महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-38, verse-2

आपत्सु च यथा नीतिर्विधातव्या महीक्षिता ।
धर्म्यमालम्ब्य पन्थानं विजयेयं कथं महीम् ॥२॥

2. āpatsu ca yathā nītirvidhātavyā mahīkṣitā ,
dharmyamālambya panthānaṁ vijayeyaṁ kathaṁ mahīm.

2. āpatsu ca yathā nītiḥ vidhātavyā mahīkṣitā
dharmyam ālambya panthānam vijayeyam katham mahīm

2. ca āpatsu mahīkṣitā yathā nītiḥ vidhātavyā
dharmyam panthānam ālambya katham mahīm vijayeyam

2. And how should appropriate conduct (nīti) be enacted by kings during calamities? How may I conquer the earth by adhering to the path of righteousness (dharma)?

Words meanings summery:

• आपत्सु (āpatsu) - in times of distress, during calamities (in calamities, in distresses, in difficulties)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• यथा (yathā) - how (how, as, in what manner)

• नीतिः (nītiḥ) - policy, appropriate conduct (nīti) (conduct, policy, ethics, guidance)

• विधातव्या (vidhātavyā) - should be implemented/enacted (to be made, to be arranged, to be performed, to be implemented)

• महीक्षिता (mahīkṣitā) - by kings (by the king, by kings)

• धर्म्यम् (dharmyam) - path of righteousness (dharma) (righteous, lawful, conformable to dharma)

• आलम्ब्य (ālambya) - by relying on, adhering to (having relied upon, clinging to, resorting to)

• पन्थानम् (panthānam) - the path (path, way, road)

• विजयेयम् (vijayeyam) - may I conquer (may I conquer, I should conquer)

• कथम् (katham) - how (how, why, in what manner)

• महीम् (mahīm) - the earth (the earth, land)

Words meanings and morphology

आपत्सु (āpatsu) - in times of distress, during calamities (in calamities, in distresses, in difficulties)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, plural of āpad

āpad - calamity, distress, misfortune

From ā-pad (to fall into).

Prefix: ā

Root: pad (class 4)

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects this question to the previous request for duties.

यथा (yathā) - how (how, as, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

नीतिः (nītiḥ) - policy, appropriate conduct (nīti) (conduct, policy, ethics, guidance)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of nīti

nīti - guidance, conduct, policy, ethics

From √nī (to lead).

Root: nī (class 1)

Note: Subject of 'vidhātavyā'.

विधातव्या (vidhātavyā) - should be implemented/enacted (to be made, to be arranged, to be performed, to be implemented)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vidhātavya

vidhātavya - to be made, to be performed

Gerundive

Derived from vi-√dhā (to place, to arrange) with suffix -tavya.

Prefix: vi

Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Agrees with 'nītiḥ'.

महीक्षिता (mahīkṣitā) - by kings (by the king, by kings)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of mahīkṣit

mahīkṣit - king, ruler (one who rules the earth)

From mahī (earth) + kṣi (to rule).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (mahī+kṣit)

• mahī – earth, land
  noun (feminine)
• kṣit – ruling, inhabiting
  adjective
  Agent noun from √kṣi.
  Root: kṣi (class 5)

Note: Agent in the passive construction.

धर्म्यम् (dharmyam) - path of righteousness (dharma) (righteous, lawful, conformable to dharma)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dharmya

dharmya - righteous, just, lawful, related to dharma

Derived from dharma with suffix -ya.

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'panthānam'.

आलम्ब्य (ālambya) - by relying on, adhering to (having relied upon, clinging to, resorting to)

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

Derived from ā-√lamb (to seize, to support) with suffix -ya (after upasarga).

Prefix: ā

Root: lamb (class 1)

Note: Action performed by the implied subject 'I' (Yudhiṣṭhira).

पन्थानम् (panthānam) - the path (path, way, road)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pathin

pathin - path, way, road

Note: Object of 'ālambya'.

विजयेयम् (vijayeyam) - may I conquer (may I conquer, I should conquer)

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of vijī

Optative Tense

Optative 1st person singular active of vi-√ji (to conquer).

Prefix: vi

Root: ji (class 1)

कथम् (katham) - how (how, why, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

महीम् (mahīm) - the earth (the earth, land)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of mahī

mahī - earth, land, ground

Note: Object of 'vijayeyam'.