योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-3, chapter-60, verse-38

अपूर्वमेवासुप्तस्य नरस्येवोदितं विदुः ।
अचेता चेतति स्तम्भो यादृशं शालभञ्जिकाम् ॥ ३८ ॥

apūrvamevāsuptasya narasyevoditaṃ viduḥ ,
acetā cetati stambho yādṛśaṃ śālabhañjikām 38

38. apūrvam eva asuptasya narasya iva uditam viduḥ
| acetā cetati stambhaḥ yādṛśam śālabhañjikām ||

38. viduḥ apūrvam uditam eva asuptasya narasya iva
yādṛśam acetā stambhaḥ śālabhañjikām cetati

38. They understand creation to be unprecedented, appearing as if for a waking person. This is analogous to how an unconscious pillar manifests a carved figure (śālabhañjikā).

38. חכמים יודעים כי עולם זה הופיע באופן חסר תקדים, בדומה לחלום הצף אצל אדם שאינו ישן. כשם שעמוד דומם כאילו תופס או נושא פסל של דמות מגולפת,

Words meanings summery:

• अपूर्वम् (apūrvam) - the creation as something never existing before (unprecedented, new, unique)

• एव (eva) - just, only, indeed, certainly

• असुप्तस्य (asuptasya) - of one who is not sleeping, of a waking person

• नरस्य (narasya) - of a man, of a person

• इव (iva) - like, as if, as

• उदितम् (uditam) - the act of creation or manifestation (arisen, appeared, manifested, risen)

• विदुः (viduḥ) - they know, they understand

• अचेता (acetā) - referring to Brahman in its inactive state before manifestation, or the inert pillar itself (unconscious, devoid of consciousness, inert)

• चेतति (cetati) - here, it implies 'manifests' or 'appears to become', as the pillar itself doesn't 'perceive' in the sentient sense. (perceives, cognizes, becomes conscious of, manifests, appears)

• स्तम्भः (stambhaḥ) - pillar, post, column

• यादृशम् (yādṛśam) - such as, in the manner that, like which

• शालभञ्जिकाम् (śālabhañjikām) - specifically referring to an ornamental carving on a pillar or wall (a carved female figure, a wooden doll, a statue)

Words meanings and morphology

अपूर्वम् (apūrvam) - the creation as something never existing before (unprecedented, new, unique)

(adjective)

neuter, singular of apūrva

apūrva - unprecedented, new, unique, not existing before

Compound of 'a' (negation) + 'pūrva' (before, earlier)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+pūrva)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  negating prefix
• pūrva – before, earlier, former, prior
  adjective

Note: Predicative adjective, possibly referring to an implied 'sṛṣṭi' (creation) or 'uditam' (the arising thing).

एव (eva) - just, only, indeed, certainly

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

असुप्तस्य (asuptasya) - of one who is not sleeping, of a waking person

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, singular of asupta

asupta - not sleeping, awake, waking

Past Passive Participle

Formed from 'a' (negation) + root 'svap' (to sleep) + 'kta' suffix.

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+supta)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  negating prefix
• supta – slept, asleep
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  from root svap
  Root: svap (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'narasya'.

नरस्य (narasya) - of a man, of a person

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of nara

nara - man, person, human being

Root: nṛ

इव (iva) - like, as if, as

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle of comparison.

उदितम् (uditam) - the act of creation or manifestation (arisen, appeared, manifested, risen)

(adjective)

neuter, singular of udita

udita - arisen, appeared, manifested, risen, said, spoken

Past Passive Participle

Formed from 'ud' (prefix) + root 'i' (to go) + 'kta' suffix.

Prefix: ud

Root: i (class 2)

Note: Can act as a noun (the arisen thing/state).

विदुः (viduḥ) - they know, they understand

(verb)

3rd person , plural, active, present indicative (laṭ) of vid

3rd person plural, Present Active Indicative

from root 'vid', class 2 (adā-di), Parasmaipada.

Root: vid (class 2)

Note: The subject 'they' is implied.

अचेता (acetā) - referring to Brahman in its inactive state before manifestation, or the inert pillar itself (unconscious, devoid of consciousness, inert)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aceta

aceta - unconscious, devoid of consciousness, inert, non-sentient

Compound of 'a' (negation) + 'cetas' (consciousness, mind).

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+cetas)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  negating prefix
• cetas – consciousness, mind, intellect, soul
  noun (neuter)

Note: Qualifies 'stambhaḥ'.

चेतति (cetati) - here, it implies 'manifests' or 'appears to become', as the pillar itself doesn't 'perceive' in the sentient sense. (perceives, cognizes, becomes conscious of, manifests, appears)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present indicative (laṭ) of cit

3rd person singular, Present Active Indicative

from root 'cit', class 1 (bhvā-di), Parasmaipada.

Root: cit (class 1)

Note: The meaning is nuanced for an 'aceta' subject.

स्तम्भः (stambhaḥ) - pillar, post, column

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of stambha

stambha - pillar, post, column, support, trunk (of a tree)

Root: stambh (class 5)

Note: Subject of 'cetati'.

यादृशम् (yādṛśam) - such as, in the manner that, like which

(indeclinable)

Correlative to 'tādṛśa' (implied).

Note: Can be treated as an adverbial accusative of quality/manner.

शालभञ्जिकाम् (śālabhañjikām) - specifically referring to an ornamental carving on a pillar or wall (a carved female figure, a wooden doll, a statue)

(noun)

Accusative, feminine, singular of śālabhañjikā

śālabhañjikā - a carved female figure (often on temple walls), a wooden doll, a tree-nymph statue

Compound. 'śāla' (sal tree, house/hall) + 'bhañjikā' (breaking, from root 'bhañj' - to break, also refers to a toy or plaything). Likely refers to a carved figure.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śāla+bhañjikā)

• śāla – sal tree, house, hall
  noun (masculine)
• bhañjikā – breaking, toy, doll, carved figure
  noun (feminine)
  From root bhañj (to break), with suffix -ika. Can mean a toy or a figure carved from wood/stone.
  Root: bhañj (class 7)

Note: Object of 'cetati'.

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