महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-4, chapter-12, verse-4

स ह्यक्षहृदयज्ञस्तान्क्रीडयामास पाण्डवः ।
अक्षवत्यां यथाकामं सूत्रबद्धानिव द्विजान् ॥४॥

4. sa hyakṣahṛdayajñastānkrīḍayāmāsa pāṇḍavaḥ ,
akṣavatyāṁ yathākāmaṁ sūtrabaddhāniva dvijān.

4. saḥ hi akṣahṛdayajñaḥ tān krīḍayāmāsa pāṇḍavaḥ
akṣavatyām yathākāmam sūtrabaddhān iva dvijān

4. Indeed, that Pandava (Yudhishthira), being an expert in dice (akṣa), made them play in the gambling hall as he wished, as if they were birds tied by strings.

Words meanings summery:

• सः (saḥ) - He (Yudhishthira) (he, that)

• हि (hi) - indeed, for, because

• अक्षहृदयज्ञः (akṣahṛdayajñaḥ) - an expert in dice (one who knows the secret of dice)

• तान् (tān) - the assembly members/courtiers (them)

• क्रीडयामास (krīḍayāmāsa) - caused to play, entertained, played

• पाण्डवः (pāṇḍavaḥ) - the Pandava (Yudhishthira) (a descendant of Pandu)

• अक्षवत्याम् (akṣavatyām) - in the gambling hall, in the dice-game

• यथाकामम् (yathākāmam) - as desired, according to wish

• सूत्रबद्धान् (sūtrabaddhān) - bound by a string, tied with a thread

• इव (iva) - as if, like, similar to

• द्विजान् (dvijān) - birds (metaphorically implying control, like falconer's birds or puppets) (twice-born (birds, Brahmins, teeth))

Words meanings and morphology

सः (saḥ) - He (Yudhishthira) (he, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

हि (hi) - indeed, for, because

(indeclinable)

अक्षहृदयज्ञः (akṣahṛdayajñaḥ) - an expert in dice (one who knows the secret of dice)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of akṣahṛdayajña

akṣahṛdayajña - one who knows the secret of dice, skilled in gambling

Compound type : tatpurusha (akṣa+hṛdaya+jña)

• akṣa – dice, game of dice
  noun (masculine)
• hṛdaya – heart, mind, secret, essence
  noun (neuter)
• jña – knowing, one who knows
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root jñā (to know)
  Root: jñā (class 9)

तान् (tān) - the assembly members/courtiers (them)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

क्रीडयामास (krīḍayāmāsa) - caused to play, entertained, played

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of krīḍ

causative, perfect tense

Causative form (krīḍ-i) + perfect tense ending

Root: krīḍ (class 1)

पाण्डवः (pāṇḍavaḥ) - the Pandava (Yudhishthira) (a descendant of Pandu)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pāṇḍava

pāṇḍava - a descendant of Pandu (specifically referring to Yudhishthira here)

अक्षवत्याम् (akṣavatyām) - in the gambling hall, in the dice-game

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of akṣavatī

akṣavatī - gambling hall, dice-game

यथाकामम् (yathākāmam) - as desired, according to wish

(indeclinable)

Compound type : avyayībhāva (yathā+kāma)

• yathā – as, in which way
  indeclinable
• kāma – desire, wish
  noun (masculine)

सूत्रबद्धान् (sūtrabaddhān) - bound by a string, tied with a thread

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of sūtrabaddha

sūtrabaddha - bound by a string, tied with a thread

Compound type : tatpurusha (sūtra+baddha)

• sūtra – string, thread, aphorism
  noun (neuter)
• baddha – bound, tied, fettered
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  PPP of root bandh (to bind)
  Root: bandh (class 9)

इव (iva) - as if, like, similar to

(indeclinable)

द्विजान् (dvijān) - birds (metaphorically implying control, like falconer's birds or puppets) (twice-born (birds, Brahmins, teeth))

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of dvija

dvija - twice-born (a Brahmin, a bird, a tooth, a snake)

Compound type : tatpurusha (dvi+ja)

• dvi – two
  numeral
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective (masculine)
  Derived from root jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)