महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-73, verse-12

पत्यभावे यथा स्त्री हि देवरं कुरुते पतिम् ।
आनन्तर्यात्तथा क्षत्रं पृथिवी कुरुते पतिम् ॥१२॥

12. patyabhāve yathā strī hi devaraṁ kurute patim ,
ānantaryāttathā kṣatraṁ pṛthivī kurute patim.

12. pati abhāve yathā strī hi devaram kurute patim
| ānantaryāt tathā kṣatram pṛthivī kurute patim

12. yathā pati abhāve hi strī devaram patim kurute,
tathā ānantaryāt pṛthivī kṣatram patim kurute.

12. Just as a woman, in the absence of her husband, indeed takes her brother-in-law as her husband, similarly, the earth, by virtue of succession, takes the Kṣatriya as its protector (or husband).

Words meanings summery:

• पत्यभावे (patyabhāve) - in the absence of a ruling husband (or male successor) (in the absence of a husband)

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as

• स्त्री (strī) - woman, wife

• हि (hi) - indeed, for, because

• देवरम् (devaram) - brother-in-law (husband's brother)

• कुरुते (kurute) - makes, does, takes as

• पतिम् (patim) - husband, lord, protector

• आनन्तर्यात् (ānantaryāt) - due to proximity, by succession, by immediate connection

• तथा (tathā) - similarly, so, thus

• क्षत्रम् (kṣatram) - the Kṣatriya class, a Kṣatriya

• पृथिवी (pṛthivī) - the earth, ground

• कुरुते (kurute) - makes, does, takes as

• पतिम् (patim) - husband, lord, protector

Words meanings and morphology

पत्यभावे (patyabhāve) - in the absence of a ruling husband (or male successor) (in the absence of a husband)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of pati-abhāva

pati-abhāva - absence of a husband

Compound type : tatpurusha (pati+abhāva)

• pati – husband, lord, master, protector
  noun (masculine)
• abhāva – absence, non-existence, non-being
  noun (masculine)
  Prefix: a

यथा (yathā) - just as, as

(indeclinable)

स्त्री (strī) - woman, wife

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of strī

strī - woman, wife, female

हि (hi) - indeed, for, because

(indeclinable)

देवरम् (devaram) - brother-in-law (husband's brother)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of devara

devara - husband's brother, brother-in-law

कुरुते (kurute) - makes, does, takes as

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (lat) of kṛ

Present Tense, Middle Voice

Root: kṛ (class 8)

पतिम् (patim) - husband, lord, protector

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pati

pati - husband, lord, master, owner, protector

आनन्तर्यात् (ānantaryāt) - due to proximity, by succession, by immediate connection

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of ānantarya

ānantarya - proximity, immediate succession, close connection

From anantara (next, immediate)

तथा (tathā) - similarly, so, thus

(indeclinable)

क्षत्रम् (kṣatram) - the Kṣatriya class, a Kṣatriya

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kṣatra

kṣatra - rule, power, dominion; the Kṣatriya class

Root: kṣi (class 1)

पृथिवी (pṛthivī) - the earth, ground

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of pṛthivī

pṛthivī - the earth, soil, ground

कुरुते (kurute) - makes, does, takes as

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (lat) of kṛ

Present Tense, Middle Voice

Root: kṛ (class 8)

पतिम् (patim) - husband, lord, protector

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of pati

pati - husband, lord, master, owner, protector