महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-9, chapter-22, verse-45

प्रासानां पततां राजन्रूपमासीत्समन्ततः ।
शलभानामिवाकाशे तदा भरतसत्तम ॥४५॥

45. prāsānāṁ patatāṁ rājanrūpamāsītsamantataḥ ,
śalabhānāmivākāśe tadā bharatasattama.

45. prāsānām patatām rājan rūpam āsīt samantataḥ
śalabhānām iva ākāśe tadā bharatasattama

45. rājan bharatasattama tadā आकाशे śalabhānām
iva samantataḥ patatām prāsānām rūpam āsīt

45. O King, O best among the Bharatas, at that time, the sight of falling darts was everywhere, resembling a swarm of locusts in the sky.

Words meanings summery:

• प्रासानाम् (prāsānām) - referring to the weapons being thrown in battle (of darts, of spears, of javelins)

• पतताम् (patatām) - describing the darts as they are in motion (of those falling, of those flying, of those descending)

• राजन् (rājan) - A vocative address to Dhritarashtra. (O king)

• रूपम् (rūpam) - the visual aspect or likeness of the falling darts (form, appearance, sight, resemblance)

• आसीत् (āsīt) - describes the existence of the sight (was, existed)

• समन्ततः (samantataḥ) - indicates the widespread nature of the phenomenon (everywhere, on all sides, completely)

• शलभानाम् (śalabhānām) - used in a simile to describe the multitude and movement of the darts (of locusts, of grasshoppers, of moths)

• इव (iva) - introduces the simile comparing darts to locusts (as if, like, similar to)

• आकाशे (ākāśe) - the location of the locusts in the simile (in the sky, in space)

• तदा (tadā) - sets the temporal context for the described event (then, at that time)

• भरतसत्तम (bharatasattama) - A vocative address to Dhritarashtra, emphasizing his noble lineage. (O best of Bharatas, O foremost among Bharatas)

Words meanings and morphology

प्रासानाम् (prāsānām) - referring to the weapons being thrown in battle (of darts, of spears, of javelins)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of prāsa

prāsa - dart, spear, javelin, missile

From the root as (to throw) with the prefix pra- (forward, forth).

Prefix: pra

Root: as (class 4)

Note: Governed by 'rūpam'.

पतताम् (patatām) - describing the darts as they are in motion (of those falling, of those flying, of those descending)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of patat

patat - falling, flying, descending, moving swiftly

Present Active Participle

Genitive plural of the present active participle of the root pat (to fall, fly).

Root: pat (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'prāsānām'.

राजन् (rājan) - A vocative address to Dhritarashtra. (O king)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of rājan

rājan - king, ruler, sovereign

A nominal stem ending in -an.

Root: rāj (class 1)

रूपम् (rūpam) - the visual aspect or likeness of the falling darts (form, appearance, sight, resemblance)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of rūpa

rūpa - form, shape, appearance, beauty, resemblance

From the root rūp (to form, to be suitable).

Root: rūp (class 10)

Note: Subject of 'āsīt'.

आसीत् (āsīt) - describes the existence of the sight (was, existed)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of as

Imperfect (Laṅ)

3rd person singular imperfect form of the root as (to be).

Root: as (class 2)

समन्ततः (samantataḥ) - indicates the widespread nature of the phenomenon (everywhere, on all sides, completely)

(indeclinable)

Formed from samanta (all-sided, complete) with the suffix -tas (indicating direction or extent).

शलभानाम् (śalabhānām) - used in a simile to describe the multitude and movement of the darts (of locusts, of grasshoppers, of moths)

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of śalabha

śalabha - locust, grasshopper, moth, butterfly

Note: Possessive form for the comparison.

इव (iva) - introduces the simile comparing darts to locusts (as if, like, similar to)

(indeclinable)

आकाशे (ākāśe) - the location of the locusts in the simile (in the sky, in space)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of ākāśa

ākāśa - sky, atmosphere, space, ether

From the root kāś (to shine, appear) with the prefix ā- (towards).

Prefix: ā

Root: kāś (class 1)

Note: Indicates location.

तदा (tadā) - sets the temporal context for the described event (then, at that time)

(indeclinable)

Temporal adverb derived from the demonstrative pronoun tad.

भरतसत्तम (bharatasattama) - A vocative address to Dhritarashtra, emphasizing his noble lineage. (O best of Bharatas, O foremost among Bharatas)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bharatasattama

bharatasattama - best of Bharatas, most excellent among Bharatas

Compound of Bharata (name of a dynasty) and sattama (superlative of sat, good/existent).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (bharata+sattama)

• bharata – Bharata (an ancient king, ancestor of Kuru and Pandu; a name of India)
  proper noun (masculine)
  Root: bhṛ (class 3)
• sattama – best, most excellent, supreme
  adjective (masculine)
  Superlative suffix -tama added to sat (good, existent).
  Root: as (class 2)