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.

20. בני האדם חיים כאילו היו חסרי תודעה, משמיעים צלילים לשווא באמצעות הרוחות הנקראות פְּרָאנָה (נשימת החיים), ממש כמו קני במבוק חלולים הרועשים ברוח.

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)

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