महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-5, verse-27

नक्षत्राणामिव शशी दितिजानामिवोशनाः ।
श्रेष्ठः सेनाप्रणेतॄणां स नः सेनापतिर्भव ॥२७॥

27. nakṣatrāṇāmiva śaśī ditijānāmivośanāḥ ,
śreṣṭhaḥ senāpraṇetṝṇāṁ sa naḥ senāpatirbhava.

27. nakṣatrāṇām iva śaśī ditijānām iva uśanāḥ
śreṣṭhaḥ senāpranetṝṇām saḥ naḥ senāpatiḥ bhava

27. nakṣatrāṇām śaśī iva,
ditijānām uśanāḥ iva,
senāpranetṝṇām śreṣṭhaḥ,
saḥ naḥ senāpatiḥ bhava

27. (May you be) like Śaśī (the Moon) among the constellations, like Uśanas (Śukra) among the Dānavas, and the best among military commanders. May that (person) be our commander-in-chief (senāpati).

Words meanings summery:

• नक्षत्राणाम् (nakṣatrāṇām) - of the constellations, of the stars

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• शशी (śaśī) - the Moon

• दितिजानाम् (ditijānām) - of the Dānavas (sons of Diti), of the demons

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• उशनाः (uśanāḥ) - Uśanas (Śukra, preceptor of Dānavas)

• श्रेष्ठः (śreṣṭhaḥ) - the foremost or most capable (best, most excellent)

• सेनाप्रनेतॄणाम् (senāpranetṝṇām) - of the army leaders, of the commanders

• सः (saḥ) - that (person, referring to the respected one mentioned) (that, he)

• नः (naḥ) - our (referring to the supplicants) (us, to us, of us)

• सेनापतिः (senāpatiḥ) - commander-in-chief, general

• भव (bhava) - may he be! (be!)

Words meanings and morphology

नक्षत्राणाम् (nakṣatrāṇām) - of the constellations, of the stars

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, plural of nakṣatra

nakṣatra - star, constellation, lunar mansion

Note: Genitive plural neuter form of 'nakṣatra'.

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

शशी (śaśī) - the Moon

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śaśin

śaśin - hare (because of marks), moon

Derived from 'śaśa' (hare), referring to the moon's markings.

Note: Nominative singular masculine form of 'śaśin'.

दितिजानाम् (ditijānām) - of the Dānavas (sons of Diti), of the demons

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of ditija

ditija - son of Diti, a demon (Dānava)

Compound of 'Diti' and 'ja' (born from).

Note: Genitive plural masculine form of 'ditija'.

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

उशनाः (uśanāḥ) - Uśanas (Śukra, preceptor of Dānavas)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of uśanas

uśanas - Uśanas (name of the preceptor of demons, also the planet Venus), desirous

Note: Nominative singular masculine form of 'uśanas'.

श्रेष्ठः (śreṣṭhaḥ) - the foremost or most capable (best, most excellent)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śreṣṭha

śreṣṭha - best, most excellent, chief

Superlative form from 'śrī' (excellence, prosperity) or root 'śri' (to serve).

Note: Nominative singular masculine form of 'śreṣṭha'.

सेनाप्रनेतॄणाम् (senāpranetṝṇām) - of the army leaders, of the commanders

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of senāpranetṛ

senāpranetṛ - leader of an army, commander

Compound of 'senā' (army) and 'pranetṛ' (leader).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (senā+pranetṛ)

• senā – army, host
  noun (feminine)
• pranetṛ – leader, guide
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun
  From 'pra' (prefix) + root 'nī' (to lead) + -tṛ suffix.
  Prefix: pra
  Root: nī (class 1)

Note: Genitive plural masculine form of 'senāpranetṛ'.

सः (saḥ) - that (person, referring to the respected one mentioned) (that, he)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, this, he, she, it

Note: Nominative singular masculine form of 'tad'.

नः (naḥ) - our (referring to the supplicants) (us, to us, of us)

(pronoun)

Genitive, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

Note: Enclitic form for genitive plural of 'asmad'.

सेनापतिः (senāpatiḥ) - commander-in-chief, general

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of senāpati

senāpati - commander of an army, general

Compound of 'senā' (army) and 'pati' (lord, master).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (senā+pati)

• senā – army, host
  noun (feminine)
• pati – lord, master, husband
  noun (masculine)

Note: Nominative singular masculine form of 'senāpati'.

भव (bhava) - may he be! (be!)

(verb)

2nd person , singular, active, imperative (loṭ) of bhū

Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Imperative 2nd person singular active form of root 'bhū'.