महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-99, verse-18

तदा स्म मन्त्रं सहिताः प्रचक्रुस्त्रैलोक्यनाशार्थमभिस्मयन्तः ।
तत्र स्म केचिन्मतिनिश्चयज्ञास्तांस्तानुपायाननुवर्णयन्ति ॥१८॥

18. tadā sma mantraṁ sahitāḥ pracakru;strailokyanāśārthamabhismayantaḥ ,
tatra sma kecinmatiniścayajñā;stāṁstānupāyānanuvarṇayanti.

18. tadā sma mantram sahitāḥ pracakruḥ
trailokyanāśārtham abhiṣmayantaḥ
tatra sma kecit matiniścayajñāḥ
tān tān upāyān anuvarṇayanti

18. Then, assembling, and marveling at the audacity of their scheme, they devised a plan for the destruction of the three worlds. Among them, some who were skilled in making resolute decisions described various strategies (upāyas).

Words meanings summery:

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• स्म (sma) - particle indicating past action

• मन्त्रम् (mantram) - a plan or strategy (plan, counsel, sacred utterance)

• सहिताः (sahitāḥ) - assembled, gathered together, accompanied

• प्रचक्रुः (pracakruḥ) - they did, they made, they devised

• त्रैलोक्यनाशार्थम् (trailokyanāśārtham) - for the purpose of the destruction of the three worlds

• अभिष्मयन्तः (abhiṣmayantaḥ) - marveling at the audacity or complexity of their scheme (marveling, wondering, astonished)

• तत्र (tatra) - there, then

• स्म (sma) - particle indicating past action

• केचित् (kecit) - some, certain ones

• मतिनिश्चयज्ञाः (matiniścayajñāḥ) - skilled in making firm decisions (knowing how to make resolute decisions, knowing the certainty of purpose)

• तान् (tān) - those

• तान् (tān) - those

• उपायान् (upāyān) - strategies (upāyas) (means, methods, strategies)

• अनुवर्णयन्ति (anuvarṇayanti) - they describe, they explain

Words meanings and morphology

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

स्म (sma) - particle indicating past action

(indeclinable)

मन्त्रम् (mantram) - a plan or strategy (plan, counsel, sacred utterance)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mantra

mantra - sacred utterance, hymn, spell, plan, counsel (mantra)

Derived from root man (to think) with suffix -tra.

Root: man (class 4)

Note: Object of 'pracakruḥ'.

सहिताः (sahitāḥ) - assembled, gathered together, accompanied

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sahita

sahita - assembled, accompanied, connected, included

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root dhā (to place) with prefix sam- and i- (from i, to go), or related to sah (to bear).

Note: Refers to the 'daityas' (implied).

प्रचक्रुः (pracakruḥ) - they did, they made, they devised

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, past perfect (lit) of pra-kṛ

Perfect Tense

3rd person plural, perfect tense, active voice of root kṛ with prefix pra.

Prefix: pra

Root: kṛ (class 8)

त्रैलोक्यनाशार्थम् (trailokyanāśārtham) - for the purpose of the destruction of the three worlds

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of trailokyanāśārtha

trailokyanāśārtha - for the purpose of the destruction of the three worlds

Compound of 'trailokya' (three worlds), 'nāśa' (destruction), and 'artha' (purpose).

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (trailokya+nāśa+artha)

• trailokya – the three worlds (heaven, earth, and hell)
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from 'tri' (three) and 'loka' (world).
• nāśa – destruction, ruin, loss
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root naś (to perish, be lost).
  Root: naś (class 4)
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, object
  noun (masculine)

Note: Used adverbially to express purpose.

अभिष्मयन्तः (abhiṣmayantaḥ) - marveling at the audacity or complexity of their scheme (marveling, wondering, astonished)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of abhiṣmayat

abhiṣmayat - marveling, wondering, being astonished

Present Active Participle

Derived from root smi (to smile, wonder) with prefix abhi.

Prefix: abhi

Root: smi (class 1)

Note: Agrees with the implied subject (the demons).

तत्र (tatra) - there, then

(indeclinable)

स्म (sma) - particle indicating past action

(indeclinable)

केचित् (kecit) - some, certain ones

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kim

kim - who, what, which (often used to form indefinite pronouns with 'cit')

Used as an indefinite pronoun in combination with 'cit'.

मतिनिश्चयज्ञाः (matiniścayajñāḥ) - skilled in making firm decisions (knowing how to make resolute decisions, knowing the certainty of purpose)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of matiniścayajñā

matiniścayajñā - knowing resolute decisions, knowledgeable in certainty of purpose

Compound of 'mati' (intellect, decision), 'niścaya' (resolve, certainty), and 'jñā' (knowing).

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (mati+niścaya+jñā)

• mati – intellect, mind, opinion, decision
  noun (feminine)
  Derived from root man (to think).
  Root: man (class 4)
• niścaya – certainty, ascertainment, resolve, decision
  noun (masculine)
  Derived from root ci (to gather, know) with prefix nis-.
  Prefix: nis
  Root: ci (class 5)
• jñā – knowing, knowledgeable
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root jñā (to know). Used as a suffix in compounds.
  Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: Agrees with 'kecit'.

तान् (tān) - those

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Emphasizes variety of 'upāyān'.

तान् (tān) - those

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Emphasizes variety of 'upāyān'.

उपायान् (upāyān) - strategies (upāyas) (means, methods, strategies)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of upāya

upāya - means, method, expedient, strategy (upāya)

Derived from root i (to go) with prefix upa.

Prefix: upa

Root: i (class 2)

Note: Object of 'anuvarṇayanti'.

अनुवर्णयन्ति (anuvarṇayanti) - they describe, they explain

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (lat) of anu-varṇ

Present Tense

3rd person plural, present tense, active voice of root varṇ (from varṇa) with prefix anu. Used with 'sma' to indicate past action.

Prefix: anu

Root: vṛ (class 9)