महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-90, verse-19

तुल्यबाहुबलानां च गुणैरपि निषेविनाम् ।
कथं स्यादधिकः कश्चित्स तु भुञ्जीत मानवान् ॥१९॥

19. tulyabāhubalānāṁ ca guṇairapi niṣevinām ,
kathaṁ syādadhikaḥ kaścitsa tu bhuñjīta mānavān.

19. tulya bāhubalānām ca guṇaiḥ api niṣevinām | katham
syāt adhikaḥ kaścit saḥ tu bhuñjīta mānavān

19. tulya bāhubalānām ca guṇaiḥ api niṣevinām katham
kaścit adhikaḥ syāt saḥ tu mānavān bhuñjīta

19. How can anyone be superior among those who possess equal physical strength and who serve with virtues? Yet, such a one (a ruler) must govern human beings.

Words meanings summery:

• तुल्य (tulya) - equal (equal, similar, comparable)

• बाहुबलानाम् (bāhubalānām) - of those of arm-strength (of those having arm-strength, of those mighty in arms)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• गुणैः (guṇaiḥ) - with virtues (by virtues, by qualities, by merits)

• अपि (api) - even, also (also, even, too)

• निषेविनाम् (niṣevinām) - of those who serve (of those who serve, of those who practice, of followers)

• कथम् (katham) - how (how? in what manner?)

• स्यात् (syāt) - can be (may be, might be, should be)

• अधिकः (adhikaḥ) - superior (superior, excessive, additional)

• कश्चित् (kaścit) - anyone (anyone, someone, some)

• सः (saḥ) - such a one (a ruler) (he, that (masc. nom. sg.))

• तु (tu) - yet, however (but, indeed, yet)

• भुञ्जीत (bhuñjīta) - he must govern (he should enjoy, he should protect, he should rule)

• मानवान् (mānavān) - human beings (men, human beings (masc. pl. acc.))

Words meanings and morphology

तुल्य (tulya) - equal (equal, similar, comparable)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of tulya

tulya - equal, like, similar, comparable

Note: Qualifies 'bāhubalānām'.

बाहुबलानाम् (bāhubalānām) - of those of arm-strength (of those having arm-strength, of those mighty in arms)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of bāhubala

bāhubala - strength of arm, might

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (bāhu+bala)

• bāhu – arm
  noun (masculine)
• bala – strength, might, power
  noun (neuter)

Note: Genitive plural of 'bāhubala' referring to persons. Combined with 'tulya', it forms 'of those of equal arm-strength'.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects 'bāhubalānām' and 'niṣevinām'.

गुणैः (guṇaiḥ) - with virtues (by virtues, by qualities, by merits)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of guṇa

guṇa - quality, virtue, merit, attribute

Note: Instrument for 'niṣevinām'.

अपि (api) - even, also (also, even, too)

(indeclinable)

निषेविनाम् (niṣevinām) - of those who serve (of those who serve, of those who practice, of followers)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of niṣevin

niṣevin - serving, practicing, enjoying, following

Agent noun/Adjective from √sev with ni

From √sev (to serve) with prefix ni

Prefix: ni

Root: sev (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'tulya bāhubalānām' implied.

कथम् (katham) - how (how? in what manner?)

(indeclinable)

स्यात् (syāt) - can be (may be, might be, should be)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of as

Optative 3rd singular active

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Its subject is 'kaścit adhikaḥ'.

अधिकः (adhikaḥ) - superior (superior, excessive, additional)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of adhika

adhika - superior, greater, excessive, additional

Prefix: adhi

Root: kā

Note: Predicate nominative for 'kaścit'.

कश्चित् (kaścit) - anyone (anyone, someone, some)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kaścid

kaścid - anyone, someone, some, a certain

Indefinite pronoun formed from 'kim' + 'cid'

Note: Subject of 'syāt'.

सः (saḥ) - such a one (a ruler) (he, that (masc. nom. sg.))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Subject of 'bhuñjīta'.

तु (tu) - yet, however (but, indeed, yet)

(indeclinable)

भुञ्जीत (bhuñjīta) - he must govern (he should enjoy, he should protect, he should rule)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (vidhiliṅ) of bhuj

Optative 3rd singular middle voice

Root: bhuj (class 7)

मानवान् (mānavān) - human beings (men, human beings (masc. pl. acc.))

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of mānava

mānava - man, human being, descendant of Manu