महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-16, chapter-2, verse-20

ततो राजभयात्सर्वे नियमं चक्रिरे तदा ।
नराः शासनमाज्ञाय तस्य राज्ञो महात्मनः ॥२०॥

20. tato rājabhayātsarve niyamaṁ cakrire tadā ,
narāḥ śāsanamājñāya tasya rājño mahātmanaḥ.

20. tataḥ rājabhayāt sarve niyamam cakrire tadā
narāḥ śāsanam ājñāya tasya rājñaḥ mahātmanaḥ

20. tataḥ rājabhayāt sarve narāḥ tasya mahātmanaḥ
rājñaḥ śāsanam ājñāya tadā niyamam cakrire

20. Then, out of fear of the king, all the people, understanding the command of that noble (mahātman) king, established this regulation at that time.

Words meanings summery:

• ततः (tataḥ) - then, thereupon, therefore

• राजभयात् (rājabhayāt) - from fear of the king, due to royal fear

• सर्वे (sarve) - all

• नियमम् (niyamam) - rule, regulation, restraint, observance

• चक्रिरे (cakrire) - they made, they did, they performed, they established

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• नराः (narāḥ) - men, people

• शासनम् (śāsanam) - command, instruction, decree

• आज्ञाय (ājñāya) - having known, having understood, understanding

• तस्य (tasya) - of that, his

• राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of the king

• महात्मनः (mahātmanaḥ) - of that noble (king) (of the great-souled one, of the noble one)

Words meanings and morphology

ततः (tataḥ) - then, thereupon, therefore

(indeclinable)

Adverbial form of `tad`.

राजभयात् (rājabhayāt) - from fear of the king, due to royal fear

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of rājabhaya

rājabhaya - fear of the king, royal fear

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (rājan+bhaya)

• rājan – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)
• bhaya – fear, dread, apprehension
  noun (neuter)
  From root bhī- 'to fear'
  Root: bhī (class 3)

Note: Denotes cause or reason.

सर्वे (sarve) - all

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole

Note: Agrees with `narāḥ`.

नियमम् (niyamam) - rule, regulation, restraint, observance

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of niyama

niyama - restraint, control, rule, regulation, observance, self-imposed religious duty

From ni-yam- 'to restrain, control'.

Prefix: ni

Root: yam (class 1)

Note: Object of `cakrire`.

चक्रिरे (cakrire) - they made, they did, they performed, they established

(verb)

3rd person , plural, middle, perfect (lit) of kṛ

Perfect Middle

3rd person plural, ātmanepada. Reduplicated perfect.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

Adverbial form of `tad`.

नराः (narāḥ) - men, people

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nara

nara - man, human being, person

Root: nṛ

Note: Subject of `cakrire`.

शासनम् (śāsanam) - command, instruction, decree

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śāsana

śāsana - command, instruction, rule, decree

From root śās- 'to command, instruct'.

Root: śās (class 2)

Note: Object of `ājñāya`.

आज्ञाय (ājñāya) - having known, having understood, understanding

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

From ā-jñā- 'to know, understand' with suffix -ya (after prefix).

Prefix: ā

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Indicates an action completed before the main verb `cakrire`.

तस्य (tasya) - of that, his

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it (demonstrative pronoun)

Note: Agrees with `rājñaḥ` and `mahātmanaḥ`.

राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of the king

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Root: rāj (class 1)

Note: Possessive, modifies `śāsanam`.

महात्मनः (mahātmanaḥ) - of that noble (king) (of the great-souled one, of the noble one)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of mahātman

mahātman - great-souled, noble, magnanimous; (as a noun) a great person, the great self/soul

Bahuvrīhi compound 'mahā' (great) + 'ātman' (self/soul).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (mahā+ātman)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective
• ātman – self, soul, spirit, essence
  noun (masculine)

Note: Agrees with `rājñaḥ`.