महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-53, verse-2

ते वध्यमानाः पार्थेन कालेनेव युगक्षये ।
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे यत्ताः पाण्डवान्प्रत्ययोधयन् ।
प्रार्थयाना यशो दीप्तं मृत्युं कृत्वा निवर्तनम् ॥२॥

2. te vadhyamānāḥ pārthena kāleneva yugakṣaye ,
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe yattāḥ pāṇḍavānpratyayodhayan ,
prārthayānā yaśo dīptaṁ mṛtyuṁ kṛtvā nivartanam.

2. te vadhyamānāḥ pār-thena kālena iva
yuga-kṣaye dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ raṇe yattāḥ
pāṇḍavān pratyayodhayān prārthayānāḥ
yaśaḥ dīptam mṛtyum kṛtvā nivartanam

2. pār-thena yuga-kṣaye kālena iva vadhyamānāḥ api te dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ raṇe yattāḥ [santaḥ] dīptam yaśaḥ prārthayānāḥ mṛtyum nivartanam kṛtvā pāṇḍavān pratyayodhayān.

2. Even while being slaughtered by Arjuna as if by Time (Kāla) at the end of a cosmic age (yuga-kṣaya), the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, having exerted themselves in battle, fought back against the Pāṇḍavas, desiring resplendent glory and accepting death as their only retreat.

Words meanings summery:

• ते (te) - they, those

• वध्यमानाः (vadhyamānāḥ) - being slain, being killed

• पार्-थेन (pār-thena) - by Arjuna (son of Pṛthā/Kuntī)

• कालेन (kālena) - by Time, by Kāla

• इव (iva) - like, as if, as

• युग-क्षये (yuga-kṣaye) - at the end of a cosmic age (yuga-kṣaya) (at the end of an eon/age, in the destruction of an age)

• धार्तराष्ट्राः (dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ) - the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the Dhārtarāṣṭras

• रणे (raṇe) - in battle, in the fight

• यत्ताः (yattāḥ) - having exerted, striving, prepared, ready

• पाण्डवान् (pāṇḍavān) - the Pāṇḍavas

• प्रत्ययोधयान् (pratyayodhayān) - they fought back against

• प्रार्थयानाः (prārthayānāḥ) - desiring, seeking

• यशः (yaśaḥ) - glory, fame, renown

• दीप्तम् (dīptam) - shining, resplendent, brilliant

• मृत्युम् (mṛtyum) - death

• कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having made, having done, having considered

• निवर्तनम् (nivartanam) - return, retreat, turning back (here, as the only option)

Words meanings and morphology

ते (te) - they, those

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it, they

Nominative plural masculine of `tad`.

Note: Subject of the participial phrase.

वध्यमानाः (vadhyamānāḥ) - being slain, being killed

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of vadhyamāna

vadhyamāna - being killed, being slain, being struck

Present Passive Participle

From passive stem `vadhya-` (from √han, changed to √vadh in passive forms) with suffix -śānac.

Root: han (class 2)

Note: Describes their state while fighting.

पार्-थेन (pār-thena) - by Arjuna (son of Pṛthā/Kuntī)

(proper noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of pārtha

pārtha - son of Pṛthā (Kuntī), name of Arjuna

`pṛthā` + `aṇ` suffix.

Note: Refers to Arjuna.

कालेन (kālena) - by Time, by Kāla

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of kāla

kāla - time, destiny, god of death (Kāla)

Note: Agent in the simile.

इव (iva) - like, as if, as

(indeclinable)

युग-क्षये (yuga-kṣaye) - at the end of a cosmic age (yuga-kṣaya) (at the end of an eon/age, in the destruction of an age)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of yugakṣaya

yugakṣaya - destruction/end of a Yuga (cosmic age)

Compound: `yuga` (age) + `kṣaya` (destruction).

Compound type : tatpurusha (yuga+kṣaya)

• yuga – age, eon, yoke, pair
  noun (neuter)
• kṣaya – destruction, end, decline
  noun (masculine)
  From root √kṣi (to destroy, diminish).
  Root: kṣi (class 5)

Note: Time reference for the simile.

धार्तराष्ट्राः (dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ) - the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the Dhārtarāṣṭras

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of dhārtarāṣṭra

dhārtarāṣṭra - descendant/son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Patronymic from Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

Note: Subject of `pratyayodhayān`.

रणे (raṇe) - in battle, in the fight

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of raṇa

raṇa - battle, fight, war, clangor

Root: raṇ (class 1)

Note: Location of action.

यत्ताः (yattāḥ) - having exerted, striving, prepared, ready

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of yatta

yatta - prepared, ready, exerted, striving, controlled

Past Passive Participle

From √yam (to restrain, exert) with prefix ā. Here, `ā-yat` can mean to prepare oneself.

Root: yam (class 1)

Note: Describes their state/readiness.

पाण्डवान् (pāṇḍavān) - the Pāṇḍavas

(proper noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of pāṇḍava

pāṇḍava - descendant/son of Pāṇḍu, a Pāṇḍava

Patronymic from Pāṇḍu.

Note: The opponents.

प्रत्ययोधयान् (pratyayodhayān) - they fought back against

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, past imperfect (Laṅ) of yudh

Imperfect (Laṅ)

3rd person plural, imperfect active. Root √yudh with prefix `prati`.

Prefix: prati

Root: yudh (class 4)

Note: Refers to the Dhārtarāṣṭras.

प्रार्थयानाः (prārthayānāḥ) - desiring, seeking

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of prārthayamāna

prārthayamāna - desiring, requesting, seeking

Present Middle Participle

From root √arth (to ask, to request) with upasarga pra, with suffix -śānac.

Prefix: pra

Root: arth (class 10)

Note: Describes their state of mind.

यशः (yaśaḥ) - glory, fame, renown

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of yaśas

yaśas - glory, fame, renown, honor

दीप्तम् (dīptam) - shining, resplendent, brilliant

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of dīpta

dīpta - shining, bright, brilliant, resplendent

Past Passive Participle

From root √dīp (to shine, blaze) + kta suffix.

Root: dīp (class 4)

Note: Qualifies `yaśaḥ`.

मृत्युम् (mṛtyum) - death

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of mṛtyu

mṛtyu - death, mortality, the god of death

From root √mṛ (to die).

Root: mṛ (class 6)

कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having made, having done, having considered

(indeclinable (absolutive))

Note: Indicates a preceding action or condition.

निवर्तनम् (nivartanam) - return, retreat, turning back (here, as the only option)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of nivartana

nivartana - returning, turning back, retreat, cessation

From ni-√vṛt (to turn back).

Prefix: ni

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Used as a complement to `mṛtyum kṛtvā` (making death as the retreat).