योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-3, chapter-34, verse-21

आदिवं रचिताकाराः कुन्तकाननकान्तयः ।
वीराणां स्वर्गमारोढुमिव सोपानपङ्क्तयः ॥ २१ ॥

ādivaṃ racitākārāḥ kuntakānanakāntayaḥ ,
vīrāṇāṃ svargamāroḍhumiva sopānapaṅktayaḥ 21

21. ādivam racitākārāḥ kuntakānanakāntayaḥ
vīrāṇām svargam āroḍhum iva sopānapaṅktayaḥ

21. ādivam racitākārāḥ kuntakānanakāntayaḥ
sopānapaṅktayaḥ iva vīrāṇām svargam āroḍhum (santi)

21. Like rows of stairs for heroes to ascend to heaven, these [spears] have forms stretching up to heaven, with the radiant beauty of a forest of spears.

Words meanings summery:

• आदिवम् (ādivam) - up to heaven, towards heaven

• रचिताकाराः (racitākārāḥ) - having constructed forms, with arranged shapes

• कुन्तकाननकान्तयः (kuntakānanakāntayaḥ) - having the beauty/radiance of a forest of spears

• वीराणाम् (vīrāṇām) - of heroes, for heroes

• स्वर्गम् (svargam) - to heaven

• आरोढुम् (āroḍhum) - to ascend, to climb up

• इव (iva) - as if, like, similar to

• सोपानपङ्क्तयः (sopānapaṅktayaḥ) - rows of stairs, staircases

Words meanings and morphology

आदिवम् (ādivam) - up to heaven, towards heaven

(indeclinable)

Adverbial use of 'div' (heaven) with prefix 'ā'.

रचिताकाराः (racitākārāḥ) - having constructed forms, with arranged shapes

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of racitākāra

racitākāra - having a constructed or arranged form/shape

Bahuvrihi compound of 'racita' (made, arranged) and 'ākāra' (form, shape).

Compound type : Bahuvrihi (racita+ākāra)

• racita – made, arranged, composed
  adjective (neuter)
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from root rac (to make, prepare).
  Root: rac (class 10)
• ākāra – form, shape, appearance
  noun (masculine)
  From 'ā' (towards) and 'kṛ' (to make).
  Prefix: ā
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Modifies the implied spears or 'sopānapaṅktayaḥ'.

कुन्तकाननकान्तयः (kuntakānanakāntayaḥ) - having the beauty/radiance of a forest of spears

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of kuntakānanakānti

kuntakānanakānti - having the beauty or splendor of a forest of spears

Bahuvrihi compound: 'kunta' (spear), 'kānana' (forest), 'kānti' (beauty). It's 'the beauty of a forest of spears' (Tatpurusha) which is then used in Bahuvrihi.

Compound type : Bahuvrihi-Tatpurusha (kunta+kānana+kānti)

• kunta – spear, lance
  noun (masculine)
• kānana – forest, grove
  noun (neuter)
• kānti – beauty, radiance, splendor
  noun (feminine)
  From root kam (to desire).
  Root: kam (class 1)

Note: Modifies the implied spears or 'sopānapaṅktayaḥ'.

वीराणाम् (vīrāṇām) - of heroes, for heroes

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, plural of vīra

vīra - hero, brave man, warrior

स्वर्गम् (svargam) - to heaven

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of svarga

svarga - heaven, paradise, celestial world

आरोढुम् (āroḍhum) - to ascend, to climb up

(indeclinable)

Infinitive

Infinitive form of root ruh (to grow, ascend) with prefix ā (up, towards).

Prefix: ā

Root: ruh (class 1)

इव (iva) - as if, like, similar to

(indeclinable)

सोपानपङ्क्तयः (sopānapaṅktayaḥ) - rows of stairs, staircases

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of sopānapaṅkti

sopānapaṅkti - row of stairs, staircase

Tatpurusha compound of 'sopāna' (stair, step) and 'paṅkti' (row, line).

Compound type : Tatpurusha (sopāna+paṅkti)

• sopāna – stair, step, ladder
  noun (neuter)
  From 'sa' (with) and 'upāna' (footwear, step, or approach).
• paṅkti – row, line, series
  noun (feminine)

Note: Subject of the simile.