महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-9, chapter-22, verse-67

निघ्नन्तो निशितैः शस्त्रैर्भ्रातॄन्पुत्रान्सखीनपि ।
योधाः परिपतन्ति स्म यथामिषकृते खगाः ॥६७॥

67. nighnanto niśitaiḥ śastrairbhrātṝnputrānsakhīnapi ,
yodhāḥ paripatanti sma yathāmiṣakṛte khagāḥ.

67. nighnantaḥ niśitaiḥ śastraiḥ bhrātṝn putrān sakhīn
api yodhāḥ paripatanti sma yathā āmiṣakṛte khagāḥ

67. yodhāḥ niśitaiḥ śastraiḥ bhrātṝn putrān sakhīn api
nighnantaḥ āmiṣakṛte khagāḥ yathā paripatanti sma

67. The warriors rushed about, striking down brothers, sons, and even friends with their sharp weapons, just as birds swoop down for a piece of meat.

Words meanings summery:

• निघ्नन्तः (nighnantaḥ) - striking down, killing, slaying

• निशितैः (niśitaiḥ) - with sharp, with whetted, with keen

• शस्त्रैः (śastraiḥ) - with weapons, with arms

• भ्रातॄन् (bhrātṝn) - brothers

• पुत्रान् (putrān) - sons

• सखीन् (sakhīn) - friends

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• योधाः (yodhāḥ) - warriors, fighters

• परिपतन्ति (paripatanti) - they fall, they rush, they swoop

• स्म (sma) - (particle indicating past tense)

• यथा (yathā) - just as, like, how

• आमिषकृते (āmiṣakṛte) - for the sake of flesh, for prey

• खगाः (khagāḥ) - birds

Words meanings and morphology

निघ्नन्तः (nighnantaḥ) - striking down, killing, slaying

(participle)

Nominative, masculine, plural of nighnan

nighnan - striking, killing, destroying

Present Active Participle

Derived from root han (to strike, kill) with upasarga ni, in the present active voice.

Prefix: ni

Root: han (class 2)

निशितैः (niśitaiḥ) - with sharp, with whetted, with keen

(adjective)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of niśita

niśita - sharpened, whetted, keen, pointed

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root śi (to sharpen) with upasarga ni.

Prefix: ni

Root: śi

Note: Agrees with 'śastraiḥ'.

शस्त्रैः (śastraiḥ) - with weapons, with arms

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of śastra

śastra - weapon, implement, tool

Root: śas (class 2)

भ्रातॄन् (bhrātṝn) - brothers

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of bhrātṛ

bhrātṛ - brother

Note: Object of 'nighnantaḥ'.

पुत्रान् (putrān) - sons

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of putra

putra - son, child

Note: Object of 'nighnantaḥ'.

सखीन् (sakhīn) - friends

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, plural of sakhi

sakhi - friend, companion

Note: Object of 'nighnantaḥ'.

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes 'sakhīn'.

योधाः (yodhāḥ) - warriors, fighters

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of yodha

yodha - warrior, soldier, fighter

From root yudh (to fight).

Root: yudh (class 4)

Note: Subject of 'paripatanti sma'.

परिपतन्ति (paripatanti) - they fall, they rush, they swoop

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present (laṭ) of paripat

Present Indicative

Formed from root pat (to fall, fly) with upasarga pari.

Prefix: pari

Root: pat (class 1)

Note: Used with 'sma' to indicate past habitual action.

स्म (sma) - (particle indicating past tense)

(indeclinable)

Note: Used to turn the present tense verb into a past habitual action.

यथा (yathā) - just as, like, how

(indeclinable)

Note: Introduces a simile.

आमिषकृते (āmiṣakṛte) - for the sake of flesh, for prey

(indeclinable)

Compound of āmiṣa and kṛta.

Compound type : tatpurusha (āmiṣa+kṛta)

• āmiṣa – flesh, meat, prey
  noun (neuter)
• kṛta – done, made, performed; for the sake of (when kṛte)
  participle (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root kṛ (to do, make).
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: 'kṛte' (dative/locative of kṛta) is used here as an indeclinable meaning 'for the sake of', often with a genitive (āmiṣasya kṛte).

खगाः (khagāḥ) - birds

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of khaga

khaga - bird (literally 'sky-goer')

Compound of kha (sky) and ga (going).

Compound type : upapada tatpurusha (kha+ga)

• kha – sky, space, ether
  noun (neuter)
• ga – going, moving
  adjective
  From root gam (to go).
  Root: gam (class 1)

Note: Subject of the implicit verb in the simile (i.e., 'swoop').