महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-2, chapter-52, verse-18

दैवं प्रज्ञां तु मुष्णाति तेजश्चक्षुरिवापतत् ।
धातुश्च वशमन्वेति पाशैरिव नरः सितः ॥१८॥

18. daivaṁ prajñāṁ tu muṣṇāti tejaścakṣurivāpatat ,
dhātuśca vaśamanveti pāśairiva naraḥ sitaḥ.

18. daivam prajñām tu muṣṇāti tejaḥ cakṣuḥ iva āpatat
| dhātuḥ ca vaśam anveti pāśaiḥ iva naraḥ sitaḥ

18. Fate, however, steals one's wisdom, just as the brilliance of the eye fades away. And man submits to the will of the creator (dhātu), like a person bound with ropes.

Words meanings summery:

• दैवम् (daivam) - fate, destiny, divine influence

• प्रज्ञाम् (prajñām) - wisdom, intellect, intelligence

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, yet

• मुष्णाति (muṣṇāti) - steals, robs, carries off

• तेजः (tejaḥ) - the brilliance of one's intellect or spirit (light, splendor, brilliance, vigor, energy)

• चक्षुः (cakṣuḥ) - eye, sight

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• आपतत् (āpatat) - fading away, declining (referring to the brilliance of the eye) (falling, descending, befalling, fading)

• धातुः (dhātuḥ) - of the creator, referring to divine ordinance or destiny (of the creator, of destiny, constituent element)

• च (ca) - and, also

• वशम् (vaśam) - control, power, will

• अन्वेति (anveti) - follows, goes after, succumbs to

• पाशैः (pāśaiḥ) - by ropes, by bonds, by snares

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• नरः (naraḥ) - man, person

• सितः (sitaḥ) - bound, tied, fettered

Words meanings and morphology

दैवम् (daivam) - fate, destiny, divine influence

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of daiva

daiva - divine, celestial, pertaining to gods; destiny, fate

प्रज्ञाम् (prajñām) - wisdom, intellect, intelligence

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of prajñā

prajñā - wisdom, intelligence, understanding, discernment

from root jñā (to know) with prefix pra

Prefix: pra

Root: jñā (class 9)

तु (tu) - but, indeed, yet

(indeclinable)

मुष्णाति (muṣṇāti) - steals, robs, carries off

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of muṣ

Present Active Indicative

3rd person singular, present tense, active voice

Root: muṣ (class 9)

तेजः (tejaḥ) - the brilliance of one's intellect or spirit (light, splendor, brilliance, vigor, energy)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tejas

tejas - light, splendor, brilliance, energy, vigor, spiritual power

चक्षुः (cakṣuḥ) - eye, sight

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of cakṣus

cakṣus - eye, sight, vision

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

आपतत् (āpatat) - fading away, declining (referring to the brilliance of the eye) (falling, descending, befalling, fading)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of āpat

āpat - to fall upon, to descend, to come upon, to happen, to fade

Present Active Participle

Nominative singular neuter, from root pat (to fall) with prefix ā

Prefix: ā

Root: pat (class 1)

Note: Functions here as an adjective modifying implied 'tejas' or 'cakṣus' in the simile. Can be understood as 'fading' or 'declining'.

धातुः (dhātuḥ) - of the creator, referring to divine ordinance or destiny (of the creator, of destiny, constituent element)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of dhātṛ

dhātṛ - creator, ordainer, disposer, producer; a name for Brahmā or destiny

Agent noun from root dhā

Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Refers to the divine disposer of fate.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

वशम् (vaśam) - control, power, will

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of vaśa

vaśa - will, power, control, authority, submission

अन्वेति (anveti) - follows, goes after, succumbs to

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of anvi

Present Active Indicative

3rd person singular, present tense, active voice, from root i (to go) with prefix anu

Prefix: anu

Root: i (class 2)

पाशैः (pāśaiḥ) - by ropes, by bonds, by snares

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of pāśa

pāśa - rope, cord, bond, snare

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

नरः (naraḥ) - man, person

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nara

nara - man, person, human being

सितः (sitaḥ) - bound, tied, fettered

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sita

sita - bound, tied, fettered, chained

Past Passive Participle

from root si (to bind, tie)

Root: si (class 5)