महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-55, verse-21

स नृत्यन्वै रथोपस्थे दर्शयन्पाणिलाघवम् ।
अलातचक्रवद्राजंस्तत्र तत्र स्म दृश्यते ॥२१॥

21. sa nṛtyanvai rathopasthe darśayanpāṇilāghavam ,
alātacakravadrājaṁstatra tatra sma dṛśyate.

21. saḥ nṛtyan vai rathopasthe darśayan pāṇilāghavam
alātacakravat rājan tatra tatra sma dṛśyate

21. rājan,
saḥ rathopasthe nṛtyan vai pāṇilāghavam darśayan tatra tatra alātacakravat dṛśyate sma

21. O King, dancing on the platform of his chariot and displaying the dexterity of his hands, he was seen here and there, appearing like a spinning firebrand.

Words meanings summery:

• सः (saḥ) - Bhīṣma (he, that (masculine))

• नृत्यन् (nṛtyan) - dancing

• वै (vai) - indeed, certainly, surely

• रथोपस्थे (rathopasthe) - on the chariot's platform/seat

• दर्शयन् (darśayan) - showing, displaying

• पाणिलाघवम् (pāṇilāghavam) - dexterity of hand, quickness of hand

• अलातचक्रवत् (alātacakravat) - like a firebrand circle, like a spinning firebrand

• राजन् (rājan) - Addressing Dhṛtarāṣṭra (O King)

• तत्र (tatra) - here and there (there, in that place)

• तत्र (tatra) - here and there (there, in that place)

• स्म (sma) - indicates past tense with 'dṛśyate' (particle indicating past tense or habitual action)

• दृश्यते (dṛśyate) - was seen (is seen)

Words meanings and morphology

सः (saḥ) - Bhīṣma (he, that (masculine))

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

नृत्यन् (nṛtyan) - dancing

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of nṛtyat

nṛtyat - dancing

Present Active Participle

Derived from verb root nṛt (class 4) with śatṛ affix

Root: nṛt (class 4)

Note: Present active participle, modifying 'saḥ'

वै (vai) - indeed, certainly, surely

(indeclinable)

रथोपस्थे (rathopasthe) - on the chariot's platform/seat

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of rathopastha

rathopastha - chariot platform, chariot seat

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ratha+upastha)

• ratha – chariot, war-car
  noun (masculine)
• upastha – seat, lap, platform, presence
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: upa
  Root: sthā (class 1)

दर्शयन् (darśayan) - showing, displaying

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of darśayat

darśayat - showing, displaying

Present Active Participle

Causative of root dṛś (class 1) + śatṛ affix

Root: dṛś (class 1)

Note: Present active participle, modifying 'saḥ'

पाणिलाघवम् (pāṇilāghavam) - dexterity of hand, quickness of hand

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of pāṇilāghava

pāṇilāghava - dexterity of hand, lightness of hand, quickness of hand

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (pāṇi+lāghava)

• pāṇi – hand
  noun (masculine)
• lāghava – lightness, dexterity, quickness, skill
  noun (neuter)
  Derived from laghu (light)

अलातचक्रवत् (alātacakravat) - like a firebrand circle, like a spinning firebrand

(indeclinable)

Indeclinable formed with -vat suffix indicating comparison

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (alāta+cakra)

• alāta – firebrand, burning stick
  noun (neuter)
• cakra – wheel, disc, circle
  noun (neuter)

राजन् (rājan) - Addressing Dhṛtarāṣṭra (O King)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king

तत्र (tatra) - here and there (there, in that place)

(indeclinable)

Derived from tad (that) + tral suffix

तत्र (tatra) - here and there (there, in that place)

(indeclinable)

Derived from tad (that) + tral suffix

स्म (sma) - indicates past tense with 'dṛśyate' (particle indicating past tense or habitual action)

(indeclinable)

दृश्यते (dṛśyate) - was seen (is seen)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of dṛś

Root: dṛś (class 1)

Note: Used with 'sma' to indicate past action.