महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-16, verse-18

अरक्ष्यमाणं हि वृको हन्यात्सिंहं महाबलम् ।
मा सिंहं जम्बुकेनेव घातयामः शिखण्डिना ॥१८॥

18. arakṣyamāṇaṁ hi vṛko hanyātsiṁhaṁ mahābalam ,
mā siṁhaṁ jambukeneva ghātayāmaḥ śikhaṇḍinā.

18. arakṣyamāṇam hi vṛkaḥ hanyāt siṃham mahābalam
mā siṃham jambukena iva ghātayāmaḥ śikhaṇḍinā

18. hi vṛkaḥ arakṣyamāṇam mahābalam siṃham hanyāt
mā siṃham jambukena iva śikhaṇḍinā ghātayāmaḥ

18. Indeed, a wolf might kill even a mighty lion if it were unprotected. Therefore, let us not allow the lion (Bhishma) to be killed by Shikhandin, as if by a jackal.

Words meanings summery:

• अरक्ष्यमाणम् (arakṣyamāṇam) - unprotected, not being protected

• हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, surely, for)

• वृकः (vṛkaḥ) - a wolf (wolf)

• हन्यात् (hanyāt) - would kill, might kill

• सिंहम् (siṁham) - a lion (lion)

• महाबलम् (mahābalam) - very mighty, greatly powerful

• मा (mā) - do not, not

• सिंहम् (siṁham) - the lion (Bhishma) (lion)

• जम्बुकेन (jambukena) - by a jackal

• इव (iva) - as if (like, as, as if)

• घातयामः (ghātayāmaḥ) - let us cause to be killed (let us cause to be killed, we cause to be killed)

• शिखण्डिना (śikhaṇḍinā) - by Shikhandin

Words meanings and morphology

अरक्ष्यमाणम् (arakṣyamāṇam) - unprotected, not being protected

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of arakṣyamāṇa

arakṣyamāṇa - not being protected, unprotected

Present Passive Participle

From 'rakṣ' (to protect) with 'a-' (negation) and present passive participle suffix '-māṇa'.

Prefix: a

Root: rakṣ (class 1)

हि (hi) - indeed (indeed, surely, for)

(indeclinable)

वृकः (vṛkaḥ) - a wolf (wolf)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vṛka

vṛka - wolf

हन्यात् (hanyāt) - would kill, might kill

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, potential (vidhiliṅ) of han

Root: han (class 2)

सिंहम् (siṁham) - a lion (lion)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of siṃha

siṁha - lion

महाबलम् (mahābalam) - very mighty, greatly powerful

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mahābala

mahābala - greatly strong, mighty

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+bala)

• mahā – great, mighty
  adjective (masculine)
• bala – strength, power
  noun (neuter)

मा (mā) - do not, not

(indeclinable)

सिंहम् (siṁham) - the lion (Bhishma) (lion)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of siṃha

siṁha - lion

जम्बुकेन (jambukena) - by a jackal

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of jambuka

jambuka - jackal

इव (iva) - as if (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

घातयामः (ghātayāmaḥ) - let us cause to be killed (let us cause to be killed, we cause to be killed)

(verb)

1st person , plural, active, injunctive/subjunctive (luṅ) of ghātaya

Causative

Causative stem from root 'han' (to kill).

Root: han (class 2)

Note: The use of 'mā' with 'ghātayāmaḥ' indicates a prohibitive sense, often functioning as an injunctive (aorist without augment). Here it functions like a prohibitive imperative.

शिखण्डिना (śikhaṇḍinā) - by Shikhandin

(proper noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of śikhaṇḍin

śikhaṇḍin - Shikhandin (a proper name)