महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-4, chapter-60, verse-8

तमापतन्तं त्वरितं गजेन्द्रं धनंजयः कुम्भविभागमध्ये ।
आकर्णपूर्णेन दृढायसेन बाणेन विव्याध महाजवेन ॥८॥

8. tamāpatantaṁ tvaritaṁ gajendraṁ; dhanaṁjayaḥ kumbhavibhāgamadhye ,
ākarṇapūrṇena dṛḍhāyasena; bāṇena vivyādha mahājavena.

8. tam āpatantaṃ tvaritaṃ gajendraṃ dhanañjayaḥ kumbhavibhāgamadhye
ākarṇapūrṇena dṛḍhāyasena bāṇena vivyādha mahājāvena

8. Dhananjaya (Arjuna), with a mighty surge of speed, pierced that rapidly approaching lordly elephant (gajendra) in the middle of its temporal lobes, using a strong iron arrow drawn fully to his ear.

Words meanings summery:

• तम् (tam) - that (elephant) (him, that)

• आपतन्तं (āpatantaṁ) - rapidly approaching (approaching, falling upon)

• त्वरितं (tvaritaṁ) - swiftly, rapidly (swift, quick, hurried)

• गजेन्द्रं (gajendraṁ) - the lordly elephant (gajendra) (the lordly elephant, the chief of elephants)

• धनञ्जयः (dhanañjayaḥ) - Dhananjaya (Arjuna)

• कुम्भविभागमध्ये (kumbhavibhāgamadhye) - in the middle of its temporal lobes (in the middle of the temporal region (of an elephant's head))

• आकर्णपूर्णेन (ākarṇapūrṇena) - drawn fully to the ear (describing the bowstring's pull) (drawn fully to the ear, filled up to the ear)

• दृढायसेन (dṛḍhāyasena) - with a strong iron (arrow) (by a strong iron, by a firm iron)

• बाणेन (bāṇena) - with an arrow (with an arrow, by an arrow)

• विव्याध (vivyādha) - pierced (pierced, struck)

• महाजावेन (mahājāvena) - with a mighty surge of speed (with great speed, with great force)

Words meanings and morphology

तम् (tam) - that (elephant) (him, that)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the elephant.

आपतन्तं (āpatantaṁ) - rapidly approaching (approaching, falling upon)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of āpatant

āpatant - approaching, falling upon

Present Active Participle

From ā- + √pat (to fall, fly)

Prefix: ā

Root: pat (class 1)

Note: Qualifies the elephant.

त्वरितं (tvaritaṁ) - swiftly, rapidly (swift, quick, hurried)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of tvarita

tvarita - swift, quick, hurried, hastened

Past Passive Participle (often used adverbially)

From √tvar (to hasten)

Root: tvar (class 1)

Note: Adjectival form agreeing with elephant, signifying its swiftness.

गजेन्द्रं (gajendraṁ) - the lordly elephant (gajendra) (the lordly elephant, the chief of elephants)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of gajendra

gajendra - chief of elephants, lordly elephant

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (gaja+indra)

• gaja – elephant
  noun (masculine)
• indra – chief, lord, best (here as a suffix to mean 'chief of')
  noun (masculine)

धनञ्जयः (dhanañjayaḥ) - Dhananjaya (Arjuna)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhanañjaya

dhanañjaya - conqueror of wealth; an epithet of Arjuna

Compound: dhana (wealth) + jaya (conquering)

Compound type : upapada tatpuruṣa (dhana+jaya)

• dhana – wealth, riches
  noun (neuter)
• jaya – victory, conquest; conqueror (suffix)
  noun (masculine)
  From √ji (to conquer)
  Root: ji (class 1)

कुम्भविभागमध्ये (kumbhavibhāgamadhye) - in the middle of its temporal lobes (in the middle of the temporal region (of an elephant's head))

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of kumbhavibhāgamadhya

kumbhavibhāgamadhya - middle of the temporal lobes (of an elephant's head)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (kumbha+vibhāga+madhya)

• kumbha – pot, frontal globes/temples of an elephant's head
  noun (masculine)
• vibhāga – division, part, section
  noun (masculine)
• madhya – middle, center
  noun (neuter)

Note: Indicates the precise target of the arrow.

आकर्णपूर्णेन (ākarṇapūrṇena) - drawn fully to the ear (describing the bowstring's pull) (drawn fully to the ear, filled up to the ear)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of ākarṇapūrṇa

ākarṇapūrṇa - drawn up to the ear (referring to a bowstring)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (karṇa+pūrṇa)

• ā – up to, completely
  indeclinable
• karṇa – ear
  noun (masculine)
• pūrṇa – full, complete, filled
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From √pṛ (to fill)
  Root: pṛ (class 9)

Note: Qualifies the arrow, implying it was shot with full power.

दृढायसेन (dṛḍhāyasena) - with a strong iron (arrow) (by a strong iron, by a firm iron)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of dṛḍhāyasa

dṛḍhāyasa - strong iron, made of strong iron

Compound type : karmadhāraya (dṛḍha+ayasa)

• dṛḍha – strong, firm, hard
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  From √dṛh (to make firm)
  Root: dṛh (class 1)
• ayasa – iron, made of iron
  noun (neuter)

Note: Qualifies the arrow.

बाणेन (bāṇena) - with an arrow (with an arrow, by an arrow)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of bāṇa

bāṇa - arrow

विव्याध (vivyādha) - pierced (pierced, struck)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past perfect (liṭ) of vivyādh

Perfect Active

From √vyadh (to pierce)

Root: vyadh (class 4)

महाजावेन (mahājāvena) - with a mighty surge of speed (with great speed, with great force)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of mahājāva

mahājāva - great speed, great force

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+jāva)

• mahā – great, mighty
  adjective
• jāva – speed, velocity
  noun (masculine)
  From √ju (to hasten)
  Root: ju (class 1)

Note: Acts adverbially, describing the manner of piercing.