Shloka 9

तुरगा इव तत्रान्ये हस्तिहस्ता इवापरे | मत्ता इव च मातज्रा महाकाया महाबला:,कुछ सर्पोकी आकृति घोड़ोंके समान थी और कुछकी हाथीकी सूँड़के सदृश। कितने ही विशाल-काय महाबली नाग मतवाले गजराजोंको मात कर रहे थे

turagā iva tatrānye hastihastā ivāpare | mattā iva ca mātaṅgā mahākāyā mahābalāḥ ||

Janamejaya said: “There, some of those serpents were shaped like horses, while others resembled the trunks of elephants. Many were vast in body and mighty in strength—like intoxicated lordly elephants—overpowering even other great beasts by their sheer force.”

तुरगाःhorses
तुरगाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतुरग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
अन्येothers
अन्ये:
Karta
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootअन्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
हस्ति-हस्ताःelephant-trunks (lit. elephant-hands)
हस्ति-हस्ताः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootहस्ति + हस्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
अपरेothers (some)
अपरे:
Karta
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootअपर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
मत्ताःintoxicated/mad
मत्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमत्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
मातङ्गाःelephants
मातङ्गाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमातङ्ग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
महाकायाःhuge-bodied
महाकायाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाकाय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
महाबलाःvery strong
महाबलाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाबल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

जनमेजय उवाच

J
Janamejaya
S
serpents (nāgāḥ/sarpāḥ)
H
horses (turagāḥ)
E
elephants (mātaṅgāḥ)
E
elephant trunks (hastihasta)

Educational Q&A

The verse primarily heightens awe through vivid similes, reminding the listener that the world of the Mahābhārata includes beings of extraordinary forms and powers; it encourages humility and careful inquiry when confronting the unknown.

Janamejaya describes the astonishing variety and immense strength of serpents (nāgas) seen there—some horse-like, some resembling elephant trunks, and many huge and powerful like rut-maddened royal elephants.