योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-3, chapter-2, verse-8

नचाशकत्पुरो दृष्टमपि हस्तशतैर्द्विजम् ।
बलवानप्यवष्टब्धुं संकल्पपुरुषं यथा ॥ ८ ॥

nacāśakatpuro dṛṣṭamapi hastaśatairdvijam ,
balavānapyavaṣṭabdhuṃ saṃkalpapuruṣaṃ yathā 8

8. na ca aśakat puraḥ dṛṣṭam api hastaśataiḥ dvijam
balavān api avaṣṭabdhum saṃkalpapuruṣam yathā

8. ca [saḥ] balavān api puraḥ dṛṣṭam dvijam hastaśataiḥ avaṣṭabdhum na aśakat,
yathā saṃkalpapuruṣam [na śakyate]

8. Even though strong, he was unable to seize the brahmin, who was seen right in front of him, even with hundreds of hands, just as one cannot grasp a being made of pure resolve (saṃkalpa puruṣa).

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - negation of the verb 'aśakat' (not)

• च (ca) - connects the inability with the effort made (and, also)

• अशकत् (aśakat) - Yama/Death was unable (he was able (with 'na', he was unable))

• पुरः (puraḥ) - directly visible (in front, before)

• दृष्टम् (dṛṣṭam) - the brahmin who was seen (seen, visible)

• अपि (api) - emphasizes the difficulty despite being seen (even, also, too)

• हस्तशतैः (hastaśataiḥ) - even with immense physical effort (with hundreds of hands)

• द्विजम् (dvijam) - referring to the Brahmin whose life is in question (twice-born (a Brahmin, a bird, a tooth))

• बलवान् (balavān) - Yama/Death, who is inherently strong (strong, powerful)

• अपि (api) - emphasizes the strong entity's inability (even, also, too)

• अवष्टब्धुम् (avaṣṭabdhum) - to capture or take hold of the brahmin (to seize, to grasp, to stop)

• संकल्पपुरुषम् (saṁkalpapuruṣam) - an ungraspable entity, a metaphorical comparison for the brahmin's invulnerability (a person of resolve, a being of pure will)

• यथा (yathā) - introduces a comparison (just as, as, like)

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - negation of the verb 'aśakat' (not)

(indeclinable)

च (ca) - connects the inability with the effort made (and, also)

(indeclinable)

अशकत् (aśakat) - Yama/Death was unable (he was able (with 'na', he was unable))

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (laṅ) of śak

Imperfect Tense

Third person singular, parasmaipada

Root: śak (class 5)

पुरः (puraḥ) - directly visible (in front, before)

(indeclinable)

दृष्टम् (dṛṣṭam) - the brahmin who was seen (seen, visible)

(adjective)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dṛṣṭa

dṛṣṭa - seen, observed, visible

Past Passive Participle

From root 'dṛś' (to see) with suffix '-kta'

Root: dṛś (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'dvijam'

अपि (api) - emphasizes the difficulty despite being seen (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

हस्तशतैः (hastaśataiḥ) - even with immense physical effort (with hundreds of hands)

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, plural of hastaśata

hastaśata - a hundred hands

Compound type : Dvigu (hasta+śata)

• hasta – hand
  noun (masculine)
• śata – hundred
  noun (neuter)

द्विजम् (dvijam) - referring to the Brahmin whose life is in question (twice-born (a Brahmin, a bird, a tooth))

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of dvija

dvija - twice-born (Brahmin, bird, tooth)

From 'dvi' (twice) + root 'jan' (to be born)

Compound type : Upapada Tatpurusha (dvi+ja)

• dvi – two, twice
  numeral
• ja – born, produced from
  adjective (masculine)
  Suffix -ja from root jan (to be born)
  Root: jan (class 4)

बलवान् (balavān) - Yama/Death, who is inherently strong (strong, powerful)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of balavat

balavat - strong, powerful, mighty

From noun 'bala' (strength) with possessive suffix '-vat'

Note: Agrees with implied subject of 'aśakat'

अपि (api) - emphasizes the strong entity's inability (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

अवष्टब्धुम् (avaṣṭabdhum) - to capture or take hold of the brahmin (to seize, to grasp, to stop)

(indeclinable)

Infinitive

From root 'stabh' (to stop, support) with prefix 'ava', and suffix '-tum'

Prefix: ava

Root: stabh (class 5)

संकल्पपुरुषम् (saṁkalpapuruṣam) - an ungraspable entity, a metaphorical comparison for the brahmin's invulnerability (a person of resolve, a being of pure will)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of saṃkalpapuruṣa

saṁkalpapuruṣa - a being consisting of or produced by resolve/will; a mental creation

Compound type : Karmadhāraya (saṃkalpa+puruṣa)

• saṃkalpa – resolve, will, intention, mental conception
  noun (masculine)
  From root kḷp with sam
  Prefix: sam
  Root: kḷp (class 1)
• puruṣa – person, human being, cosmic person (puruṣa)
  noun (masculine)

Note: Object of comparison for 'dvijam'

यथा (yathā) - introduces a comparison (just as, as, like)

(indeclinable)

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