महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-9, chapter-12, verse-35

कथं नु न भवेत्सत्यं तन्माधववचो महत् ।
न हि क्रुद्धो रणे राजा क्षपयेत बलं मम ॥३५॥

35. kathaṁ nu na bhavetsatyaṁ tanmādhavavaco mahat ,
na hi kruddho raṇe rājā kṣapayeta balaṁ mama.

35. kathaṃ nu na bhavet satyaṃ tat mādhavavacaḥ mahat
na hi kruddhaḥ raṇe rājā kṣapayet balaṃ mama

35. tat mahat mādhavavacaḥ satyaṃ kathaṃ nu na bhavet
na hi kruddhaḥ rājā raṇe mama balaṃ kṣapayet

35. How could that great statement of Kṛṣṇa (Mādhava) not be true? Surely, an enraged king would not destroy my army in battle.

Words meanings summery:

• कथं (kathaṁ) - how, why

• नु (nu) - used to emphasize the question or express doubt (indeed, now, then (particle))

• न (na) - not, no

• भवेत् (bhavet) - it may be, it should be, it would be

• सत्यं (satyaṁ) - true, truth

• तत् (tat) - referring to Kṛṣṇa's specific statement or promise (that)

• माधववचः (mādhavavacaḥ) - A statement made by Kṛṣṇa (Mādhava). (Kṛṣṇa's word/statement)

• महत् (mahat) - great, important, large

• न (na) - not, no

• हि (hi) - introduces a reason or explanation (for, indeed, because)

• क्रुद्धः (kruddhaḥ) - angry, enraged

• रणे (raṇe) - in battle, in combat

• राजा (rājā) - Refers to Duryodhana (the general context suggests the Kaurava king). (king)

• क्षपयेत् (kṣapayet) - would destroy, should destroy, might destroy

• बलं (balaṁ) - army, strength, force

• मम (mama) - my, of me

Words meanings and morphology

कथं (kathaṁ) - how, why

(indeclinable)

नु (nu) - used to emphasize the question or express doubt (indeed, now, then (particle))

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

भवेत् (bhavet) - it may be, it should be, it would be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (Vidhi Liṅ) of bhū

Optative mood, Present tense

3rd person singular active optative of √bhū.

Root: bhū (class 1)

सत्यं (satyaṁ) - true, truth

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of satya

satya - true, real, truth

From sat (being, existing).

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Used here adjectivally to qualify mādhavavacaḥ.

तत् (tat) - referring to Kṛṣṇa's specific statement or promise (that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it

Note: Qualifies mādhavavacaḥ.

माधववचः (mādhavavacaḥ) - A statement made by Kṛṣṇa (Mādhava). (Kṛṣṇa's word/statement)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mādhavavacas

mādhavavacas - word of Mādhava, statement of Kṛṣṇa

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (mādhava+vacas)

• mādhava – Kṛṣṇa, descendent of Madhu
  proper noun (masculine)
• vacas – word, speech, statement
  noun (neuter)
  Root: vac (class 2)

महत् (mahat) - great, important, large

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mahat

mahat - great, large, important, extensive

Adjective from the root mah.

Root: mah (class 1)

Note: Qualifies mādhavavacaḥ.

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

हि (hi) - introduces a reason or explanation (for, indeed, because)

(indeclinable)

क्रुद्धः (kruddhaḥ) - angry, enraged

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kruddha

kruddha - angry, enraged, furious

Past Passive Participle

Derived from √krudh (to be angry).

Root: krudh (class 4)

Note: Qualifies rājā.

रणे (raṇe) - in battle, in combat

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of samara

samara - battle, war, combat

राजा (rājā) - Refers to Duryodhana (the general context suggests the Kaurava king). (king)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Root: rāj (class 1)

क्षपयेत् (kṣapayet) - would destroy, should destroy, might destroy

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (Vidhi Liṅ) of kṣap

Optative mood, Present tense

3rd person singular active optative of √kṣap (a causative form or root kṣi).

Root: kṣap (class 10)

बलं (balaṁ) - army, strength, force

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of bala

bala - strength, power, might, army, force

Root: bal (class 1)

Note: Object of kṣapayet.

मम (mama) - my, of me

(pronoun)

Genitive, singular of asmad

asmad - I, me

Pronominal genitive case.