महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-17, verse-29

नावहास्याः कथं लोके कर्मणानेन संयुगे ।
भवेम सहिताः सर्वे निवर्तध्वं यथाबलम् ॥२९॥

29. nāvahāsyāḥ kathaṁ loke karmaṇānena saṁyuge ,
bhavema sahitāḥ sarve nivartadhvaṁ yathābalam.

29. na avahāsyāḥ katham loke karmaṇā anena saṃyuge
bhavema sahitāḥ sarve nivartadhvam yathābalam

29. katham na avahāsyāḥ bhavema loke karmaṇā anena
saṃyuge sarve sahitāḥ yathābalam nivartadhvam

29. How can we possibly avoid ridicule in the world by this action in battle? Let us all remain united, and retreat according to our strength.

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, no

• अवहास्याः (avahāsyāḥ) - objects of ridicule (to be ridiculed, contemptible)

• कथम् (katham) - how (is it possible)? (how? why?)

• लोके (loke) - among people (in general) (in the world, among people)

• कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by this action (by action, by work)

• अनेन (anena) - by this (action) (by this, by him, by it)

• संयुगे (saṁyuge) - in battle (in battle, in conflict)

• भवेम (bhavema) - let us be (may we be, let us be)

• सहिताः (sahitāḥ) - united (united, accompanied, together)

• सर्वे (sarve) - all (of us) (all, every)

• निवर्तध्वम् (nivartadhvam) - retreat (you (all) retreat, turn back)

• यथाबलम् (yathābalam) - according to your strength, as much as possible (according to strength, with all one's might)

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

अवहास्याः (avahāsyāḥ) - objects of ridicule (to be ridiculed, contemptible)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of avahāsya

avahāsya - contemptible, ridiculous, to be laughed at

Gerundive

Formed with suffix -ya from root has with prefix ava

Prefix: ava

Root: has (class 1)

Note: Refers to 'we' (implied in 'bhavema').

कथम् (katham) - how (is it possible)? (how? why?)

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

लोके (loke) - among people (in general) (in the world, among people)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of loka

loka - world, people, region, space

कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by this action (by action, by work)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of karman

karman - action, deed, work, ritual action (karma)

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Refers to the action of retreating.

अनेन (anena) - by this (action) (by this, by him, by it)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this here

Note: Agrees with karmaṇā.

संयुगे (saṁyuge) - in battle (in battle, in conflict)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of saṃyuga

saṁyuga - battle, fight, conflict, junction

From sam-yuj (to join, to fight).

Root: yuj (class 7)

भवेम (bhavema) - let us be (may we be, let us be)

(verb)

1st person , plural, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of bhū

Optative mood

1st person plural, Parasmaipada.

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Expresses possibility or wish.

सहिताः (sahitāḥ) - united (united, accompanied, together)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sahita

sahita - accompanied by, together with, united

Past Passive Participle

From sah + kta (past participle suffix) or from saha (with) + ita (gone).

Root: sah (class 1)

Note: Qualifies the implied subject of bhavema (we).

सर्वे (sarve) - all (of us) (all, every)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sarva

sarva - all, every, whole, complete

Note: Qualifies the implied subject of bhavema (we).

निवर्तध्वम् (nivartadhvam) - retreat (you (all) retreat, turn back)

(verb)

2nd person , plural, middle, imperative (loṭ) of nivṛt

Imperative mood

2nd person plural, Atmanepada.

Prefix: ni

Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Direct command.

यथाबलम् (yathābalam) - according to your strength, as much as possible (according to strength, with all one's might)

(indeclinable)

Avyayībhāva compound (yathā + balam).

Compound type : avyayībhāva (yathā+bala)

• yathā – as, according to, just as
  indeclinable
• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)

Note: Qualifies nivartadhvam.