महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-228, verse-17

शैशिरस्तु यथा धूमः सूक्ष्मः संश्रयते नभः ।
तथा देहाद्विमुक्तस्य पूर्वरूपं भवत्युत ॥१७॥

17. śaiśirastu yathā dhūmaḥ sūkṣmaḥ saṁśrayate nabhaḥ ,
tathā dehādvimuktasya pūrvarūpaṁ bhavatyuta.

17. śaiśiraḥ tu yathā dhūmaḥ sūkṣmaḥ saṃśrayate nabhaḥ
tathā dehāt vimuktasya pūrvarūpam bhavati uta

17. yathā sūkṣmaḥ śaiśiraḥ dhūmaḥ nabhaḥ saṃśrayate
tathā dehāt vimuktasya uta pūrvarūpam bhavati tu

17. Just as subtle winter mist (dhūmaḥ) disperses and takes refuge in the sky, so too, for one liberated from the body, the subtle (original) form (pūrvarūpam) remains.

Words meanings summery:

• शैशिरः (śaiśiraḥ) - winter's, referring to mist or fog (wintry, relating to winter, produced in winter)

• तु (tu) - indeed (emphatic) (but, indeed, however, on the other hand)

• यथा (yathā) - just as (introducing a simile) (just as, as, how)

• धूमः (dhūmaḥ) - mist or fog, typical of winter mornings (smoke, mist, vapor)

• सूक्ष्मः (sūkṣmaḥ) - subtle (describing mist) (subtle, fine, minute, delicate)

• संश्रयते (saṁśrayate) - disperses and merges into (takes refuge in, resorts to, enters, merges into)

• नभः (nabhaḥ) - the open sky/atmosphere (sky, atmosphere, ether, space)

• तथा (tathā) - similarly (correlative to 'yathā') (similarly, so, thus)

• देहात् (dehāt) - separating from the physical body (from the body)

• विमुक्तस्य (vimuktasya) - of the one who is liberated from the body (of the liberated, of the freed, of one released)

• पूर्वरूपम् (pūrvarūpam) - the subtle or original form (of the self/soul) (previous form, original form, subtle body)

• भवति (bhavati) - remains, comes into being (in that state) (becomes, is, exists)

• उत (uta) - indeed, moreover (indeed, moreover, also)

Words meanings and morphology

शैशिरः (śaiśiraḥ) - winter's, referring to mist or fog (wintry, relating to winter, produced in winter)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śaiśira

śaiśira - wintry, belonging to winter, produced in winter

derived from śiśira (cold, winter)

Note: Modifies 'dhūmaḥ'.

तु (tu) - indeed (emphatic) (but, indeed, however, on the other hand)

(indeclinable)

Note: Often used for contrast or emphasis.

यथा (yathā) - just as (introducing a simile) (just as, as, how)

(indeclinable)

Note: Correlative with 'tathā'.

धूमः (dhūmaḥ) - mist or fog, typical of winter mornings (smoke, mist, vapor)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of dhūma

dhūma - smoke, mist, vapor

Note: Subject of 'saṃśrayate'.

सूक्ष्मः (sūkṣmaḥ) - subtle (describing mist) (subtle, fine, minute, delicate)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sūkṣma

sūkṣma - subtle, fine, minute, delicate, atomic

Note: Modifies 'dhūmaḥ'.

संश्रयते (saṁśrayate) - disperses and merges into (takes refuge in, resorts to, enters, merges into)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (laṭ) of saṃśri

Prefix: sam

Root: śri (class 1)

Note: Action of the mist.

नभः (nabhaḥ) - the open sky/atmosphere (sky, atmosphere, ether, space)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of nabhas

nabhas - sky, atmosphere, ether, space

Note: Object of 'saṃśrayate'.

तथा (tathā) - similarly (correlative to 'yathā') (similarly, so, thus)

(indeclinable)

Note: Correlative with 'yathā'.

देहात् (dehāt) - separating from the physical body (from the body)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of deha

deha - body, physical frame

Note: Indicates separation.

विमुक्तस्य (vimuktasya) - of the one who is liberated from the body (of the liberated, of the freed, of one released)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of vimukta

vimukta - liberated, freed, released

Past Passive Participle

prefix vi- + root muc (to free) + kta suffix

Prefix: vi

Root: muc (class 6)

Note: Modifies an implied 'man' or 'puruṣa'.

पूर्वरूपम् (pūrvarūpam) - the subtle or original form (of the self/soul) (previous form, original form, subtle body)

(noun)

neuter, singular of pūrvarūpa

pūrvarūpa - previous form, original form, subtle body

compound of pūrva (previous) and rūpa (form)

Compound type : tatpurusha (pūrva+rūpa)

• pūrva – previous, former, prior
  adjective (neuter)
• rūpa – form, shape, appearance, image
  noun (neuter)

Note: Subject of 'bhavati'.

भवति (bhavati) - remains, comes into being (in that state) (becomes, is, exists)

(verb)

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

Root: bhū (class 1)

उत (uta) - indeed, moreover (indeed, moreover, also)

(indeclinable)

Note: Adds emphasis.