महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-5, chapter-34, verse-35

एतयोपमया धीरः संनमेत बलीयसे ।
इन्द्राय स प्रणमते नमते यो बलीयसे ॥३५॥

35. etayopamayā dhīraḥ saṁnameta balīyase ,
indrāya sa praṇamate namate yo balīyase.

35. etayā upamayā dhīraḥ saṃnameta balīyase
indrāya saḥ praṇamate namate yaḥ balīyase

35. Following this example, a wise person should yield to the more powerful. For indeed, whoever bows to the strong also bows to Indra.

Words meanings summery:

• एतया (etayā) - by this

• उपमया (upamayā) - by comparison, by analogy, by simile

• धीरः (dhīraḥ) - a wise person, a firm person, a resolute person

• संनमेत (saṁnameta) - should bow down, should yield, should submit

• बलीयसे (balīyase) - to the stronger, to the more powerful

• इन्द्राय (indrāya) - to Indra

• सः (saḥ) - he, that one

• प्रणमते (praṇamate) - bows down, salutes, pays homage

• नमते (namate) - bows, pays homage

• यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

• बलीयसे (balīyase) - to the stronger, to the more powerful

Words meanings and morphology

एतया (etayā) - by this

(pronoun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of etad

etad - this, that

उपमया (upamayā) - by comparison, by analogy, by simile

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, singular of upamā

upamā - comparison, simile, analogy

धीरः (dhīraḥ) - a wise person, a firm person, a resolute person

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhīra

dhīra - wise, firm, resolute

Root: dhī

Note: Used as a noun here, referring to 'a wise person'.

संनमेत (saṁnameta) - should bow down, should yield, should submit

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, optative (liṅ) of nam

optative mood

root nam with prefix sam, ātmanepada, 3rd person singular, optative

Prefix: sam

Root: nam (class 1)

Note: Root nam (1P) with sam prefix, here used in ātmanepada in optative mood.

बलीयसे (balīyase) - to the stronger, to the more powerful

(adjective)

Dative, masculine, singular of balīyas

balīyas - stronger, more powerful

comparative adjective

comparative form of bala

Note: It qualifies an implicit noun, e.g., 'to the stronger person'.

इन्द्राय (indrāya) - to Indra

(proper noun)

Dative, masculine, singular of indra

indra - Indra (chief of the devas, god of thunder and war)

सः (saḥ) - he, that one

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the 'one who bows to the stronger'.

प्रणमते (praṇamate) - bows down, salutes, pays homage

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of nam

present tense

root nam with prefix pra, ātmanepada, 3rd person singular, present

Prefix: pra

Root: nam (class 1)

Note: Root nam (1P) with pra prefix, here used in ātmanepada.

नमते (namate) - bows, pays homage

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of nam

present tense

root nam, ātmanepada, 3rd person singular, present

Root: nam (class 1)

यः (yaḥ) - who, whoever

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of yad

yad - which, who, whatever

Note: Relative pronoun.

बलीयसे (balīyase) - to the stronger, to the more powerful

(adjective)

Dative, masculine, singular of balīyas

balīyas - stronger, more powerful

comparative adjective

comparative form of bala

Note: It qualifies an implicit noun, e.g., 'to the stronger person'.