महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-2, chapter-16, verse-5

ते वयं नयमास्थाय शत्रुदेहसमीपगाः ।
कथमन्तं न गच्छेम वृक्षस्येव नदीरयाः ।
पररन्ध्रे पराक्रान्ताः स्वरन्ध्रावरणे स्थिताः ॥५॥

5. te vayaṁ nayamāsthāya śatrudehasamīpagāḥ ,
kathamantaṁ na gacchema vṛkṣasyeva nadīrayāḥ ,
pararandhre parākrāntāḥ svarandhrāvaraṇe sthitāḥ.

5. te vayam nayam āsthāya śatrudehasamīpagāḥ
katham antam na gacchema
vṛkṣasya iva nadīrayāḥ pararandhre
parākrāntāḥ svarandhrāvaraṇe sthitāḥ

5. Having adopted a sound policy and being close to the enemy's stronghold, how can we not bring about their destruction, just as powerful river currents can uproot a tree? We must act decisively against their vulnerabilities while maintaining a position that covers our own.

Words meanings summery:

• ते (te) - we (referring to ourselves, 'we, those who are...') (they, those)

• वयम् (vayam) - we

• नयम् (nayam) - a strategic plan or course of action (policy, strategy, conduct)

• आस्थाय (āsthāya) - having adopted (a strategy) (having taken up, having adopted, having resorted to)

• शत्रुदेहसमीपगाः (śatrudehasamīpagāḥ) - being in close proximity to the enemy's stronghold or core (those who have gone near the enemy's body/position)

• कथम् (katham) - how (could it be that...) (how, why)

• अन्तम् (antam) - the destruction (of the enemy) or achievement of the goal (end, destruction, limit)

• न (na) - not, no

• गच्छेम (gacchema) - we should reach (the end), we should achieve (the destruction) (we should go, we should reach)

• वृक्षस्य (vṛkṣasya) - of a tree

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• नदीरयाः (nadīrayāḥ) - like the powerful flow/currents of a river (of river currents)

• पररन्ध्रे (pararandhre) - in the specific vulnerabilities or flaws of the enemy (in the weak points of others, in the enemy's vulnerabilities)

• पराक्रान्ताः (parākrāntāḥ) - those who attack vigorously/decisively (attacked, mighty, valorous, overcome)

• स्वरन्ध्रावरणे (svarandhrāvaraṇe) - while protecting or concealing our own vulnerabilities (in the covering of one's own weaknesses)

• स्थिताः (sthitāḥ) - being positioned or remaining (in a protective state) (stood, remained, being in a state)

Words meanings and morphology

ते (te) - we (referring to ourselves, 'we, those who are...') (they, those)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those, he, she, it

Note: Often used with 'vayam' to emphasize 'we, those (who are in this situation)'

वयम् (vayam) - we

(pronoun)

Nominative, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

नयम् (nayam) - a strategic plan or course of action (policy, strategy, conduct)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of naya

naya - policy, conduct, leading, system, statesmanship

Derived from root 'nī' (to lead)

Root: nī (class 1)

आस्थाय (āsthāya) - having adopted (a strategy) (having taken up, having adopted, having resorted to)

(indeclinable)

Gerund (absolutive)

Formed with prefix 'ā' and suffix '-ya' after the root 'sthā'.

Prefix: ā

Root: sthā (class 1)

शत्रुदेहसमीपगाः (śatrudehasamīpagāḥ) - being in close proximity to the enemy's stronghold or core (those who have gone near the enemy's body/position)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śatrudehasamīpaga

śatrudehasamīpaga - one who has approached the enemy's body/position

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śatru+deha+samīpa+ga)

• śatru – enemy, foe
  noun (masculine)
• deha – body, physical form, stronghold
  noun (masculine)
• samīpa – near, proximity, vicinity
  adjective
• ga – going, moving, reaching, situated in
  adjective (masculine)
  Agent noun/adjective from root 'gam'
  Suffix 'ḍa' after 'gam'.
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'vayam'

कथम् (katham) - how (could it be that...) (how, why)

(indeclinable)

अन्तम् (antam) - the destruction (of the enemy) or achievement of the goal (end, destruction, limit)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of anta

anta - end, limit, vicinity, death

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

गच्छेम (gacchema) - we should reach (the end), we should achieve (the destruction) (we should go, we should reach)

(verb)

1st person , plural, active, optative (liṅ) of gam

Optative mood, 1st person plural

Root 'gam', class 1, optative, parasmaipada.

Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Used in an interrogative sense, implying 'how can we not reach it?'

वृक्षस्य (vṛkṣasya) - of a tree

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of vṛkṣa

vṛkṣa - tree

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

नदीरयाः (nadīrayāḥ) - like the powerful flow/currents of a river (of river currents)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nadīraya

nadīraya - river current/flow

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nadī+raya)

• nadī – river
  noun (feminine)
• raya – current, speed, force, flow, impetus
  noun (masculine)

Note: Implies the powerful, destructive force of river currents.

पररन्ध्रे (pararandhre) - in the specific vulnerabilities or flaws of the enemy (in the weak points of others, in the enemy's vulnerabilities)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of pararandhra

pararandhra - another's fault/vulnerability/weakness

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (para+randhra)

• para – other, enemy, supreme
  adjective (masculine)
• randhra – hole, opening, fault, defect, weak point
  noun (neuter)

पराक्रान्ताः (parākrāntāḥ) - those who attack vigorously/decisively (attacked, mighty, valorous, overcome)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of parākrānta

parākrānta - attacked, valiant, powerful, active, vigorous

Past Passive Participle

From root 'kram' with prefix 'parā'.

Prefix: parā

Root: kram (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'vayam' implicitly. Interpreted actively as 'those who attack vigorously'.

स्वरन्ध्रावरणे (svarandhrāvaraṇe) - while protecting or concealing our own vulnerabilities (in the covering of one's own weaknesses)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of svarandhrāvaraṇa

svarandhrāvaraṇa - covering of one's own faults/weaknesses

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sva+randhra+āvaraṇa)

• sva – own, one's own
  pronoun (masculine)
• randhra – hole, opening, fault, defect, weak point
  noun (neuter)
• āvaraṇa – covering, concealment, protection
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from root 'vṛ' (to cover) with prefix 'ā'.
  Prefix: ā
  Root: vṛ (class 5)

Note: Meaning 'in the act/state of covering one's own weaknesses'.

स्थिताः (sthitāḥ) - being positioned or remaining (in a protective state) (stood, remained, being in a state)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sthita

sthita - standing, situated, firm, remaining, abiding

Past Passive Participle

From root 'sthā' (to stand).

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'vayam' implicitly.