महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-42, verse-17

महाचापानि धुन्वन्तो जलदा इव विद्युतः ।
आददानाश्च नाराचान्निर्मुक्ताशीविषोपमान् ॥१७॥

17. mahācāpāni dhunvanto jaladā iva vidyutaḥ ,
ādadānāśca nārācānnirmuktāśīviṣopamān.

17. mahācāpāni dhunvantaḥ jaladāḥ iva vidyutaḥ
ādadānāḥ ca nārācān nirmuktāśīviṣopamān

17. mahācāpāni dhunvantaḥ jaladāḥ vidyutaḥ iva
ca nirmuktāśīviṣopamān nārācān ādadānāḥ

17. They were brandishing mighty bows, like clouds emitting lightning, and taking up iron arrows that resembled unleashed venomous snakes.

Words meanings summery:

• महाचापानि (mahācāpāni) - great bows

• धुन्वन्तः (dhunvantaḥ) - wielding (bows) (shaking, brandishing, wielding)

• जलदाः (jaladāḥ) - clouds

• इव (iva) - like (like, as, as if)

• विद्युतः (vidyutaḥ) - lightning (of clouds) (lightning, flashes of lightning)

• आददानाः (ādadānāḥ) - taking up (arrows) (taking up, receiving, seizing)

• च (ca) - and (and, also)

• नाराचान् (nārācān) - iron arrows, shafts

• निर्मुक्ताशीविषोपमान् (nirmuktāśīviṣopamān) - resembling released venomous snakes

Words meanings and morphology

महाचापानि (mahācāpāni) - great bows

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of mahācāpa

mahācāpa - a great bow

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+cāpa)

• mahā – great, mighty
  adjective
• cāpa – bow
  noun (masculine)

Note: Object of 'dhunvantaḥ' and 'ādadānāḥ'.

धुन्वन्तः (dhunvantaḥ) - wielding (bows) (shaking, brandishing, wielding)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of dhunvat

dhunvat - shaking, agitating, brandishing

Present Active Participle

from root dhū (to shake, agitate)

Root: dhū (class 5)

Note: Qualifies the warriors mentioned in previous verses.

जलदाः (jaladāḥ) - clouds

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of jalada

jalada - cloud (giver of water)

Compound type : upapada samāsa (jala+da)

• jala – water
  noun (neuter)
• da – giver, giving
  adjective (masculine)
  suffix for 'giver'
  Root: dā (class 1)

Note: Part of the simile: 'like clouds'.

इव (iva) - like (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

विद्युतः (vidyutaḥ) - lightning (of clouds) (lightning, flashes of lightning)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of vidyut

vidyut - lightning, flash of lightning

Note: In the simile, 'jaladāḥ vidyutaḥ iva' means 'like clouds (with) lightning'.

आददानाः (ādadānāḥ) - taking up (arrows) (taking up, receiving, seizing)

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ādadāna

ādadāna - taking, receiving, seizing, holding

Present Middle Participle

from root dā with prefix ā

Prefix: ā

Root: dā (class 3)

Note: Qualifies the warriors, concurrent action.

च (ca) - and (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Connects the actions of wielding bows and taking arrows.

नाराचान् (nārācān) - iron arrows, shafts

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of nārāca

nārāca - iron arrow, shaft, bolt

Note: Object of 'ādadānāḥ'.

निर्मुक्ताशीविषोपमान् (nirmuktāśīviṣopamān) - resembling released venomous snakes

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of nirmuktāśīviṣopama

nirmuktāśīviṣopama - resembling snakes (āśīviṣa) that have just been released (nirmukta)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (nirmukta+āśīviṣa+upama)

• nirmukta – released, freed, discharged
  participle (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  from root muc with prefix nir
  Prefix: nir
  Root: muc (class 6)
• āśīviṣa – venomous snake (whose venom is in its fangs)
  noun (masculine)
• upama – resembling, comparable, similar
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Qualifies the arrows (nārācān).