महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-1, chapter-218, verse-4

तक्षकस्तु न तत्रासीत्सर्पराजो महाबलः ।
दह्यमाने वने तस्मिन्कुरुक्षेत्रेऽभवत्तदा ॥४॥

4. takṣakastu na tatrāsītsarparājo mahābalaḥ ,
dahyamāne vane tasminkurukṣetre'bhavattadā.

4. takṣakaḥ tu na tatra āsīt sarprajaḥ mahābalaḥ
dahyamāne vane tasmin kurukṣetre abhavat tadā

4. However, Takṣaka, the immensely powerful king of serpents, was not present there. At that time, he was in Kurukṣetra while that (Khāṇḍava) forest was burning.

Words meanings summery:

• तक्षकः (takṣakaḥ) - The name of a powerful Naga king (Takṣaka)

• तु (tu) - but, however, on the other hand

• न (na) - not, no

• तत्र (tatra) - in the burning Khāṇḍava forest (there, in that place)

• आसीत् (āsīt) - was, existed

• सर्प्रजः (sarprajaḥ) - king of serpents

• महाबलः (mahābalaḥ) - (Takṣaka) who possessed great strength (very powerful, mighty)

• दह्यमाने (dahyamāne) - while burning, being consumed by fire

• वने (vane) - in the Khāṇḍava forest (in the forest)

• तस्मिन् (tasmin) - in that specific forest (Khāṇḍava) (in that)

• कुरुक्षेत्रे (kurukṣetre) - in the sacred land of Kurukṣetra (in Kurukṣetra)

• अभवत् (abhavat) - was present (implying he was *not* in the burning forest but *was* in Kurukṣetra) (was, became, existed)

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

Words meanings and morphology

तक्षकः (takṣakaḥ) - The name of a powerful Naga king (Takṣaka)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of takṣaka

takṣaka - Takṣaka (name of a Naga king)

तु (tu) - but, however, on the other hand

(indeclinable)

न (na) - not, no

(indeclinable)

तत्र (tatra) - in the burning Khāṇḍava forest (there, in that place)

(indeclinable)

आसीत् (āsīt) - was, existed

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of as

Root 'as' (2nd class) in imperfect, 3rd person singular

Root: as (class 2)

सर्प्रजः (sarprajaḥ) - king of serpents

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sarparāja

sarparāja - king of serpents, king of snakes

Compound type : tatpurusha (sarpa+rājan)

• sarpa – snake, serpent
  noun (masculine)
  Root: sṛp (class 1)
• rājan – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)

महाबलः (mahābalaḥ) - (Takṣaka) who possessed great strength (very powerful, mighty)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mahābala

mahābala - very strong, mighty, powerful

Compound type : bahuvrihi (mahat+bala)

• mahat – great, large, mighty
  adjective (neuter)
• bala – strength, power, force
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with Takṣakaḥ.

दह्यमाने (dahyamāne) - while burning, being consumed by fire

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, singular of dahyamāna

dahyamāna - burning, being burnt, being consumed by fire

Present Passive Participle

From root 'dah' (1st class) with suffix -māna, in passive voice

Root: dah (class 1)

Note: Agrees with `vane` and `tasmin`.

वने (vane) - in the Khāṇḍava forest (in the forest)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of vana

vana - forest, wood, grove

तस्मिन् (tasmin) - in that specific forest (Khāṇḍava) (in that)

(pronoun)

Locative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, this

Note: Agrees with `vane`.

कुरुक्षेत्रे (kurukṣetre) - in the sacred land of Kurukṣetra (in Kurukṣetra)

(proper noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kurukṣetra

kurukṣetra - Kurukṣetra (a famous sacred plain, battleground of the Mahābhārata)

अभवत् (abhavat) - was present (implying he was *not* in the burning forest but *was* in Kurukṣetra) (was, became, existed)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of bhū

Root 'bhū' (1st class) in imperfect, 3rd person singular

Root: bhū (class 1)

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)