महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-89, verse-2

भीष्म उवाच ।
यथादेशं यथाकालमपि चैव यथाबलम् ।
अनुशिष्यात्प्रजा राजा धर्मार्थी तद्धिते रतः ॥२॥

2. bhīṣma uvāca ,
yathādeśaṁ yathākālamapi caiva yathābalam ,
anuśiṣyātprajā rājā dharmārthī taddhite rataḥ.

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca yathādeśam yathākālam api ca eva yathābalam
anuśiṣyāt prajā rājā dharmārthī taddhite rataḥ

2. bhīṣmaḥ uvāca rājā dharmārthī taddhite rataḥ yathādeśam
yathākālam api ca eva yathābalam prajā anuśiṣyāt

2. Bhishma said: A king, who desires to uphold his intrinsic nature (dharma) and is devoted to the welfare of his subjects, should govern the people in accordance with the country, the prevailing time, and his own capacity.

Words meanings summery:

• भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• यथादेशम् (yathādeśam) - according to the place, according to the country

• यथाकालम् (yathākālam) - according to the time

• अपि (api) - also, even, too

• च (ca) - and

• एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

• यथाबलम् (yathābalam) - according to strength, according to capacity

• अनुशिष्यात् (anuśiṣyāt) - should instruct, should govern, should teach

• प्रजा (prajā) - subjects, people, progeny

• राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

• धर्मार्थी (dharmārthī) - desiring to uphold his intrinsic nature (dharma) (desiring dharma, striving for righteousness)

• तद्धिते (taddhite) - in the welfare of the subjects (in their welfare, in what is beneficial to them)

• रतः (rataḥ) - devoted to their welfare (devoted, engaged, absorbed)

Words meanings and morphology

भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhīṣma

bhīṣma - Bhishma (a name, particularly a prominent character in the Mahabharata)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (lit) of vac

Perfect Active

3rd person singular Perfect active form (irregular) of the root √vac

Root: vac (class 2)

यथादेशम् (yathādeśam) - according to the place, according to the country

(indeclinable)

Avyayībhāva compound with 'yathā' indicating 'according to'

Compound type : avyayībhāva (yathā+deśa)

• yathā – as, according to, just as
  indeclinable
• deśa – place, country, region
  noun (masculine)
  Root: diś (class 6)

यथाकालम् (yathākālam) - according to the time

(indeclinable)

Avyayībhāva compound with 'yathā' indicating 'according to'

Compound type : avyayībhāva (yathā+kāla)

• yathā – as, according to, just as
  indeclinable
• kāla – time, period, season
  noun (masculine)

अपि (api) - also, even, too

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, only, certainly

(indeclinable)

यथाबलम् (yathābalam) - according to strength, according to capacity

(indeclinable)

Avyayībhāva compound with 'yathā' indicating 'according to'

Compound type : avyayībhāva (yathā+bala)

• yathā – as, according to, just as
  indeclinable
• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)
  Root: bal (class 1)

अनुशिष्यात् (anuśiṣyāt) - should instruct, should govern, should teach

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of anu-śās

Optative Active

3rd person singular Optative active of the root √śās with prefix anu-

Prefix: anu

Root: śās (class 2)

प्रजा (prajā) - subjects, people, progeny

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, plural of prajā

prajā - subjects, people, progeny, creation

Feminine noun, derived from pra-√jan (to be born, to produce)

Prefix: pra

Root: jan (class 4)

राजा (rājā) - king, ruler

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler, sovereign

Masculine n-stem noun

Root: rāj (class 1)

Note: Subject of 'anuśiṣyāt'.

धर्मार्थी (dharmārthī) - desiring to uphold his intrinsic nature (dharma) (desiring dharma, striving for righteousness)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dharmārthin

dharmārthin - desirous of dharma, pursuing righteousness, devoted to duty

Compound of 'dharma' (natural law/duty) and 'arthin' (desiring, seeking)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (dharma+arthin)

• dharma – constitution, natural law, intrinsic nature, duty, righteousness
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• arthin – desiring, seeking, supplicant, interested in
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun from the root √arth (to seek, to ask) with the suffix -in
  Root: arth (class 10)

तद्धिते (taddhite) - in the welfare of the subjects (in their welfare, in what is beneficial to them)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of taddhita

taddhita - beneficial to them, suitable for them, their welfare

Compound formed by 'tad' (that/them) + 'hita' (welfare/beneficial). Used here in locative singular.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tad+hita)

• tad – that, those, them
  pronoun (neuter)
  Base form of the demonstrative pronoun, here implicitly referring to 'prajā' (subjects)
• hita – welfare, benefit, good, beneficial
  noun (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Past passive participle of root √dhā (to place), meaning 'placed, beneficial', later used as a noun for 'welfare'
  Root: dhā (class 3)

रतः (rataḥ) - devoted to their welfare (devoted, engaged, absorbed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rata

rata - devoted, engaged, pleased, attached

Past Passive Participle

Past passive participle of the root √ram (to delight, to enjoy, to be pleased)

Root: ram (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'rājā'.