महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-166, verse-20

युद्धेष्वपि प्रवृत्तानां ध्रुवौ जयपराजयौ ।
द्वयमेतद्भवेद्राजन्वधस्तत्र प्रशस्यते ॥२०॥

20. yuddheṣvapi pravṛttānāṁ dhruvau jayaparājayau ,
dvayametadbhavedrājanvadhastatra praśasyate.

20. yuddheṣu api pravṛttānām dhruvau jayaparājayau
dvayam etat bhavet rājan vadhaḥ tatra praśasyate

20. rājan yuddheṣu api pravṛttānām jayaparājayau
dhruvau etat dvayam bhavet tatra vadhaḥ praśasyate

20. Even for those engaged in battles, victory and defeat are inevitable. This pair of outcomes exists, O King; in such circumstances, death (in battle) is praised.

Words meanings summery:

• युद्धेषु (yuddheṣu) - in battles (in battles, in wars)

• अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

• प्रवृत्तानाम् (pravṛttānām) - for those engaged (in battle) (of those engaged, of those who have undertaken)

• ध्रुवौ (dhruvau) - are inevitable (certain, inevitable, constant (dual))

• जयपराजयौ (jayaparājayau) - victory and defeat

• द्वयम् (dvayam) - this pair (of outcomes) (a pair, a couple, two)

• एतत् (etat) - this (this, this one)

• भवेत् (bhavet) - exists (may be, should be, exists)

• राजन् (rājan) - O King (addressing Duryodhana) (O King)

• वधः (vadhaḥ) - death (in battle) (killing, slaying, death)

• तत्र (tatra) - in such circumstances (there, in that place, in that case)

• प्रशस्यते (praśasyate) - is praised (is praised, is commended)

Words meanings and morphology

युद्धेषु (yuddheṣu) - in battles (in battles, in wars)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of yuddha

yuddha - battle, war, fight

From root 'yudh' (to fight)

Root: yudh (class 4)

Note: Indicates the sphere of action.

अपि (api) - even (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

प्रवृत्तानाम् (pravṛttānām) - for those engaged (in battle) (of those engaged, of those who have undertaken)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of pravṛtta

pravṛtta - engaged, undertaken, commenced

Past Passive Participle

From prefix 'pra' + root 'vṛt' (to turn, be)

Prefix: pra

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: In the context, it refers to warriors.

ध्रुवौ (dhruvau) - are inevitable (certain, inevitable, constant (dual))

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of dhruva

dhruva - fixed, constant, certain, inevitable

Root: dhruv (class 1)

Note: Predicates certainty.

जयपराजयौ (jayaparājayau) - victory and defeat

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of jayaparājaya

jayaparājaya - victory and defeat

Dvandva compound of 'jaya' and 'parājaya'.

Compound type : dvandva (jaya+parājaya)

• jaya – victory, triumph, conquest
  noun (masculine)
  From root 'ji' (to conquer)
  Root: ji (class 1)
• parājaya – defeat, rout, overthrow
  noun (masculine)
  From prefix 'parā' + root 'ji' (to conquer, in negative sense)
  Prefix: parā
  Root: ji (class 1)

Note: Dual form indicates two entities.

द्वयम् (dvayam) - this pair (of outcomes) (a pair, a couple, two)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of dvaya

dvaya - pair, couple, two

From 'dvi' (two), suffix 'ya'. Often neuter.

Note: Acts as the subject of 'bhavet'.

एतत् (etat) - this (this, this one)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of etad

etad - this, this one

Demonstrative pronoun

भवेत् (bhavet) - exists (may be, should be, exists)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (liṅ) of bhū

Optative mood, 3rd person singular, active voice, Parasmaipada

From root 'bhū' (to be). Optative expresses possibility or wish.

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Its subject is 'dvayam'.

राजन् (rājan) - O King (addressing Duryodhana) (O King)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Root: rāj (class 1)

Note: Vocative case.

वधः (vadhaḥ) - death (in battle) (killing, slaying, death)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vadha

vadha - killing, slaying, death, destruction

From root 'vadh' (to strike, kill)

Root: vadh (class 1)

Note: Subject of 'praśasyate'.

तत्र (tatra) - in such circumstances (there, in that place, in that case)

(indeclinable)

Locative adverb

प्रशस्यते (praśasyate) - is praised (is praised, is commended)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of praśas

Present tense, 3rd person singular, passive voice, Atmanepada

From prefix 'pra' + root 'śaṃs' (to praise), in passive form. The 'śasyate' comes from 'śaṃs' (śas-).

Prefix: pra

Root: śaṃs (class 1)

Note: Its subject is 'vadhaḥ'.