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).

8. אף שהחכם ניצב ממש מולו, ואף שהיה חזק, לא יכול היה לאחוז בו אפילו במאה ידיים, בדיוק כפי שאי אפשר לתפוס אדם שנברא במחשבה בלבד.

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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