महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-70, verse-20

तैस्तु मुक्ताञ्शरौघांस्तान्यमदण्डाशनिप्रभान् ।
असंप्राप्तानसंप्राप्तांश्चिच्छेदाशु महारथः ॥२०॥

20. taistu muktāñśaraughāṁstānyamadaṇḍāśaniprabhān ,
asaṁprāptānasaṁprāptāṁścicchedāśu mahārathaḥ.

20. taiḥ tu muktān śara-oghān tān yama-daṇḍa-aśani-prabhān
asaṃprāptān ca asaṃprāptān ca ciccheda āśu mahā-rathaḥ

20. mahā-rathaḥ tu taiḥ muktān yama-daṇḍa-aśani-prabhān tān
śara-oghān asaṃprāptān ca asaṃprāptān ca āśu ciccheda

20. But the great charioteer swiftly cut down those showers of arrows, released by them, which resembled Yama's staff and thunderbolts – some before they reached him, and some even as they were still being launched.

Words meanings summery:

• तैः (taiḥ) - By the opposing warriors mentioned in previous verses. (by them, by those)

• तु (tu) - but, on the other hand, however

• मुक्तान् (muktān) - (arrows) discharged by the enemies (released, discharged, thrown, shot)

• शर-ओघान् (śara-oghān) - showers of arrows, floods of arrows, multitudes of arrows

• तान् (tān) - Refers to the 'śara-oghān'. (those)

• यम-दण्ड-अशनि-प्रभान् (yama-daṇḍa-aśani-prabhān) - resembling Yama's staff and thunderbolts, shining like Yama's rod and lightning

• असंप्राप्तान् (asaṁprāptān) - (arrows) that had not yet reached (him) (unreached, not arrived)

• च (ca) - and, also

• असंप्राप्तान् (asaṁprāptān) - (arrows) that were still being launched / not yet fully propelled. Emphasizes intercepting at an even earlier stage. (unreached, not arrived)

• च (ca) - and, also

• चिच्छेद (ciccheda) - he cut, he severed, he broke

• आशु (āśu) - swiftly, quickly, rapidly

• महा-रथः (mahā-rathaḥ) - Refers to Abhimanyu. (great charioteer, mighty warrior)

Words meanings and morphology

तैः (taiḥ) - By the opposing warriors mentioned in previous verses. (by them, by those)

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those, he, she, it, they

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Indicates the agent of 'muktān'.

तु (tu) - but, on the other hand, however

(indeclinable)

Conjunction/particle indicating contrast or continuation.

मुक्तान् (muktān) - (arrows) discharged by the enemies (released, discharged, thrown, shot)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of mukta

mukta - released, liberated, discharged, shot (as an arrow), abandoned

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root muc (to release) + kta (past participle suffix).

Root: muc (class 6)

Note: Qualifies 'śara-oghān'.

शर-ओघान् (śara-oghān) - showers of arrows, floods of arrows, multitudes of arrows

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of śara-ogha

śara-ogha - flood of arrows, multitude of arrows, volley of arrows

Tatpuruṣa compound ('śarāṇām oghaḥ' - flood of arrows).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śara+ogha)

• śara – arrow
  noun (masculine)
• ogha – flood, stream, multitude, mass, heap
  noun (masculine)

Note: Object of 'ciccheda'.

तान् (tān) - Refers to the 'śara-oghān'. (those)

(pronoun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, those, he, she, it, they

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Emphasizes 'śara-oghān'.

यम-दण्ड-अशनि-प्रभान् (yama-daṇḍa-aśani-prabhān) - resembling Yama's staff and thunderbolts, shining like Yama's rod and lightning

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of yama-daṇḍa-aśani-prabha

yama-daṇḍa-aśani-prabha - having the splendor/power of Yama's staff and thunderbolt, resembling Yama's staff and lightning

Bahuvrīhi compound, literally 'having the lustre/resemblance of Yama's staff and a thunderbolt'.

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (yama-daṇḍa+aśani+prabha)

• yama-daṇḍa – Yama's staff, staff of Death
  noun (masculine)
  Tatpuruṣa compound.
• aśani – thunderbolt, lightning, Indra's weapon
  noun (masculine)
• prabha – splendor, light, radiance, resembling
  noun (feminine)
  Often forms the final member of a compound, indicating resemblance or having the lustre of something.

Note: Simile describing the formidable nature of the arrows.

असंप्राप्तान् (asaṁprāptān) - (arrows) that had not yet reached (him) (unreached, not arrived)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of asaṃprāpta

asaṁprāpta - unreached, not arrived, not obtained, inaccessible

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root prāp (to reach) with prefix sam and negative 'a'.

Prefix: sam

Root: prāp (class 5)

Note: Qualifies 'śara-oghān', describing some arrows that were intercepted before reaching the target.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Connects the two instances of 'asaṃprāptān'.

असंप्राप्तान् (asaṁprāptān) - (arrows) that were still being launched / not yet fully propelled. Emphasizes intercepting at an even earlier stage. (unreached, not arrived)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, plural of asaṃprāpta

asaṁprāpta - unreached, not arrived, not obtained, inaccessible

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root prāp (to reach) with prefix sam and negative 'a'.

Prefix: sam

Root: prāp (class 5)

Note: Repetition for emphasis, signifying interception at various stages of the arrow's flight, including very early.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Connects the two instances of 'asaṃprāptān'.

चिच्छेद (ciccheda) - he cut, he severed, he broke

(verb)

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

Perfect (Liṭ)

Third person singular active, perfect tense. Reduplicated root.

Root: chid (class 7)

Note: Main verb, describing the action of the 'mahā-rathaḥ'.

आशु (āśu) - swiftly, quickly, rapidly

(indeclinable)

Adverbial form of āśu (swift).

Note: Modifies the verb 'ciccheda'.

महा-रथः (mahā-rathaḥ) - Refers to Abhimanyu. (great charioteer, mighty warrior)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mahā-ratha

mahā-ratha - great charioteer, mighty warrior (a warrior capable of fighting 10,000 archers)

Karmadhāraya compound ('mahān rathaḥ' - a great warrior (in a chariot) or 'mahā rathe yasya saḥ' - one whose chariot is great).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+ratha)

• mahā – great, mighty, large, extensive
  adjective
• ratha – chariot, war-car, warrior in a chariot
  noun (masculine)

Note: Subject of the verb 'ciccheda'.