महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-154, verse-23

राजन्किं नाम तत्कृत्यं क्षत्रियस्यास्त्यतोऽधिकम् ।
यद्युद्धेऽभिमुखः प्राणांस्त्यजेच्छत्रूञ्जयेत वा ॥२३॥

23. rājankiṁ nāma tatkṛtyaṁ kṣatriyasyāstyato'dhikam ,
yadyuddhe'bhimukhaḥ prāṇāṁstyajecchatrūñjayeta vā.

23. rājan kim nāma tat kṛtyam kṣatriyasya asti ataḥ adhikam
yat yuddhe abhimukhaḥ prāṇān tyajet śatrūn jayeta vā

23. O King, what duty (kṛtyam) for a kshatriya (kṣatriya) is greater than this: to either give up his life facing the enemy in battle, or to conquer his enemies?

Words meanings summery:

• राजन् (rājan) - O King (addressing Dhṛtarāṣṭra) (O King)

• किम् (kim) - what (what, why, how)

• नाम (nāma) - indeed, truly (indeed, by name, for instance)

• तत् (tat) - that (referring to the duty) (that, it)

• कृत्यम् (kṛtyam) - duty (appropriate for a kshatriya) (duty, deed, action; what is to be done)

• क्षत्रियस्य (kṣatriyasya) - of a kshatriya (kṣatriya) (of a kshatriya, belonging to a kshatriya)

• अस्ति (asti) - is (exists) (is, exists)

• अतः (ataḥ) - than this (from this, therefore, hence)

• अधिकम् (adhikam) - greater (than this) (greater, more, excessive)

• यत् (yat) - that (introducing a clause) (that, which, because)

• युद्धे (yuddhe) - in battle (in battle, in war)

• अभिमुखः (abhimukhaḥ) - facing (the enemy) (facing, having the face turned towards)

• प्राणान् (prāṇān) - life (plural often used for singular 'life') (lives, vital breaths)

• त्यजेत् (tyajet) - he should give up (he should abandon, he should give up)

• शत्रून् (śatrūn) - enemies

• जयेत (jayeta) - he should conquer (he should conquer, he should win)

• वा (vā) - or (or, either)

Words meanings and morphology

राजन् (rājan) - O King (addressing Dhṛtarāṣṭra) (O King)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Root: rāj

किम् (kim) - what (what, why, how)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, who, which

Note: Used here as an interrogative pronoun.

नाम (nāma) - indeed, truly (indeed, by name, for instance)

(indeclinable)

तत् (tat) - that (referring to the duty) (that, it)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, him, her, it

कृत्यम् (kṛtyam) - duty (appropriate for a kshatriya) (duty, deed, action; what is to be done)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kṛtya

kṛtya - duty, task, action, what is to be done

Gerundive

From root kṛ (to do), suffix tya.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

क्षत्रियस्य (kṣatriyasya) - of a kshatriya (kṣatriya) (of a kshatriya, belonging to a kshatriya)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of kṣatriya

kṣatriya - a member of the warrior or ruling class

अस्ति (asti) - is (exists) (is, exists)

(verb)

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

Present Active

3rd person singular present active of as.

Root: as (class 2)

अतः (ataḥ) - than this (from this, therefore, hence)

(indeclinable)

अधिकम् (adhikam) - greater (than this) (greater, more, excessive)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of adhika

adhika - greater, superior, more

Note: Agrees with 'kṛtyam'.

यत् (yat) - that (introducing a clause) (that, which, because)

(indeclinable)

Note: Functions as a relative pronoun or conjunction.

युद्धे (yuddhe) - in battle (in battle, in war)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of yuddha

yuddha - battle, war, fight

Root: yudh

अभिमुखः (abhimukhaḥ) - facing (the enemy) (facing, having the face turned towards)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of abhimukha

abhimukha - facing, confronting, turned towards

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (abhi+mukha)

• abhi – towards, to, over
  indeclinable
• mukha – face, mouth, front
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with the implied subject (kshatriya).

प्राणान् (prāṇān) - life (plural often used for singular 'life') (lives, vital breaths)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of prāṇa

prāṇa - breath, vital air, life, spirit

Prefix: pra

Root: an (class 2)

त्यजेत् (tyajet) - he should give up (he should abandon, he should give up)

(verb)

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

Optative Active

3rd person singular optative active of tyaj.

Root: tyaj (class 1)

शत्रून् (śatrūn) - enemies

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of śatru

śatru - enemy, foe

Root: śat

जयेत (jayeta) - he should conquer (he should conquer, he should win)

(verb)

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

Optative Active

3rd person singular optative active of ji.

Root: ji (class 1)

वा (vā) - or (or, either)

(indeclinable)