महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-98, verse-40

तथापरैः सुनिशितैर्भल्लैस्तेषां महायशाः ।
पुष्पाणीव विचिन्वन्हि सोत्तमाङ्गान्यपातयत् ॥४०॥

40. tathāparaiḥ suniśitairbhallaisteṣāṁ mahāyaśāḥ ,
puṣpāṇīva vicinvanhi sottamāṅgānyapātayat.

40. tathā aparaiḥ suniśitaiḥ bhallaiḥ teṣām mahāyaśāḥ
puṣpāṇi iva vicinvan hi saḥ uttamāṅgāni apātayat

40. mahāyaśāḥ saḥ tathā aparaiḥ suniśitaiḥ bhallaiḥ
puṣpāṇi iva vicinvan hi teṣām uttamāṅgāni apātayat

40. Indeed, that greatly renowned (Droṇa), with his very sharp lances, struck down their heads as if plucking flowers.

Words meanings summery:

• तथा (tathā) - thus, so, in that manner

• अपरैः (aparaiḥ) - by others, with other

• सुनिशितैः (suniśitaiḥ) - by very sharp, with very sharp

• भल्लैः (bhallaiḥ) - by lances, by arrows, with lances

• तेषाम् (teṣām) - Referring to the enemy warriors. (of them, their)

• महायशाः (mahāyaśāḥ) - Referring to Droṇa. (greatly renowned, highly famous)

• पुष्पाणि (puṣpāṇi) - flowers

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

• विचिन्वन् (vicinvan) - picking, gathering, collecting

• हि (hi) - indeed, surely, because

• सः (saḥ) - Referring to Droṇa. (he)

• उत्तमाङ्गानि (uttamāṅgāni) - heads (lit. best limbs/parts)

• अपातयत् (apātayat) - he struck down, he caused to fall, he felled

Words meanings and morphology

तथा (tathā) - thus, so, in that manner

(indeclinable)

अपरैः (aparaiḥ) - by others, with other

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of apara

apara - other, another, posterior, subsequent

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+para)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• para – other, another, supreme, distant
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Agrees with bhallaiḥ.

सुनिशितैः (suniśitaiḥ) - by very sharp, with very sharp

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of suniśita

suniśita - very sharp, well-sharpened

Past Passive Participle

su (prefix) + ni (prefix) + śita (past passive participle of śā 'to sharpen')

Compound type : karmadhāraya (su+niśita)

• su – good, well, very
  indeclinable
  Prefix indicating intensity or excellence
• niśita – sharpened, pointed
  adjective (masculine)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root śā 'to sharpen' with prefix ni
  Prefix: ni
  Root: śā (class 4)

Note: Agrees with bhallaiḥ.

भल्लैः (bhallaiḥ) - by lances, by arrows, with lances

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of bhalla

bhalla - lance, arrow, dart

Note: Instrument of action for 'apātayat'.

तेषाम् (teṣām) - Referring to the enemy warriors. (of them, their)

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the enemies whose heads are being struck down.

महायशाः (mahāyaśāḥ) - Referring to Droṇa. (greatly renowned, highly famous)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mahāyaśas

mahāyaśas - greatly renowned, highly famous

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (mahā+yaśas)

• mahā – great, large
  adjective
• yaśas – fame, glory, renown
  noun (neuter)

Note: Epithet for Droṇa.

पुष्पाणि (puṣpāṇi) - flowers

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of puṣpa

puṣpa - flower, blossom

Note: Object of 'vicinvan'.

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle of comparison.

विचिन्वन् (vicinvan) - picking, gathering, collecting

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, singular of vicinvat

vicinvat - picking, gathering, selecting

Present Active Participle

From root ci (to gather, collect) with prefix vi, present stem vicinu- + śatṛ suffix.

Prefix: vi

Root: ci (class 5)

Note: Agrees with 'saḥ', describes the manner of action.

हि (hi) - indeed, surely, because

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

सः (saḥ) - Referring to Droṇa. (he)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Subject of 'apātayat'.

उत्तमाङ्गानि (uttamāṅgāni) - heads (lit. best limbs/parts)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, plural of uttamāṅga

uttamāṅga - head, best limb or part

Compound type : karmadhāraya (uttama+aṅga)

• uttama – highest, best, chief
  adjective (masculine)
• aṅga – limb, body, part
  noun (neuter)

Note: Object of 'apātayat'.

अपातयत् (apātayat) - he struck down, he caused to fall, he felled

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, imperfect (laṅ) of pat

Causative Imperfect

Causative stem pāta- from root pat, conjugated in Imperfect 3rd singular active.

Root: pat (class 1)