महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-101, verse-40

अग्रतः पुरुषानीकमसिचर्मवतां भवेत् ।
पृष्ठतः शकटानीकं कलत्रं मध्यतस्तथा ॥४०॥

40. agrataḥ puruṣānīkamasicarmavatāṁ bhavet ,
pṛṣṭhataḥ śakaṭānīkaṁ kalatraṁ madhyatastathā.

40. agrataḥ puruṣānīkam asicarmavatām bhavet |
pṛṣṭhataḥ śakaṭānīkam kalatram madhyataḥ tathā

40. agrataḥ asicarmavatām puruṣānīkam bhavet
pṛṣṭhataḥ śakaṭānīkam tathā madhyataḥ kalatram

40. In the front should be the army of men bearing swords and shields. Behind, the wagon formation, and the women in the middle.

Words meanings summery:

• अग्रतः (agrataḥ) - in the front (in front, at the head, previously)

• पुरुषानीकम् (puruṣānīkam) - army of men (army of men, male force)

• असिचर्मवताम् (asicarmavatām) - of those bearing swords and shields (of those having swords and shields)

• भवेत् (bhavet) - should be (may be, should be, would be)

• पृष्ठतः (pṛṣṭhataḥ) - behind (behind, from behind, in the rear)

• शकटानीकम् (śakaṭānīkam) - the wagon formation (wagon army, formation of carts)

• कलत्रम् (kalatram) - the women (camp followers, families) (wife, women, female attendant, household)

• मध्यतः (madhyataḥ) - in the middle (in the middle, from the middle)

• तथा (tathā) - and, similarly (thus, so, in the same way, and)

Words meanings and morphology

अग्रतः (agrataḥ) - in the front (in front, at the head, previously)

(indeclinable)

Adverbial suffix 'tasi' (तः) indicating position

पुरुषानीकम् (puruṣānīkam) - army of men (army of men, male force)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of puruṣānīka

puruṣānīka - army of men, host of males

Tatpuruṣa compound: 'puruṣa' (man) + 'anīka' (army)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (puruṣa+anīka)

• puruṣa – man, male, human being, person (cosmic person (puruṣa))
  noun (masculine)
  Root: pṛ
• anīka – army, host, array, face
  noun (neuter)
  From 'ana' (to breathe) + 'īka'
  Root: an (class 2)

Note: 'bhavet' takes nominative.

असिचर्मवताम् (asicarmavatām) - of those bearing swords and shields (of those having swords and shields)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of asicarmavat

asicarmavat - one who possesses a sword and shield

Formed by adding the possessive suffix 'matup'/'vatup' to the compound 'asi-carman' (sword-shield)

Compound type : dvandva (asi+carman)

• asi – sword, scimitar
  noun (masculine)
  From '√as' (to throw, pierce)
  Root: as (class 4)
• carman – hide, skin, shield
  noun (neuter)
  From '√cṛ' (to tear)
  Root: cṛ (class 6)

Note: Agrees with 'puruṣānīkam' by implication as 'the army of men who have swords and shields'.

भवेत् (bhavet) - should be (may be, should be, would be)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhi liṅ) of bhū

optative mood 3rd singular

Optative mood, active voice, 3rd person singular of '√bhū' (to be), class 1

Root: bhū (class 1)

पृष्ठतः (pṛṣṭhataḥ) - behind (behind, from behind, in the rear)

(indeclinable)

Adverbial suffix 'tasi' (तः) indicating position

शकटानीकम् (śakaṭānīkam) - the wagon formation (wagon army, formation of carts)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śakaṭānīka

śakaṭānīka - army of wagons, array of carts

Tatpuruṣa compound: 'śakaṭa' (cart, wagon) + 'anīka' (army, formation)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śakaṭa+anīka)

• śakaṭa – cart, wagon, carriage
  noun (masculine)
  Root: śak
• anīka – army, host, array, face
  noun (neuter)
  From 'ana' (to breathe) + 'īka'
  Root: an (class 2)

कलत्रम् (kalatram) - the women (camp followers, families) (wife, women, female attendant, household)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kalatra

kalatra - wife, woman, household, retinue, family

मध्यतः (madhyataḥ) - in the middle (in the middle, from the middle)

(indeclinable)

Adverbial suffix 'tasi' (तः) indicating position

तथा (tathā) - and, similarly (thus, so, in the same way, and)

(indeclinable)