महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-233, verse-10

न तु गन्धर्वराजस्य सैनिका मन्दचेतसः ।
शक्यन्ते मृदुना श्रेयः प्रतिपादयितुं तदा ॥१०॥

10. na tu gandharvarājasya sainikā mandacetasaḥ ,
śakyante mṛdunā śreyaḥ pratipādayituṁ tadā.

10. na tu gandharvarājasya sainikā mandacetasaḥ
śakyante mṛdunā śreyaḥ pratipādayitum tadā

10. However, at that time, the dull-witted soldiers of the Gandharva king could not be made to accept what was beneficial (śreyas) by gentle persuasion.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

• गन्धर्वराजस्य (gandharvarājasya) - of Citrasena, the Gandharva king (of the Gandharva king)

• सैनिकाः (sainikāḥ) - soldiers, army men

• मन्दचेतसः (mandacetasaḥ) - dull-witted, slow-minded, foolish

• शक्यन्ते (śakyante) - are able, can be (persuaded)

• मृदुना (mṛdunā) - gently, softly, by mild means

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - what is beneficial (śreyas) for them (welfare, good, beneficial, better (śreyas))

• प्रतिपादयितुम् (pratipādayitum) - to make them accept what is beneficial (to persuade, to make accept, to establish)

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

तु (tu) - but, indeed, however

(indeclinable)

गन्धर्वराजस्य (gandharvarājasya) - of Citrasena, the Gandharva king (of the Gandharva king)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of gandharvarāja

gandharvarāja - king of Gandharvas

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (gandharva+rāja)

• gandharva – a celestial musician, a class of demigods
  noun (masculine)
• rāja – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)

सैनिकाः (sainikāḥ) - soldiers, army men

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sainika

sainika - soldier, belonging to an army

From senā (army) + ika suffix.

Note: External visarga sandhi undone. Subject of śakyante.

मन्दचेतसः (mandacetasaḥ) - dull-witted, slow-minded, foolish

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mandacetas

mandacetas - dull-witted, slow-minded

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (manda+cetas)

• manda – dull, slow, lazy, weak
  adjective (masculine)
• cetas – mind, intellect, thought
  noun (neuter)

Note: Qualifies sainikāḥ.

शक्यन्ते (śakyante) - are able, can be (persuaded)

(verb)

3rd person , plural, passive, present (lat) of śak

passive form of root śak

Root śak (class 5) in passive voice, ātmanepada.

Root: śak (class 5)

मृदुना (mṛdunā) - gently, softly, by mild means

(adjective)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of mṛdu

mṛdu - soft, tender, gentle, mild

Note: Refers to the gentle means of persuasion.

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - what is beneficial (śreyas) for them (welfare, good, beneficial, better (śreyas))

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - good, welfare, prosperity, better, preferable (śreyas)

Comparative of praśasya or śrī.

प्रतिपादयितुम् (pratipādayitum) - to make them accept what is beneficial (to persuade, to make accept, to establish)

(indeclinable)

infinitive (tumun)

Infinitive of the causative of root pad (to go, fall) with prefixes prati and ā.

Prefixes: prati+ā

Root: pad (class 4)

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

From pronoun tad + suffix dā.