महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-308, verse-138

परतन्त्रः सदा राजा स्वल्पे सोऽपि प्रसज्जते ।
संधिविग्रहयोगे च कुतो राज्ञः स्वतन्त्रता ॥१३८॥

138. paratantraḥ sadā rājā svalpe so'pi prasajjate ,
saṁdhivigrahayoge ca kuto rājñaḥ svatantratā.

138. paratantraḥ sadā rājā su-alpe saḥ api prasajjate
sandhi-vigraha-yoge ca kutaḥ rājñaḥ svatantratā

138. rājā sadā paratantraḥ,
saḥ api svalpe prasajjate.
saṃdhi-vigraha-yoge ca rājñaḥ svatantratā kutaḥ?

138. A king is always dependent, and even in small matters, he becomes bound. In the conduct of peace and war, how can a king possibly have independence?

Words meanings summery:

• परतन्त्रः (paratantraḥ) - dependent on others, subordinate

• सदा (sadā) - always, constantly

• राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

• सु-अल्पे (su-alpe) - in small matters, in trifling affairs

• सः (saḥ) - he, that

• अपि (api) - also, even, too

• प्रसज्जते (prasajjate) - he becomes bound or constrained (he becomes entangled, he is occupied, he applies himself)

• सन्धि-विग्रह-योगे (sandhi-vigraha-yoge) - in the sphere of diplomacy and military action (in matters of peace and war, in the combination of peace and war)

• च (ca) - and, moreover

• कुतः (kutaḥ) - how is it possible? (from where, whence, how (can there be))

• राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of the king

• स्वतन्त्रता (svatantratā) - independence, freedom, autonomy

Words meanings and morphology

परतन्त्रः (paratantraḥ) - dependent on others, subordinate

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of paratantra

paratantra - dependent, subordinate, controlled by others

From 'para' (other) and 'tantra' (system, control).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (para+tantra)

• para – other, another, supreme
  pronoun
• tantra – system, theory, loom, thread, control
  noun (neuter)

सदा (sadā) - always, constantly

(indeclinable)

राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, monarch, ruler

सु-अल्पे (su-alpe) - in small matters, in trifling affairs

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of svalpa

svalpa - very little, small, trifling, insignificant

Formed from 'su' (very) and 'alpa' (small).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (su+alpa)

• su – good, well, very, excellent
  indeclinable
• alpa – small, little, few, insignificant
  adjective

Note: Implied 'viṣaye' (in matters).

सः (saḥ) - he, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to 'rājā'.

अपि (api) - also, even, too

(indeclinable)

प्रसज्जते (prasajjate) - he becomes bound or constrained (he becomes entangled, he is occupied, he applies himself)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of √sañj

Present tense, Ātmanepada, 3rd person singular

Formed with prefix 'pra-' + root '√sañj' (class 6).

Prefix: pra

Root: √sañj (class 6)

सन्धि-विग्रह-योगे (sandhi-vigraha-yoge) - in the sphere of diplomacy and military action (in matters of peace and war, in the combination of peace and war)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of sandhivigrahayoga

sandhivigrahayoga - the state of peace and war, foreign policy involving peace and war

Compound type : dvandva-tatpuruṣa (sandhi+vigraha+yoga)

• sandhi – peace, alliance, conjunction, treaty
  noun (masculine)
• vigraha – war, separation, dispute, conflict
  noun (masculine)
• yoga – union, application, means, method, conjunction
  noun (masculine)

च (ca) - and, moreover

(indeclinable)

कुतः (kutaḥ) - how is it possible? (from where, whence, how (can there be))

(indeclinable)

Derived from 'kim' (what) + 'tas' (ablative suffix).

राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of the king

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, monarch, ruler

स्वतन्त्रता (svatantratā) - independence, freedom, autonomy

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of svatantratā

svatantratā - independence, self-reliance, freedom, autonomy

Derived from 'svatantra' (independent) + suffix 'tā' (abstract noun).