महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-5, verse-9

यथा ह्यकर्णधारा नौ रथश्चासारथिर्यथा ।
द्रवेद्यथेष्टं तद्वत्स्यादृते सेनापतिं बलम् ॥९॥

9. yathā hyakarṇadhārā nau rathaścāsārathiryathā ,
dravedyatheṣṭaṁ tadvatsyādṛte senāpatiṁ balam.

9. yathā hi akarṇadhārā nauḥ rathaḥ ca asārathiḥ yathā
dravet yatheṣṭam tadvat syāt ṛte senāpatim balam

9. hi,
yathā akarṇadhārā nauḥ ca asārathiḥ rathaḥ yathā yatheṣṭam dravet,
tadvat senāpatim ṛte balam syāt.

9. Indeed, just as a boat without a helmsman and a chariot without a charioteer would drift haphazardly, so too would an army be without a commander.

Words meanings summery:

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as, like

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

• अकर्णधारा (akarṇadhārā) - without a helmsman

• नौः (nauḥ) - boat, ship

• रथः (rathaḥ) - chariot

• च (ca) - and, also

• असारथिः (asārathiḥ) - without a charioteer

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as, like

• द्रवेत् (dravet) - would drift haphazardly (would run, would wander, would stray)

• यथेष्टम् (yatheṣṭam) - haphazardly, without direction (as desired, according to will)

• तद्वत् (tadvat) - in the same way, similarly

• स्यात् (syāt) - would be, may be, should be

• ऋते (ṛte) - without, except for

• सेनापतिम् (senāpatim) - commander-in-chief, general

• बलम् (balam) - an army (force, strength, army)

Words meanings and morphology

यथा (yathā) - as, just as, like

(indeclinable)

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, for

(indeclinable)

अकर्णधारा (akarṇadhārā) - without a helmsman

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of akarṇadhāra

akarṇadhāra - without a helmsman

Negative compound (nañ-tatpuruṣa) of karṇadhāra.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+karṇadhāra)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• karṇadhāra – helmsman, pilot (lit. ear-holder)
  noun (masculine)
  Compound: karṇa (ear) + dhāra (holder).

Note: Agrees with 'nauḥ'.

नौः (nauḥ) - boat, ship

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of nau

nau - boat, ship

रथः (rathaḥ) - chariot

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ratha

ratha - chariot, car, vehicle

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

असारथिः (asārathiḥ) - without a charioteer

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of asārathi

asārathi - without a charioteer

Negative compound (nañ-tatpuruṣa) of sārathi.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+sārathi)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• sārathi – charioteer, guide
  noun (masculine)

Note: Agrees with 'rathaḥ'.

यथा (yathā) - as, just as, like

(indeclinable)

द्रवेत् (dravet) - would drift haphazardly (would run, would wander, would stray)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of dru

Optative, 3rd person singular, active voice

Root dru, 1st class (bhvādi), parasmaipada.

Root: dru (class 1)

Note: Expresses possibility or potentiality.

यथेष्टम् (yatheṣṭam) - haphazardly, without direction (as desired, according to will)

(indeclinable)

Compound: yathā (as) + iṣṭa (desired). Used adverbially.

Compound type : avyayībhāva (yathā+iṣṭa)

• yathā – as, according to
  indeclinable
• iṣṭa – desired, wished, liked
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root iṣ (to wish, desire).
  Root: iṣ (class 6)

Note: Adverbial use.

तद्वत् (tadvat) - in the same way, similarly

(indeclinable)

Suffix -vat applied to tad (that).

स्यात् (syāt) - would be, may be, should be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi-liṅ) of as

Optative, 3rd person singular, active voice

Root as, 2nd class (adādi), parasmaipada.

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Expresses possibility or potentiality.

ऋते (ṛte) - without, except for

(indeclinable)

सेनापतिम् (senāpatim) - commander-in-chief, general

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of senāpati

senāpati - commander-in-chief, general

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (senā+pati)

• senā – army, host
  noun (feminine)
• pati – lord, master, husband, chief
  noun (masculine)

Note: Governed by ṛte.

बलम् (balam) - an army (force, strength, army)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of bala

bala - strength, power, force, army

Note: Subject of 'syāt'.