) - a weapon (weapon, striking, blow)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of praharaṇa

praharaṇa - weapon, striking, assault

श्रेष्ठम् (śreṣṭham) - the best (weapon) (best, most excellent, supreme)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, most excellent, chief

Superlative degree of 'praśasya' (excellent).

Note: Agrees with 'dhanuḥ' and 'praharaṇam'.

इति (iti) - marks the preceding statement as a quotation or a common opinion (thus, so, in this way (quotation marker))

(indeclinable)

वादः (vādaḥ) - a common statement or prevailing opinion (statement, argument, discourse, opinion)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vāda

vāda - speech, talk, statement, argument, opinion

From root 'vad' (to speak).

Root: vad (class 1)

पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Bhishma (vocative) (O grandfather)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather, great father

Compound type : tatpurusha (pitā+maha)

• pitā – father
  noun (masculine)
• maha – great, large, important
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Null termination for vocative singular.

मतः (mataḥ) - my personal opinion (opinion, view, thought)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mata

mata - opinion, view, thought, doctrine

Past Passive Participle

From root 'man' (to think, believe). Used here as a noun.

Root: man (class 4)

तु (tu) - but, however (introduces a contrast) (but, on the other hand, indeed)

(indeclinable)

मम (mama) - my (opinion) (my, mine)

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Genitive singular of 'asmad' (first person pronoun).

Note: Null gender for pronoun 'I/me'.

धर्मज्ञ (dharmajña) - O Bhishma, who understands natural law (dharma) (O knower of dharma (natural law, righteousness))

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of dharmajña

dharmajña - knower of natural law (dharma), righteous

Compound type : tatpurusha (dharma+jña)

• dharma – natural law, constitution, righteousness, duty
  noun (masculine)
• jña – knowing, knower
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun/nominal derivative
  From root 'jñā' (to know).
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Null termination for vocative singular.

खड्गः (khaḍgaḥ) - the sword (as a weapon) (sword)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of khaḍga

khaḍga - sword

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly (emphasizes the sword's superiority) (only, indeed, just)

(indeclinable)

Note: Used for emphasis.

सुसंशितः (susaṁśitaḥ) - very well-sharpened (referring to the sword) (well-sharpened, very sharp)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of susaṃśita

susaṁśita - well-sharpened, keenly whetted

Past Passive Participle

From root 'śi' (to sharpen) with upasargas 'sam' and 'su'. PPP '-śita'.

Compound type : bahuvrihi or tatpurusha (adjectival) (su+samśita)

• su – good, well, excellent
  indeclinable
• saṃśita – sharpened, whetted
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root 'śi' (to sharpen) with upasarga 'sam'.
  Prefix: sam
  Root: śi (class 2)

Note: Agrees with 'khaḍgaḥ'.