महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-6, verse-16

ध्रुवं विनाशो नृप कौरवाणां न वै श्रेयो धृतराष्ट्रः परैति ।
यथा पर्णे पुष्करस्येव सिक्तं जलं न तिष्ठेत्पथ्यमुक्तं तथास्मिन् ॥१६॥

16. dhruvaṁ vināśo nṛpa kauravāṇāṁ; na vai śreyo dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ paraiti ,
yathā parṇe puṣkarasyeva siktaṁ; jalaṁ na tiṣṭhetpathyamuktaṁ tathāsmin.

16. dhruvam vināśaḥ nṛpa kauravāṇām na
vai śreyaḥ dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ paraiti yathā
parṇe puṣkarasya iva siktam jalam
na tiṣṭhet pathyam uktam tathā asmin

16. O King, the destruction of the Kauravas is certain. Dhritarashtra certainly does not attain what is beneficial, just as water sprinkled on a lotus leaf does not remain; similarly, wholesome advice spoken to him does not stick.

Words meanings summery:

• ध्रुवम् (dhruvam) - certainly (certainly, surely, firm, constant)

• विनाशः (vināśaḥ) - destruction, ruin, loss

• नृप (nṛpa) - O king, O ruler

• कौरवाणाम् (kauravāṇām) - of the Kauravas

• न (na) - not, no

• वै (vai) - indeed, surely, verily

• श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - what is beneficial (welfare, good, prosperity, what is beneficial)

• धृतराष्ट्रः (dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ) - Dhritarashtra

• परैति (paraiti) - attains (goes to, attains, understands)

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, like

• पर्णे (parṇe) - on the leaf

• पुष्करस्य (puṣkarasya) - of the lotus

• इव (iva) - like, as, as it were

• सिक्तम् (siktam) - sprinkled, watered, moistened

• जलम् (jalam) - water

• न (na) - not, no

• तिष्ठेत् (tiṣṭhet) - does not remain (would remain, should stand, would stay)

• पथ्यम् (pathyam) - wholesome advice (wholesome, salutary, beneficial advice)

• उक्तम् (uktam) - spoken, said, told

• तथा (tathā) - similarly (so, thus, in the same way)

• अस्मिन् (asmin) - to him (Dhritarashtra) (in this, to him)

Words meanings and morphology

ध्रुवम् (dhruvam) - certainly (certainly, surely, firm, constant)

(indeclinable)

Note: Used here adverbially

विनाशः (vināśaḥ) - destruction, ruin, loss

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vināśa

vināśa - destruction, ruin, loss, disappearance

Prefix: vi

Root: naś (class 4)

नृप (nṛpa) - O king, O ruler

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of nṛpa

nṛpa - king, ruler, prince

Compound type : tatpurusha (nṛ+pa)

• nṛ – man, person
  noun (masculine)
• pa – protector, preserver, drinker
  noun (masculine)
  From root pā (to protect or to drink)
  Root: pā (class 2)

कौरवाणाम् (kauravāṇām) - of the Kauravas

(proper noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of kaurava

kaurava - descendant of Kuru, a Kaurava (member of the Kuru clan)

Derived from Kuru, indicating lineage

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

वै (vai) - indeed, surely, verily

(indeclinable)

श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - what is beneficial (welfare, good, prosperity, what is beneficial)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śreyas

śreyas - good fortune, happiness, welfare, excellence, better, best

Comparative/superlative form of śrī/praśasya

धृतराष्ट्रः (dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ) - Dhritarashtra

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhṛtarāṣṭra

dhṛtarāṣṭra - Dhritarashtra (name of the blind king, father of the Kauravas)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (dhṛta+rāṣṭra)

• dhṛta – held, borne, maintained
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  From root dhṛ (to hold)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• rāṣṭra – kingdom, realm, country
  noun (neuter)

परैति (paraiti) - attains (goes to, attains, understands)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (lat) of parā-i

Prefix: parā

Root: i (class 2)

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, like

(indeclinable)

पर्णे (parṇe) - on the leaf

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of parṇa

parṇa - leaf, feather

पुष्करस्य (puṣkarasya) - of the lotus

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of puṣkara

puṣkara - lotus, lotus flower, blue lotus, tip of an elephant's trunk

इव (iva) - like, as, as it were

(indeclinable)

सिक्तम् (siktam) - sprinkled, watered, moistened

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sikta

sikta - sprinkled, moistened, watered, poured out

Past Passive Participle

From root sic (to sprinkle, pour)

Root: sic (class 6)

जलम् (jalam) - water

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jala

jala - water

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

तिष्ठेत् (tiṣṭhet) - does not remain (would remain, should stand, would stay)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhilin) of sthā

Root: sthā (class 1)

पथ्यम् (pathyam) - wholesome advice (wholesome, salutary, beneficial advice)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pathya

pathya - suitable, fit, salutary, wholesome, beneficial, diet

Gerundive/Future Passive Participle

From path (path) + ya (suffix for gerundive)

Root: path

उक्तम् (uktam) - spoken, said, told

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ukta

ukta - spoken, said, declared, mentioned

Past Passive Participle

From root vac (to speak), with irregular formation (vac -> ukta)

Root: vac (class 2)

तथा (tathā) - similarly (so, thus, in the same way)

(indeclinable)

अस्मिन् (asmin) - to him (Dhritarashtra) (in this, to him)

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, he, she, it

Note: Refers to Dhritarashtra