महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-3, chapter-194, verse-16

विस्मयः सुमहानासीन्मधुकैटभयोस्तदा ।
दृष्ट्वा पितामहं चैव पद्मे पद्मनिभेक्षणम् ॥१६॥

16. vismayaḥ sumahānāsīnmadhukaiṭabhayostadā ,
dṛṣṭvā pitāmahaṁ caiva padme padmanibhekṣaṇam.

16. vismayaḥ sumahān āsīt madhukaiṭabhayoḥ tadā
dṛṣṭvā pitāmaham ca eva padme padmanibhekṣaṇam

16. A great astonishment arose in Madhu and Kaiṭabha then, when they saw Brahmā, the grandfather (of beings), seated on the lotus, whose eyes resembled lotuses.

Words meanings summery:

• विस्मयः (vismayaḥ) - astonishment, wonder, surprise

• सुमहान् (sumahān) - very great, very large, mighty

• आसीत् (āsīt) - was, existed

• मधुकैटभयोः (madhukaiṭabhayoḥ) - Refers to the two demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha. (of Madhu and Kaiṭabha)

• तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

• दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā) - having seen, after seeing

• पितामहम् (pitāmaham) - Brahmā, the creator god, often referred to as the 'grandfather' or 'great father' of all beings. (the grandfather)

• च (ca) - and

• एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

• पद्मे (padme) - On the cosmic lotus emerging from Vishnu's navel, which is the seat of Brahmā. (in the lotus)

• पद्मनिभेक्षणम् (padmanibhekṣaṇam) - lotus-like eyed

Words meanings and morphology

विस्मयः (vismayaḥ) - astonishment, wonder, surprise

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vismaya

vismaya - astonishment, wonder, surprise

From root smi (to wonder, be astonished) with prefix vi-

Prefix: vi

Root: smi (class 1)

Note: Subject of the verb 'āsīt'

सुमहान् (sumahān) - very great, very large, mighty

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sumahat

sumahat - very great, huge, mighty

su (prefix for excellence) + mahat (great)

Compound type : karmadhāraya (su+mahat)

• su – good, well, very
  indeclinable
• mahat – great, large
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Qualifies 'vismayaḥ'

आसीत् (āsīt) - was, existed

(verb)

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

Imperfect Active

Third person singular, past tense

Root: as (class 2)

मधुकैटभयोः (madhukaiṭabhayoḥ) - Refers to the two demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha. (of Madhu and Kaiṭabha)

(proper noun)

Genitive, masculine, dual of madhukaiṭabha

madhukaiṭabha - Madhu and Kaiṭabha (two demons)

Itaretara-dvandva compound of Madhu and Kaiṭabha.

Compound type : itaretara-dvandva (madhu+kaiṭabha)

• madhu – Madhu (proper noun), honey, sweet
  proper noun (masculine)
• kaiṭabha – Kaiṭabha (proper noun)
  proper noun (masculine)

Note: 'of Madhu and Kaiṭabha'

तदा (tadā) - then, at that time

(indeclinable)

From pronoun tad + dā suffix

दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā) - having seen, after seeing

(indeclinable)

Absolutive (Gerund)

From root dṛś (to see) with suffix -tvā

Root: dṛś (class 1)

पितामहम् (pitāmaham) - Brahmā, the creator god, often referred to as the 'grandfather' or 'great father' of all beings. (the grandfather)

(proper noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pitāmaha

pitāmaha - paternal grandfather; the great father; Brahmā

tatpuruṣa compound of pitṛ (father) and mahat (great)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pitṛ+mahat)

• pitṛ – father
  noun (masculine)
• mahat – great
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Object of 'dṛṣṭvā'

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - indeed, certainly, only

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle

पद्मे (padme) - On the cosmic lotus emerging from Vishnu's navel, which is the seat of Brahmā. (in the lotus)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of padma

padma - lotus, lotus flower

Root: pad (class 4)

Note: 'sitting in/on the lotus'

पद्मनिभेक्षणम् (padmanibhekṣaṇam) - lotus-like eyed

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of padmanibhekṣaṇa

padmanibhekṣaṇa - having eyes resembling a lotus, lotus-eyed

bahuvrīhi compound: padma (lotus) + nibha (like) + īkṣaṇa (eye/sight). The internal sandhi a + i = e in nibhekṣaṇa is retained.

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (padma+nibha+īkṣaṇa)

• padma – lotus
  noun (neuter)
• nibha – like, resembling
  adjective (masculine)
• īkṣaṇa – eye, seeing, sight
  noun (neuter)
  verbal noun
  Derived from root īkṣ (to see)
  Root: īkṣ (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'pitāmaham'