महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-141, verse-20

स शरैराचितस्तेन राक्षसो रणमूर्धनि ।
व्यकाशत महाराज श्वाविच्छललितो यथा ॥२०॥

20. sa śarairācitastena rākṣaso raṇamūrdhani ,
vyakāśata mahārāja śvāvicchalalito yathā.

20. sa śaraiḥ ācitaḥ tena rākṣasaḥ raṇamūrdhani
vyakāśata mahārāja śvāvicchalalitaḥ yathā

20. mahārāja tena śaraiḥ ācitaḥ saḥ rākṣasaḥ
raṇamūrdhani śvāvicchalalitaḥ yathā vyakāśata

20. O great king, that demon, pierced by his arrows on the battlefield, appeared just like a porcupine covered with its quills.

Words meanings summery:

• स (sa) - he, that

• शरैः (śaraiḥ) - by arrows, with arrows

• आचितः (ācitaḥ) - covered, filled, pierced, adorned

• तेन (tena) - by him, by that

• राक्षसः (rākṣasaḥ) - the demon, the Rākṣasa

• रणमूर्धनि (raṇamūrdhani) - on the battlefield, at the forefront of battle

• व्यकाशत (vyakāśata) - he shone, he appeared

• महाराज (mahārāja) - O great king

• श्वाविच्छललितः (śvāvicchalalitaḥ) - adorned like a porcupine, like a porcupine with quills

• यथा (yathā) - just as, like, as

Words meanings and morphology

स (sa) - he, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that

शरैः (śaraiḥ) - by arrows, with arrows

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of śara

śara - arrow

Root: śṝ (class 9)

आचितः (ācitaḥ) - covered, filled, pierced, adorned

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of ācita

ācita - covered, filled, pierced, adorned

Past Passive Participle

From root ci (to gather, heap) with prefix ā. Past Passive Participle form.

Prefix: ā

Root: ci (class 5)

Note: Qualifies 'rākṣasaḥ'.

तेन (tena) - by him, by that

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that

Note: Refers to the archer who shot the arrows.

राक्षसः (rākṣasaḥ) - the demon, the Rākṣasa

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of rākṣasa

rākṣasa - demon, Rākṣasa

Root: rakṣ (class 1)

Note: Subject of the sentence.

रणमूर्धनि (raṇamūrdhani) - on the battlefield, at the forefront of battle

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of raṇamūrdhan

raṇamūrdhan - forefront of battle, battlefield

Locative singular of a compound.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (raṇa+mūrdhan)

• raṇa – battle, war
  noun (masculine)
  Root: raṇ (class 1)
• mūrdhan – head, forefront, summit
  noun (masculine)
  Root: mūrch (class 1)

व्यकाशत (vyakāśata) - he shone, he appeared

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, aorist (luṅ) of vyakāś

Aorist

Implies shining or appearing conspicuously. Root kāś with prefix vi.

Prefix: vi

Root: kāś (class 1)

Note: Derived from 'vi-√kāś'.

महाराज (mahārāja) - O great king

(proper noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of mahārāja

mahārāja - great king, emperor

Vocative form of mahārāja.

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+rājan)

• mahā – great, large
  adjective
• rājan – king, ruler
  noun (masculine)
  Root: rāj (class 1)

Note: Addressing Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

श्वाविच्छललितः (śvāvicchalalitaḥ) - adorned like a porcupine, like a porcupine with quills

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śvāvicchalalita

śvāvicchalalita - like a porcupine adorned with quills, resembling a porcupine whose quills are erect

Bahuvrihi compound meaning 'having the appearance of a porcupine with its quills'. 'Lalita' implies 'adorned' or 'standing out'.

Compound type : bahuvrihi (śvāviccha+lalita)

• śvāviccha – porcupine
  noun (masculine)
  An alternative or derived form of śvāvit (porcupine).
• lalita – adorned, charming, playful, standing out
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  From root lal (to play, sport). Here implies the quills are standing out or displayed prominently.
  Root: lal (class 10)

यथा (yathā) - just as, like, as

(indeclinable)