महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-188, verse-12

जलबिन्दुर्यथा लोलः पर्णस्थः सर्वतश्चलः ।
एवमेवास्य तच्चित्तं भवति ध्यानवर्त्मनि ॥१२॥

12. jalabinduryathā lolaḥ parṇasthaḥ sarvataścalaḥ ,
evamevāsya taccittaṁ bhavati dhyānavartmani.

12. jala-binduḥ yathā lolaḥ parṇasthaḥ sarvataḥ calaḥ
evam eva asya tat cittam bhavati dhyāna-vartmani

12. yathā jala-binduḥ parṇasthaḥ lolaḥ sarvataḥ calaḥ
evam eva asya tat cittam dhyāna-vartmani bhavati

12. Just as a restless water-drop on a leaf moves in every direction, so too does his mind (citta) become unsteady on the path of meditation (dhyāna).

Words meanings summery:

• जल-बिन्दुः (jala-binduḥ) - a drop of water

• यथा (yathā) - just as, as, like

• लोलः (lolaḥ) - restless, unsteady, trembling, moving

• पर्णस्थः (parṇasthaḥ) - standing on a leaf, situated on a leaf

• सर्वतः (sarvataḥ) - on all sides, everywhere, in every way

• चलः (calaḥ) - moving, unsteady, fickle

• एवम् (evam) - thus, so, in this manner

• एव (eva) - only, just, indeed, precisely

• अस्य (asya) - his, of this

• तत् (tat) - that, his

• चित्तम् (cittam) - mind, consciousness, thought

• भवति (bhavati) - becomes, is, exists

• ध्यान-वर्त्मनि (dhyāna-vartmani) - on the path of meditation (dhyāna)

Words meanings and morphology

जल-बिन्दुः (jala-binduḥ) - a drop of water

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of jala-bindu

jala-bindu - a drop of water

Compound type : tatpurusha (jala+bindu)

• jala – water, fluid
  noun (neuter)
• bindu – drop, point, dot
  noun (masculine)

यथा (yathā) - just as, as, like

(indeclinable)

लोलः (lolaḥ) - restless, unsteady, trembling, moving

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of lola

lola - moving, trembling, restless, unsteady, greedy

From root `lul` (to move, agitate) with suffix `-a`.

Root: lul (class 1)

पर्णस्थः (parṇasthaḥ) - standing on a leaf, situated on a leaf

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of parṇastha

parṇastha - standing on a leaf, situated on a leaf

Tatpurusha compound of `parṇa` (leaf) and `stha` (standing, being).

Compound type : tatpurusha (parṇa+stha)

• parṇa – leaf, feather
  noun (neuter)
• stha – standing, staying, situated
  adjective (masculine)
  From root 'sthā' with suffix '-a'.
  Root: sthā (class 1)

सर्वतः (sarvataḥ) - on all sides, everywhere, in every way

(indeclinable)

From `sarva` (all) + `-tas` suffix.

चलः (calaḥ) - moving, unsteady, fickle

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of cala

cala - moving, tremulous, unsteady, fickle

From root `cal` (to move) with suffix `-a`.

Root: cal (class 1)

एवम् (evam) - thus, so, in this manner

(indeclinable)

एव (eva) - only, just, indeed, precisely

(indeclinable)

Emphatic particle.

अस्य (asya) - his, of this

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Refers to the meditator.

तत् (tat) - that, his

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, that one, he, she, it

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Refers to the mind of the meditator.

चित्तम् (cittam) - mind, consciousness, thought

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of citta

citta - mind, thought, consciousness, understanding

Past Passive Participle

Originally PPP from `cit` (to perceive, understand), but often used as a noun meaning mind.

Root: cit (class 1)

भवति (bhavati) - becomes, is, exists

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of bhū

Present active indicative

3rd person singular present indicative active.

Root: bhū (class 1)

ध्यान-वर्त्मनि (dhyāna-vartmani) - on the path of meditation (dhyāna)

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of dhyāna-vartman

dhyāna-vartman - path of meditation, way of contemplation

Tatpurusha compound.

Compound type : tatpurusha (dhyāna+vartman)

• dhyāna – meditation, contemplation, thought
  noun (neuter)
  From root `dhyā` (to meditate)
  Root: dhyā (class 4)
• vartman – path, road, track
  noun (neuter)
  From root `vṛt` (to turn, exist)
  Root: vṛt (class 1)

Note: Refers to the practice or process of meditation (dhyāna).