महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-4, chapter-54, verse-12

तौ समाजघ्नतुर्वीरावन्योन्यं पुरुषर्षभौ ।
शरैराशीविषाकारैर्ज्वलद्भिरिव पन्नगैः ॥१२॥

12. tau samājaghnaturvīrāvanyonyaṁ puruṣarṣabhau ,
śarairāśīviṣākārairjvaladbhiriva pannagaiḥ.

12. tau samājaghnatuḥ vīrau anyonyam puruṣarṣabhau
śaraiḥ āśīviṣākāraiḥ jvaladbhiḥ iva pannagaiḥ

12. Those two heroes, chief among men, struck each other with arrows that were like blazing, venomous snakes.

Words meanings summery:

• तौ (tau) - those two

• समाजघ्नतुः (samājaghnatuḥ) - they struck together, they clashed

• वीरौ (vīrau) - two heroes, two brave men

• अन्योन्यम् (anyonyam) - each other, mutually

• पुरुषर्षभौ (puruṣarṣabhau) - two chief among men, two bulls among men

• शरैः (śaraiḥ) - with arrows

• आशीविषाकारैः (āśīviṣākāraiḥ) - with forms like venomous snakes, resembling venomous snakes

• ज्वलद्भिः (jvaladbhiḥ) - by blazing, by burning ones

• इव (iva) - like, as if

• पन्नगैः (pannagaiḥ) - with snakes

Words meanings and morphology

तौ (tau) - those two

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

समाजघ्नतुः (samājaghnatuḥ) - they struck together, they clashed

(verb)

3rd person , dual, active, perfect (liṭ) of samājaghan

Perfect tense

reduplicated perfect, from root han with prefixes sam and ā

Prefixes: sam+ā

Root: han (class 2)

वीरौ (vīrau) - two heroes, two brave men

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of vīra

vīra - hero, brave, valiant

अन्योन्यम् (anyonyam) - each other, mutually

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of anyonya

anyonya - one another, mutual

Note: Used adverbially here, signifying mutual action.

पुरुषर्षभौ (puruṣarṣabhau) - two chief among men, two bulls among men

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, dual of puruṣarṣabha

puruṣarṣabha - chief among men, best of men, bull among men

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (puruṣa+ṛṣabha)

• puruṣa – man, human being, cosmic person (puruṣa)
  noun (masculine)
• ṛṣabha – bull, chief, excellent, best
  noun (masculine)

शरैः (śaraiḥ) - with arrows

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of śara

śara - arrow, dart

आशीविषाकारैः (āśīviṣākāraiḥ) - with forms like venomous snakes, resembling venomous snakes

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of āśīviṣākāra

āśīviṣākāra - having the form of a venomous snake

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (āśīviṣa+ākāra)

• āśīviṣa – venomous snake, snake, serpent
  noun (masculine)
• ākāra – form, shape, appearance, external aspect
  noun (masculine)

Note: Qualifies 'śaraiḥ'.

ज्वलद्भिः (jvaladbhiḥ) - by blazing, by burning ones

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of jvalat

jvalat - blazing, shining, burning

Present Active Participle

From root jval (to burn, shine) with śatṛ affix

Root: jval (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'pannagaiḥ'.

इव (iva) - like, as if

(indeclinable)

पन्नगैः (pannagaiḥ) - with snakes

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of pannaga

pannaga - snake, reptile

Literally 'going on the feet' (pan = foot, ga = going), referring to snakes moving on their belly (as if on feet).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (pad+ga)

• pad – foot, step
  noun (masculine)
• ga – going, moving
  adjective (masculine)
  from root gam (to go)
  Root: gam (class 1)