महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-79, verse-40

किमुक्ष्णावहता कृत्यं किं धेन्वा चाप्यदुग्धया ।
वन्ध्यया भार्यया कोऽर्थः कोऽर्थो राज्ञाप्यरक्षता ॥४०॥

40. kimukṣṇāvahatā kṛtyaṁ kiṁ dhenvā cāpyadugdhayā ,
vandhyayā bhāryayā ko'rthaḥ ko'rtho rājñāpyarakṣatā.

40. kim ukṣṇā avahatā kṛtyam kim dhenvā ca api adugdhyayā
vandhyayā bhāryayā kaḥ arthaḥ kaḥ arthaḥ rājñā api arakṣatā

40. ukṣṇā avahatā kṛtyam kim dhenvā adugdhyayā ca api kim
vandhyayā bhāryayā kaḥ arthaḥ rājñā arakṣatā api kaḥ arthaḥ

40. What is the use of an incapacitated ox? What purpose does an unmilked cow serve? What is the point of a barren wife? And what is the use of a king who fails to protect?

Words meanings summery:

• किम् (kim) - what, what use, wherefore

• उक्ष्णा (ukṣṇā) - by an ox

• अवहता (avahatā) - (referring to the ox) (by the useless one, by the incapacitated (animal/person))

• कृत्यम् (kṛtyam) - use, purpose, action, deed

• किम् (kim) - what, what use, wherefore

• धेन्वा (dhenvā) - by a milch-cow

• च (ca) - and

• अपि (api) - also, even

• अदुग्ध्यया (adugdhyayā) - by the unmilked one, by the one that yields no milk

• वन्ध्यया (vandhyayā) - by a barren one

• भार्यया (bhāryayā) - by a wife

• कः (kaḥ) - what, who

• अर्थः (arthaḥ) - purpose, meaning, use

• कः (kaḥ) - what, who

• अर्थः (arthaḥ) - purpose, meaning, use

• राज्ञा (rājñā) - by a king

• अपि (api) - also, even

• अरक्षता (arakṣatā) - modifies `rājan` (king) (by one who does not protect)

Words meanings and morphology

किम् (kim) - what, what use, wherefore

(indeclinable)

उक्ष्णा (ukṣṇā) - by an ox

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of ukṣan

ukṣan - ox, bull

अवहता (avahatā) - (referring to the ox) (by the useless one, by the incapacitated (animal/person))

(adjective)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of avahata

avahata - struck down, killed, useless, incapacitated, ruined

Past Passive Participle

derived from root han (to strike/kill) with prefix ava

Prefix: ava

Root: han (class 2)

Note: The form 'avahatā' is instrumental singular feminine, but semantically modifies 'ukṣan' (masculine instrumental singular 'ukṣṇā'). This implies a slight grammatical irregularity or a substantive use where the 'incapacitated one' is implicitly feminine.

कृत्यम् (kṛtyam) - use, purpose, action, deed

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kṛtya

kṛtya - to be done, duty, purpose, use, deed

Gerundive

derived from root kṛ (to do) + -tya suffix

Root: kṛ (class 8)

किम् (kim) - what, what use, wherefore

(indeclinable)

धेन्वा (dhenvā) - by a milch-cow

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of dhenu

dhenu - milch-cow, cow

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

अपि (api) - also, even

(indeclinable)

अदुग्ध्यया (adugdhyayā) - by the unmilked one, by the one that yields no milk

(adjective)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of adugdhyā

adugdhyā - unmilked (feminine), yielding no milk

negated past passive participle of root duh with suffix -yā (feminine)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+dugdhyā)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• dugdhyā – milked, yielding milk (feminine)
  adjective (feminine)
  Past Passive Participle
  from root duh
  Root: duh (class 2)

Note: modifies `dhenu`

वन्ध्यया (vandhyayā) - by a barren one

(adjective)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of vandhyā

vandhyā - barren, sterile (feminine)

Note: modifies `bhāryā`

भार्यया (bhāryayā) - by a wife

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of bhāryā

bhāryā - wife, spouse

Gerundive

from root bhṛ (to bear, support) + -ya suffix, meaning 'one to be supported'

Root: bhṛ (class 3)

कः (kaḥ) - what, who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - what, who, which

अर्थः (arthaḥ) - purpose, meaning, use

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - aim, purpose, meaning, wealth, use, object

कः (kaḥ) - what, who

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - what, who, which

अर्थः (arthaḥ) - purpose, meaning, use

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of artha

artha - aim, purpose, meaning, wealth, use, object

राज्ञा (rājñā) - by a king

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

अपि (api) - also, even

(indeclinable)

अरक्षता (arakṣatā) - modifies `rājan` (king) (by one who does not protect)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of arakṣat

arakṣat - not protecting, unprotecting

Present Active Participle (negated)

derived from root rakṣ (to protect) + Śatṛ suffix, negated by 'a'

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+rakṣat)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• rakṣat – protecting
  adjective (masculine)
  Present Active Participle
  from root rakṣ
  Root: rakṣ (class 1)