महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-144, verse-32

रथा रथान्समासाद्य प्रद्रुता वेगवत्तरम् ।
न्यगृह्णन्बहवो राजञ्शलभान्वायसा इव ॥३२॥

32. rathā rathānsamāsādya pradrutā vegavattaram ,
nyagṛhṇanbahavo rājañśalabhānvāyasā iva.

32. rathāḥ rathān samāsādya pradrutāḥ vegavattaram
nyagṛhṇan bahavaḥ rājan śalabhān vāyasāḥ iva

32. rājan,
bahavaḥ rathāḥ,
rathān samāsādya vegavattaram pradrutāḥ,
śalabhān vāyasāḥ iva nyagṛhṇan.

32. O King, many chariots, having encountered other chariots and then speeding up even more swiftly, attacked them, just as crows seize locusts.

Words meanings summery:

• रथाः (rathāḥ) - chariots

• रथान् (rathān) - chariots

• समासाद्य (samāsādya) - having approached, having met, having encountered

• प्रद्रुताः (pradrutāḥ) - having rushed forward, sped up

• वेगवत्तरम् (vegavattaram) - more swiftly, with greater speed

• न्यगृह्णन् (nyagṛhṇan) - they seized, they attacked, they restrained

• बहवः (bahavaḥ) - many

• राजन् (rājan) - O King

• शलभान् (śalabhān) - locusts, grasshoppers

• वायसाः (vāyasāḥ) - crows

• इव (iva) - like, as if

Words meanings and morphology

रथाः (rathāḥ) - chariots

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of ratha

ratha - chariot, car, vehicle

Note: Subject of 'nyagṛhṇan'.

रथान् (rathān) - chariots

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of ratha

ratha - chariot, car, vehicle

Note: Object of 'samāsādya'.

समासाद्य (samāsādya) - having approached, having met, having encountered

(indeclinable participle)

Note: Indicates a prior action to 'nyagṛhṇan'.

प्रद्रुताः (pradrutāḥ) - having rushed forward, sped up

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of pradruta

pradruta - rushed forward, fled, sped up

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root dru- (to run) with prefix pra-.

Prefix: pra

Root: dru (class 1)

Note: Adjective for 'rathāḥ'.

वेगवत्तरम् (vegavattaram) - more swiftly, with greater speed

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of vegavattara

vegavattara - more swift, having greater speed

Comparative form of 'vegavat' (swift, speedy).

Note: Adverbial accusative.

न्यगृह्णन् (nyagṛhṇan) - they seized, they attacked, they restrained

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of nigrah

Imperfect Tense

Root grah (to seize) with prefix ni-, imperfect 3rd plural.

Prefix: ni

Root: grah (class 9)

Note: Verb for 'rathāḥ'.

बहवः (bahavaḥ) - many

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of bahu

bahu - many, much, numerous

Note: Qualifies 'rathāḥ'.

राजन् (rājan) - O King

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler

Note: Addressing Dhritarashtra.

शलभान् (śalabhān) - locusts, grasshoppers

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of śalabha

śalabha - locust, grasshopper, moth

Note: Object of 'nyagṛhṇan' in the simile.

वायसाः (vāyasāḥ) - crows

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of vāyasa

vāyasa - crow

Note: Subject of the comparative clause, likened to the chariots.

इव (iva) - like, as if

(indeclinable)

Note: Indicates comparison.