योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-1, chapter-12, verse-20

अचेतना इव जनाः पवनैः प्राणनामभिः ।
ध्वनन्तः संस्थिता व्यर्थं यथा कीचकवेणवः ॥ २० ॥

acetanā iva janāḥ pavanaiḥ prāṇanāmabhiḥ ,
dhvanantaḥ saṃsthitā vyarthaṃ yathā kīcakaveṇavaḥ 20

20. acetanāḥ iva janāḥ pavanaiḥ prāṇa-nāmabhiḥ
dhvanantaḥ saṃsthitāḥ vyartham yathā kīcaka-veṇavaḥ

20. People, like unconscious beings, simply exist, making useless noise, driven by the vital energies (prāṇas) that are like winds, just as hollow bamboo flutes do.

Words meanings summery:

• अचेतनाः (acetanāḥ) - As if lacking proper consciousness or awareness. (unconscious, inanimate, senseless)

• इव (iva) - Introduces a simile. (like, as, as if)

• जनाः (janāḥ) - Refers to human beings. (people, men, creatures)

• पवनैः (pavanaiḥ) - Used metaphorically here, comparing prāṇa to winds. (by winds, by air)

• प्राण-नामभिः (prāṇa-nāmabhiḥ) - By the vital energies (prāṇas) that are compared to winds. (by those named life-breaths (prāṇas))

• ध्वनन्तः (dhvanantaḥ) - Making empty or useless sounds. (sounding, making noise, humming)

• संस्थिताः (saṁsthitāḥ) - Merely existing or situated in a certain state (making noise). (existing, situated, standing)

• व्यर्थम् (vyartham) - Emphasizes the futility of their noise-making and existence. (uselessly, fruitlessly, in vain)

• यथा (yathā) - Introduces the comparison to bamboo flutes. (just as, in which way, like)

• कीचक-वेणवः (kīcaka-veṇavaḥ) - Specific type of bamboo that makes a whistling sound when wind passes through it. (hollow bamboo flutes, Kīcaka bamboos)

Words meanings and morphology

अचेतनाः (acetanāḥ) - As if lacking proper consciousness or awareness. (unconscious, inanimate, senseless)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of acetana

acetana - unconscious, inanimate, senseless, devoid of intelligence

Negative compound a + cetana.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+cetana)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
• cetana – conscious, animate, sentient, intelligent
  adjective
  From root cit.
  Root: cit (class 1)

इव (iva) - Introduces a simile. (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

जनाः (janāḥ) - Refers to human beings. (people, men, creatures)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of jana

jana - person, man, people, creature

From root jan.

Root: jan (class 4)

पवनैः (pavanaiḥ) - Used metaphorically here, comparing prāṇa to winds. (by winds, by air)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of pavana

pavana - wind, air, breeze

From root pu (to purify, move).

Root: pu (class 1)

प्राण-नामभिः (prāṇa-nāmabhiḥ) - By the vital energies (prāṇas) that are compared to winds. (by those named life-breaths (prāṇas))

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of prāṇa-nāman

prāṇa-nāman - named 'prāṇa', having 'prāṇa' as name

Bahuvrihi compound describing something "having the name prāṇa".

Compound type : bahuvrihi (prāṇa+nāman)

• prāṇa – life-breath, vital air, vital energy
  noun (masculine)
  From pra + an.
  Prefix: pra
  Root: an (class 2)
• nāman – name, appellation
  noun (neuter)

ध्वनन्तः (dhvanantaḥ) - Making empty or useless sounds. (sounding, making noise, humming)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of dhvanat

dhvanat - sounding, roaring, humming

Present Active Participle

From root dhvan.

Root: dhvan (class 1)

Note: Functions as a predicate participle.

संस्थिताः (saṁsthitāḥ) - Merely existing or situated in a certain state (making noise). (existing, situated, standing)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of saṃsthita

saṁsthita - standing, situated, existing, well-placed

Past Passive Participle

From sam + root sthā.

Prefix: sam

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Functions as a predicate adjective.

व्यर्थम् (vyartham) - Emphasizes the futility of their noise-making and existence. (uselessly, fruitlessly, in vain)

(indeclinable)

Compound vi + artha.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (vi+artha)

• vi – without, apart, away
  indeclinable
• artha – purpose, meaning, wealth, object
  noun (masculine)

Note: Functions adverbially.

यथा (yathā) - Introduces the comparison to bamboo flutes. (just as, in which way, like)

(indeclinable)

कीचक-वेणवः (kīcaka-veṇavaḥ) - Specific type of bamboo that makes a whistling sound when wind passes through it. (hollow bamboo flutes, Kīcaka bamboos)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kīcaka-veṇu

kīcaka-veṇu - Kīcaka bamboo, hollow bamboo (producing sound when wind blows)

Compound type : karmadhāraya (kīcaka+veṇu)

• kīcaka – a kind of hollow bamboo (which produces sound when the wind blows through it)
  noun (masculine)
• veṇu – bamboo, flute
  noun (masculine)