महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-185, verse-8

दुर्बलं बलवन्तो हि मत्स्यं मत्स्या विशेषतः ।
भक्षयन्ति यथा वृत्तिर्विहिता नः सनातनी ॥८॥

8. durbalaṁ balavanto hi matsyaṁ matsyā viśeṣataḥ ,
bhakṣayanti yathā vṛttirvihitā naḥ sanātanī.

8. durbalam balavantaḥ hi matsyām matsyāḥ viśeṣataḥ
bhakṣayanti yathā vṛttiḥ vihitā naḥ sanātanī

8. Indeed, powerful fish devour weak fish, especially other (stronger) fish. This is our eternal, prescribed way of life, our intrinsic nature (dharma).

Words meanings summery:

• दुर्बलम् (durbalam) - a weak fish (weak, feeble, powerless)

• बलवन्तः (balavantaḥ) - powerful fish (powerful ones, strong ones)

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

• मत्स्यम् (matsyam) - a weak fish (object of consumption) (fish)

• मत्स्याः (matsyāḥ) - powerful fish (subject doing the consuming) (fish)

• विशेषतः (viśeṣataḥ) - especially, particularly, in particular

• भक्षयन्ति (bhakṣayanti) - they eat, they devour

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as, according to

• वृत्तिः (vṛttiḥ) - natural law (dharma) for fish (livelihood, way of life, custom, occupation)

• विहिता (vihitā) - ordained, prescribed, arranged

• नः (naḥ) - our, to us

• सनातनी (sanātanī) - eternal, ancient, everlasting

Words meanings and morphology

दुर्बलम् (durbalam) - a weak fish (weak, feeble, powerless)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of durbala

durbala - weak, feeble, powerless, infirm

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dur+bala)

• dur – bad, difficult, hard, evil
  indeclinable
  Prefix indicating difficulty or badness
• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with matsyām

बलवन्तः (balavantaḥ) - powerful fish (powerful ones, strong ones)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of balavat

balavat - powerful, strong, mighty, endowed with strength

Possessive suffix -vat from bala

Note: Agrees with matsyāḥ

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

(indeclinable)

Particle indicating emphasis or cause

मत्स्यम् (matsyam) - a weak fish (object of consumption) (fish)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of matsya

matsya - fish

मत्स्याः (matsyāḥ) - powerful fish (subject doing the consuming) (fish)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of matsya

matsya - fish

विशेषतः (viśeṣataḥ) - especially, particularly, in particular

(indeclinable)

Formed with the suffix -tas

Root: śiṣ (class 7)

भक्षयन्ति (bhakṣayanti) - they eat, they devour

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of bhakṣ

Causative/Denominative

Root of the 10th class or causative of √bhaj

Root: bhakṣ (class 10)

यथा (yathā) - as, just as, according to

(indeclinable)

वृत्तिः (vṛttiḥ) - natural law (dharma) for fish (livelihood, way of life, custom, occupation)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vṛtti

vṛtti - livelihood, way of life, custom, course, conduct, function, intrinsic nature

Derived from the root √vṛt

Root: vṛt (class 1)

विहिता (vihitā) - ordained, prescribed, arranged

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of vihita

vihita - ordained, prescribed, arranged, performed, placed

Past Passive Participle

Formed from the prefix vi- and root √dhā

Prefix: vi

Root: dhā (class 3)

नः (naḥ) - our, to us

(pronoun)

Genitive, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

Note: Can also be dative/accusative plural

सनातनी (sanātanī) - eternal, ancient, everlasting

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of sanātana

sanātana - eternal, ancient, everlasting, perpetual

Derived from sanā (always) with -tana suffix

Note: Agrees with vṛttiḥ