महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-67, verse-16

राजा चेन्न भवेल्लोके पृथिव्यां दण्डधारकः ।
शूले मत्स्यानिवापक्ष्यन्दुर्बलान्बलवत्तराः ॥१६॥

16. rājā cenna bhavelloke pṛthivyāṁ daṇḍadhārakaḥ ,
śūle matsyānivāpakṣyandurbalānbalavattarāḥ.

16. rājā cet na bhavet loke pṛthivyām daṇḍadhārakaḥ
śūle matsyān iva apakṣyan durbalān balavattarāḥ

16. cet loke pṛthivyām daṇḍadhārakaḥ rājā na bhavet
śūle matsyān iva apakṣyan durbalān balavattarāḥ

16. If there were no king (rājā) and enforcer of justice (daṇḍadhārakaḥ) in the world, on earth, the stronger ones would devour the weak, just as fish are cooked on a spit.

Words meanings summery:

• राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

• चेत् (cet) - if

• न (na) - not

• भवेत् (bhavet) - were to exist (should be, might be, were to be)

• लोके (loke) - in the world

• पृथिव्याम् (pṛthivyām) - on earth (on earth, on the ground)

• दण्डधारकः (daṇḍadhārakaḥ) - enforcer of justice (wielder of punishment/justice, enforcer of law)

• शूले (śūle) - on a spit (for roasting) (on a spit, on a stake)

• मत्स्यान् (matsyān) - fish

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• अपक्ष्यन् (apakṣyan) - would devour or cook (would roast, would devour)

• दुर्बलान् (durbalān) - the weak people (weak ones)

• बलवत्तराः (balavattarāḥ) - the stronger people (stronger ones)

Words meanings and morphology

राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler, sovereign

Root: rāj (class 1)

चेत् (cet) - if

(indeclinable)

Note: Used to introduce a conditional clause.

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

भवेत् (bhavet) - were to exist (should be, might be, were to be)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of bhū

Optative Mood

Root 'bhū' (class 1, parasmaipada) in optative mood, 3rd person singular.

Root: bhū (class 1)

लोके (loke) - in the world

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, realm, people

पृथिव्याम् (pṛthivyām) - on earth (on earth, on the ground)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of pṛthivī

pṛthivī - earth, ground

दण्डधारकः (daṇḍadhārakaḥ) - enforcer of justice (wielder of punishment/justice, enforcer of law)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of daṇḍadhāraka

daṇḍadhāraka - wielder of the rod (of punishment), administrator of justice, king

Compound of 'daṇḍa' (rod, punishment, justice) and 'dhāraka' (bearer, wielder).

Compound type : upapada-tatpuruṣa (daṇḍa+dhāraka)

• daṇḍa – stick, rod, punishment, scepter, justice
  noun (masculine)
• dhāraka – bearer, holder, wielder, supporter
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun
  From root 'dhṛ' (to hold, bear) + suffix '-aka'.
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)

Note: An epithet for a king.

शूले (śūle) - on a spit (for roasting) (on a spit, on a stake)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of śūla

śūla - spear, stake, spit (for roasting)

Note: Refers to the act of roasting on a spit.

मत्स्यान् (matsyān) - fish

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of matsya

matsya - fish

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

Note: Used for comparison.

अपक्ष्यन् (apakṣyan) - would devour or cook (would roast, would devour)

(verb)

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

Conditional

Root 'pac' (class 1, parasmaipada) with upasarga 'apa' in conditional mood, 3rd person plural.

Prefix: apa

Root: pac (class 1)

Note: Here, 'apakṣyan' is a conditional form (lṛṅ-like) and it's from root 'pac' (to cook), fitting the context of fish on a spit.

दुर्बलान् (durbalān) - the weak people (weak ones)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of durbala

durbala - weak, feeble, powerless

Compound of 'dus' (bad, difficult) and 'bala' (strength).

Compound type : prādi-tatpuruṣa (dus+bala)

• dur – bad, difficult, ill-
  indeclinable
• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)

Note: Refers to weak persons.

बलवत्तराः (balavattarāḥ) - the stronger people (stronger ones)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of balavattara

balavattara - stronger, more powerful

Comparative form of 'balavat' (strong, powerful). Suffix '-tara' for comparative degree.

Note: Refers to stronger persons.