महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-186, verse-22

न निवर्तितपूर्वं च कदाचिद्रणमूर्धनि ।
निवर्त्यतामापगेयः कामं युद्धात्पितामहाः ।
न त्वहं विनिवर्तिष्ये युद्धादस्मात्कथंचन ॥२२॥

22. na nivartitapūrvaṁ ca kadācidraṇamūrdhani ,
nivartyatāmāpageyaḥ kāmaṁ yuddhātpitāmahāḥ ,
na tvahaṁ vinivartiṣye yuddhādasmātkathaṁcana.

22. na nivartitapūrvaṃ ca kadācit
raṇamūrdhani nivartyatām āpageyaḥ kāmam
yuddhāt pitāmahāḥ na tu aham
vinivartiṣye yuddhāt asmāt kathaṃcana

22. ca kadācit raṇamūrdhani na
nivartitapūrvaṃ pitāmahāḥ kāmam āpageyaḥ
yuddhāt nivartyatām tu aham asmāt
yuddhāt kathaṃcana na vinivartiṣye

22. And I have never retreated from the forefront of battle (raṇamūrdhani) at any time. O grandfathers (pitāmahāḥ), let the son of the river (Āpageya, i.e., Bhīṣma) indeed be turned back from battle (yuddha), but I, by no means, shall ever retreat from this battle.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• निवर्तितपूर्वं (nivartitapūrvaṁ) - previously retreated, ever turned back

• च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

• कदाचित् (kadācit) - at any time (emphasizing negation) (ever, at any time, sometimes)

• रणमूर्धनि (raṇamūrdhani) - at the forefront of battle, in the thick of fight

• निवर्त्यताम् (nivartyatām) - let Bhīṣma retreat (let him be turned back, let him retreat (causative passive imperative))

• आपगेयः (āpageyaḥ) - Bhīṣma (son of the river (Ganges), Bhīṣma)

• कामम् (kāmam) - indeed, by all means (an emphatic particle implying concession) (indeed, by all means, certainly, willingly, let it be)

• युद्धात् (yuddhāt) - from battle, from war

• पितामहाः (pitāmahāḥ) - O (my) ancestors/fathers (vocative plural) (O grandfathers, O patriarchs)

• न (na) - not, no

• तु (tu) - but (but, however, on the other hand)

• अहम् (aham) - I

• विनिवर्तिष्ये (vinivartiṣye) - I shall retreat, I shall turn back

• युद्धात् (yuddhāt) - from battle, from war

• अस्मात् (asmāt) - from this (battle) (from this)

• कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - by any means (emphatic negation) (by any means, in any way, ever)

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates the statement 'nivartitapūrvaṃ'.

निवर्तितपूर्वं (nivartitapūrvaṁ) - previously retreated, ever turned back

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of nivartitapūrva

nivartitapūrva - previously retreated, turned back before

Tatpuruṣa compound of nivartita (PPP of ni-vṛt) and pūrva (former, prior)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (nivartita+pūrva)

• nivartita – turned back, retreated, caused to desist
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Prefix ni- + root vṛt (to turn) in causative + kta (PPP suffix)
  Prefix: ni
  Root: vṛt (class 1)
• pūrva – former, prior, previous
  adjective (neuter)

Note: Used impersonally, indicating a past action not done.

च (ca) - and (and, also, moreover)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects this statement with the previous one (implied).

कदाचित् (kadācit) - at any time (emphasizing negation) (ever, at any time, sometimes)

(indeclinable)

Compound of kadā (when) + cit (indefinite particle)

Note: Used with 'na' for 'never'.

रणमूर्धनि (raṇamūrdhani) - at the forefront of battle, in the thick of fight

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of raṇamūrdhan

raṇamūrdhan - forefront of battle, head of a fight

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (raṇa+mūrdhan)

• raṇa – battle, war, combat
  noun (masculine)
  Root: raṇ (class 1)
• mūrdhan – head, top, foremost part
  noun (masculine)

निवर्त्यताम् (nivartyatām) - let Bhīṣma retreat (let him be turned back, let him retreat (causative passive imperative))

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, imperative (loṭ) of nivṛt

Causative Imperative

Prefix ni- + root vṛt (to turn) in causative (ṇic) + tām (3rd singular imperative passive ending)

Prefix: ni

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Passive form of causative. Subject is 'āpageyaḥ'.

आपगेयः (āpageyaḥ) - Bhīṣma (son of the river (Ganges), Bhīṣma)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of āpageya

āpageya - son of the river (Āpagā, i.e., Gaṅgā); an epithet of Bhīṣma

Patronymic from Āpagā (river, i.e., Gaṅgā)

Note: Subject of 'nivartyatām'. Refers to Bhīṣma, son of Gaṅgā.

कामम् (kāmam) - indeed, by all means (an emphatic particle implying concession) (indeed, by all means, certainly, willingly, let it be)

(indeclinable)

Accusative singular of kāma (desire) used adverbially

Note: Used here concessively, "let him indeed retreat."

युद्धात् (yuddhāt) - from battle, from war

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of yuddha

yuddha - battle, fight, war

Past Passive Participle of yudh used as a noun

Root yudh (to fight) + kta (PPP suffix) used as a noun

Root: yudh (class 4)

Note: Indicates separation 'from battle'.

पितामहाः (pitāmahāḥ) - O (my) ancestors/fathers (vocative plural) (O grandfathers, O patriarchs)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, plural of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather, patriarch, a name for Brahma

Note: Addressed by Rāma to his ancestors.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

Note: Negates 'vinivartiṣye'.

तु (tu) - but (but, however, on the other hand)

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces a contrasting statement.

अहम् (aham) - I

(pronoun)

Nominative, singular of asmad

asmad - I

Note: Subject of 'vinivartiṣye'.

विनिवर्तिष्ये (vinivartiṣye) - I shall retreat, I shall turn back

(verb)

1st person , singular, middle, future (lṛṭ) of vinivṛt

Prefix vi- + ni- + root vṛt (to turn)

Prefixes: vi+ni

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Indicates a strong future resolve.

युद्धात् (yuddhāt) - from battle, from war

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of yuddha

yuddha - battle, fight, war

Past Passive Participle of yudh used as a noun

Root yudh (to fight) + kta (PPP suffix) used as a noun

Root: yudh (class 4)

Note: Indicates separation 'from battle'.

अस्मात् (asmāt) - from this (battle) (from this)

(pronoun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this

Note: Modifies 'yuddhāt'.

कथंचन (kathaṁcana) - by any means (emphatic negation) (by any means, in any way, ever)

(indeclinable)

Compound of katham (how) + ca (and) + na (not) -> kathaṃcana (ever, by any means, with negation: never by any means)

Note: Intensifies the negation.