महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-19, verse-5

सूचीमुखमनीकं स्यादल्पानां बहुभिः सह ।
अस्माकं च तथा सैन्यमल्पीयः सुतरां परैः ॥५॥

5. sūcīmukhamanīkaṁ syādalpānāṁ bahubhiḥ saha ,
asmākaṁ ca tathā sainyamalpīyaḥ sutarāṁ paraiḥ.

5. sūcīmukham anīkam syāt alpānām bahubhiḥ saha
asmākam ca tathā sainyam alpīyaḥ sutarām paraiḥ

5. alpānām bahubhiḥ saha anīkam sūcīmukham syāt ca
tathā asmākam sainyam paraiḥ sutarām alpīyaḥ

5. For a small force (alpānām) facing a numerous one (bahubhiḥ saha), the battle formation (anīka) should be needle-pointed (sūcīmukha). And similarly, our army (sainyam) is exceedingly (sutarām) smaller (alpīyaḥ) than the enemies' (paraiḥ).

Words meanings summery:

• सूचीमुखम् (sūcīmukham) - a wedge-shaped battle formation (needle-mouthed, having a needle-like front)

• अनीकम् (anīkam) - army, host, battle formation

• स्यात् (syāt) - should be, may be, would be

• अल्पानाम् (alpānām) - pertaining to a numerically small force (of the few, for the few)

• बहुभिः (bahubhiḥ) - facing many (enemies) (by many, with many)

• सह (saha) - (in conjunction) with (with, together with)

• अस्माकम् (asmākam) - our, of us

• च (ca) - and, also

• तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly, likewise

• सैन्यम् (sainyam) - army, military force

• अल्पीयः (alpīyaḥ) - smaller, fewer, more meager

• सुतराम् (sutarām) - exceedingly, very much, by far

• परैः (paraiḥ) - by the enemy forces (Kauravas) (by others, by enemies)

Words meanings and morphology

सूचीमुखम् (sūcīmukham) - a wedge-shaped battle formation (needle-mouthed, having a needle-like front)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sūcīmukha

sūcīmukha - needle-mouthed; a military formation (wedge-shaped)

Compound type : bahuvrihi (sūcī+mukha)

• sūcī – needle, point
  noun (feminine)
• mukha – face, mouth, front, chief
  noun (neuter)

Note: Predicate nominative for anīkam

अनीकम् (anīkam) - army, host, battle formation

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anīka

anīka - army, host, battle array, front

Note: Subject of syāt

स्यात् (syāt) - should be, may be, would be

(verb)

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

optative active

root as (2nd class) + vidhi-liṅ 3rd singular

Root: as (class 2)

अल्पानाम् (alpānām) - pertaining to a numerically small force (of the few, for the few)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of alpa

alpa - small, little, few, insignificant

Note: Possessive or dative sense for whom the formation is intended.

बहुभिः (bahubhiḥ) - facing many (enemies) (by many, with many)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of bahu

bahu - many, much, numerous

Note: Governed by saha

सह (saha) - (in conjunction) with (with, together with)

(indeclinable)

अस्माकम् (asmākam) - our, of us

(pronoun)

Genitive, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

Note: Possessive, 'our army'

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly, likewise

(indeclinable)

सैन्यम् (sainyam) - army, military force

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sainya

sainya - army, host, military force; pertaining to an army

derived from senā (army)

Note: Subject of the implicit verb 'is'

अल्पीयः (alpīyaḥ) - smaller, fewer, more meager

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of alpīyas

alpīyas - smaller, fewer, less

comparative degree of alpa (small, few)

सुतराम् (sutarām) - exceedingly, very much, by far

(indeclinable)

Note: Modifies alpīyaḥ

परैः (paraiḥ) - by the enemy forces (Kauravas) (by others, by enemies)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of para

para - other, hostile, enemy

Note: Used with a comparative for "than"