महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-56, verse-21

मृदुर्हि राजा सततं लङ्घ्यो भवति सर्वशः ।
तीक्ष्णाच्चोद्विजते लोकस्तस्मादुभयमाचर ॥२१॥

21. mṛdurhi rājā satataṁ laṅghyo bhavati sarvaśaḥ ,
tīkṣṇāccodvijate lokastasmādubhayamācara.

21. mṛduḥ hi rājā satatam laṅghyaḥ bhavati sarvaśaḥ
tīkṣṇāt ca udvijate lokaḥ tasmāt ubhayam ācara

21. hi mṛduḥ rājā satatam sarvaśaḥ laṅghyaḥ bhavati
ca lokaḥ tīkṣṇāt udvijate tasmāt ubhayam ācara

21. Indeed, a lenient king is always completely disregarded. And people are afraid of a harsh one. Therefore, one should adopt both approaches.

Words meanings summery:

• मृदुः (mṛduḥ) - lenient (referring to a king) (mild, soft, gentle)

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

• राजा (rājā) - king (king, ruler)

• सततम् (satatam) - always (always, constantly, perpetually)

• लङ्घ्यः (laṅghyaḥ) - disregarded (to be transgressed, to be violated, to be disregarded)

• भवति (bhavati) - becomes (becomes, is, exists)

• सर्वशः (sarvaśaḥ) - completely (in every way, entirely, completely)

• तीक्ष्णात् (tīkṣṇāt) - from a harsh (king) (from a sharp, harsh, severe (one))

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• उद्विजते (udvijate) - are afraid, shrink away (shrinks away, fears, is alarmed, trembles)

• लोकः (lokaḥ) - people (people, world, folk)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

• उभयम् (ubhayam) - both (approaches/qualities) (both, of both kinds)

• आचर (ācara) - adopt (both approaches) (practice, adopt, perform, behave)

Words meanings and morphology

मृदुः (mṛduḥ) - lenient (referring to a king) (mild, soft, gentle)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mṛdu

mṛdu - mild, soft, gentle

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

(indeclinable)

राजा (rājā) - king (king, ruler)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Root: rāj (class 1)

सततम् (satatam) - always (always, constantly, perpetually)

(indeclinable)

Derived from 'sa-' (with) and 'tata' (stretched, extended)

Root: tan (class 8)

Note: Accusative singular neuter of satata acting as an adverb.

लङ्घ्यः (laṅghyaḥ) - disregarded (to be transgressed, to be violated, to be disregarded)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of laṅghya

laṅghya - to be jumped over, to be surpassed, to be violated

Gerundive

Formed from root laṅgh with suffix -ya

Root: laṅgh (class 1)

Note: Gerundive used predicatively.

भवति (bhavati) - becomes (becomes, is, exists)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of bhū

Present indicative

Root: bhū (class 1)

सर्वशः (sarvaśaḥ) - completely (in every way, entirely, completely)

(indeclinable)

Formed from sarva with suffix -śaḥ

तीक्ष्णात् (tīkṣṇāt) - from a harsh (king) (from a sharp, harsh, severe (one))

(adjective)

Ablative, masculine, singular of tīkṣṇa

tīkṣṇa - sharp, harsh, severe, pungent

Root: tiś

Note: Refers to a 'harsh king'.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

उद्विजते (udvijate) - are afraid, shrink away (shrinks away, fears, is alarmed, trembles)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of vij

Present indicative

Prefix: ud

Root: vij (class 6)

Note: The subject 'lokaḥ' is singular but refers to 'people', so a plural English translation is natural.

लोकः (lokaḥ) - people (people, world, folk)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, people, realm

तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore (therefore, from that)

(pronoun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that

Note: Functions as an indeclinable adverb "therefore".

उभयम् (ubhayam) - both (approaches/qualities) (both, of both kinds)

(pronoun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of ubhaya

ubhaya - both

Note: Object of 'ācara'.

आचर (ācara) - adopt (both approaches) (practice, adopt, perform, behave)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of car

Imperative

Prefix: ā

Root: car (class 1)

Note: Addressed to a single person (implied king/ruler).