महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-335, verse-24

तावभ्यधावतां श्रेष्ठौ तमोरजगुणान्वितौ ।
बलवन्तौ गदाहस्तौ पद्मनालानुसारिणौ ॥२४॥

24. tāvabhyadhāvatāṁ śreṣṭhau tamorajaguṇānvitau ,
balavantau gadāhastau padmanālānusāriṇau.

24. tau abhi adhāvatām śreṣṭhau tamas-rajas-guṇa-anvitau
balavantau gadā-hastau padma-nāla-anusāriṇau

24. tau śreṣṭhau tamas-rajas-guṇa-anvitau balavantau
gadā-hastau padma-nāla-anusāriṇau abhi adhāvatām

24. Those two preeminent beings, endowed with the qualities of ignorance (tamas) and passion (rajas), rushed forth. They were powerful, mace-wielding, and followed the lotus stalk.

Words meanings summery:

• तौ (tau) - Madhu and Kaitabha (those two)

• अभि (abhi) - indicating direction 'towards' (the Lord or Brahmā) (towards, to, over)

• अधावताम् (adhāvatām) - they two (Madhu and Kaitabha) rushed forth (they two ran, rushed)

• श्रेष्ठौ (śreṣṭhau) - those two preeminent ones (best, most excellent, preeminent)

• तमस्-रजस्-गुण-अन्वितौ (tamas-rajas-guṇa-anvitau) - equipped with ignorance (tamas) and passion (rajas) (endowed with the qualities of tamas and rajas)

• बलवन्तौ (balavantau) - those two powerful ones (powerful, strong)

• गदा-हस्तौ (gadā-hastau) - wielding maces (mace-handed, holding maces)

• पद्म-नाल-अनुसारिणौ (padma-nāla-anusāriṇau) - (Madhu and Kaitabha) following the lotus stalk (from which Brahmā emerged) (following the lotus stalk)

Words meanings and morphology

तौ (tau) - Madhu and Kaitabha (those two)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to Madhu and Kaitabha.

अभि (abhi) - indicating direction 'towards' (the Lord or Brahmā) (towards, to, over)

(indeclinable)

preposition/prefix

अधावताम् (adhāvatām) - they two (Madhu and Kaitabha) rushed forth (they two ran, rushed)

(verb)

3rd person , dual, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of dhāv

imperfect 3rd dual active

Root: dhāv (class 1)

Note: The prefix 'a' in 'adhāvatām' is the augment for past tense.

श्रेष्ठौ (śreṣṭhau) - those two preeminent ones (best, most excellent, preeminent)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, most excellent, chief, preeminent

superlative of praśasya (excellent)

Note: Describes Madhu and Kaitabha, implying their powerful nature.

तमस्-रजस्-गुण-अन्वितौ (tamas-rajas-guṇa-anvitau) - equipped with ignorance (tamas) and passion (rajas) (endowed with the qualities of tamas and rajas)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of tamas-rajas-guṇa-anvita

tamas-rajas-guṇa-anvita - endowed with the qualities of tamas and rajas

Compound type : bahuvrihi (tamas+rajas+guṇa+anvita)

• tamas – darkness, ignorance, the quality of inertia (tamas)
  noun (neuter)
• rajas – passion, activity, dust, the quality of dynamism (rajas)
  noun (neuter)
• guṇa – quality, attribute, constituent of nature
  noun (masculine)
• anvita – accompanied by, connected with, endowed with
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  from anu-i (to go after)
  Prefix: anu
  Root: i (class 2)

बलवन्तौ (balavantau) - those two powerful ones (powerful, strong)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of balavat

balavat - powerful, strong, mighty

possessive suffix -vat

गदा-हस्तौ (gadā-hastau) - wielding maces (mace-handed, holding maces)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of gadā-hasta

gadā-hasta - having a mace in hand, mace-wielding

Compound type : bahuvrihi (gadā+hasta)

• gadā – mace, club
  noun (feminine)
• hasta – hand
  noun (masculine)

पद्म-नाल-अनुसारिणौ (padma-nāla-anusāriṇau) - (Madhu and Kaitabha) following the lotus stalk (from which Brahmā emerged) (following the lotus stalk)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, dual of padma-nāla-anusārin

padma-nāla-anusārin - following the lotus stalk

Compound type : tatpurusha (padma+nāla+anusārin)

• padma – lotus
  noun (neuter)
• nāla – stalk, stem
  noun (neuter)
• anusārin – following, accompanying
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun from anu-sṛ (to follow)
  Prefix: anu
  Root: sṛ (class 1)