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).

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'.