महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-189, verse-20

कस्मिन्धर्मे मया स्थेयं प्रजाः संरक्षता मुने ।
कथं च वर्तमानो वै न च्यवेयं स्वधर्मतः ॥२०॥

20. kasmindharme mayā stheyaṁ prajāḥ saṁrakṣatā mune ,
kathaṁ ca vartamāno vai na cyaveyaṁ svadharmataḥ.

20. kasmin dharme mayā stheyam prajāḥ saṃrakṣatā mune
katham ca vartamānaḥ vai na cyaveyam svadharmataḥ

20. O sage, what natural law (dharma) should I follow while protecting the people? And how, by acting, may I not deviate from my own intrinsic duty (svadharma)?

Words meanings summery:

• कस्मिन् (kasmin) - in which, what

• धर्मे (dharme) - in the context of one's intrinsic duty (dharma) (in duty, in natural law, in righteousness)

• मया (mayā) - by me

• स्थेयम् (stheyam) - to be stood, to be remained, should be stood

• प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - subjects, people, progeny

• संरक्षता (saṁrakṣatā) - by one protecting, by the protector

• मुने (mune) - O sage

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• च (ca) - and

• वर्तमानः (vartamānaḥ) - existing, being, behaving, acting

• वै (vai) - indeed, verily

• न (na) - not

• च्यवेयम् (cyaveyam) - may I deviate, may I fall

• स्वधर्मतः (svadharmataḥ) - from one's own intrinsic duty (svadharma) (from one's own duty, from one's own intrinsic nature)

Words meanings and morphology

कस्मिन् (kasmin) - in which, what

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Declined as masculine singular locative from 'kim'.

धर्मे (dharme) - in the context of one's intrinsic duty (dharma) (in duty, in natural law, in righteousness)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of dharma

dharma - duty, righteousness, natural law, constitution

Derived from root 'dhṛ' (to uphold, support).

Root: dhṛ (class 1)

मया (mayā) - by me

(pronoun)

Instrumental, singular of aham

aham - I

स्थेयम् (stheyam) - to be stood, to be remained, should be stood

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of stheya

stheya - to be stood, to be remained, proper to be stood

Gerundive

Formed from root 'sthā' (to stand) with suffix '-eya'.

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Used impersonally in the sense 'it should be stood by me'.

प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - subjects, people, progeny

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, plural of prajā

prajā - progeny, offspring, people, subjects

संरक्षता (saṁrakṣatā) - by one protecting, by the protector

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of saṃrakṣat

saṁrakṣat - protecting, guarding

Present Active Participle

Formed from prefix 'sam-' + root 'rakṣ' (to protect) + suffix '-at'.

Prefix: sam

Root: rakṣ (class 1)

मुने (mune) - O sage

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of muni

muni - sage, ascetic

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

वर्तमानः (vartamānaḥ) - existing, being, behaving, acting

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vartamāna

vartamāna - being, existing, present, acting

Present Active Participle

Formed from root 'vṛt' (to exist, to be, to turn) with suffix '-māna'.

Root: vṛt (class 1)

वै (vai) - indeed, verily

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

च्यवेयम् (cyaveyam) - may I deviate, may I fall

(verb)

1st person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of cyu

Root: cyu (class 1)

स्वधर्मतः (svadharmataḥ) - from one's own intrinsic duty (svadharma) (from one's own duty, from one's own intrinsic nature)

(indeclinable)

Formed from 'svadharma' with the suffix '-tas' indicating 'from'.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sva+dharma)

• sva – own, self
  adjective
• dharma – duty, righteousness, natural law, constitution
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)