योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-3, chapter-85, verse-21

कल्पान्तघननीहारो मेरुकुञ्जेषु संस्थितः ।
शाल्मलेरमलं तूलमष्ठीलाकोटरेष्विव ॥ २१ ॥

kalpāntaghananīhāro merukuñjeṣu saṃsthitaḥ ,
śālmaleramalaṃ tūlamaṣṭhīlākoṭareṣviva 21

21. kalpānta-ghana-nīhāraḥ meru-kuñjeṣu saṃsthitaḥ
śālmaleḥ amalam tūlam aṣṭhīlā-koṭareṣu iva

21. kalpānta-ghana-nīhāraḥ (tamaḥ) meru-kuñjeṣu saṃsthitaḥ (āsīt),
śālmaleḥ amalam tūlam aṣṭhīlā-koṭareṣu iva.

21. Like the dense mist at the end of a cosmic cycle (kalpānta), it (the darkness) settled in the groves of Mount Meru, resembling the pure cotton (tūla) of a silk-cotton tree (śālmalī) within its thorny hollows.

Words meanings summery:

• कल्पान्त-घन-नीहारः (kalpānta-ghana-nīhāraḥ) - The mist that appears at the dissolution of the universe. (dense mist of the end of a cosmic cycle)

• मेरु-कुञ्जेषु (meru-kuñjeṣu) - in the groves of Mount Meru

• संस्थितः (saṁsthitaḥ) - settled, situated, remained

• शाल्मलेः (śālmaleḥ) - of the silk-cotton tree

• अमलम् (amalam) - pure, spotless, clean

• तूलम् (tūlam) - cotton, down, flock

• अष्ठीला-कोटरेषु (aṣṭhīlā-koṭareṣu) - in the thorny hollows, in the hollows with thorns

• इव (iva) - like, as, as if

Words meanings and morphology

कल्पान्त-घन-नीहारः (kalpānta-ghana-nīhāraḥ) - The mist that appears at the dissolution of the universe. (dense mist of the end of a cosmic cycle)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kalpānta-ghana-nīhāra

kalpānta-ghana-nīhāra - dense mist at the end of a kalpa

Tatpurusha compound

Compound type : tatpurusha (kalpa+anta+ghana+nīhāra)

• kalpa – a cosmic cycle, aeon, a day of Brahma
  noun (masculine)
• anta – end, limit, conclusion
  noun (masculine)
• ghana – dense, thick, heavy; cloud
  adjective (masculine)
• nīhāra – mist, fog, frost
  noun (masculine)

Note: Predicate adjective for the implied subject 'tamaḥ'.

मेरु-कुञ्जेषु (meru-kuñjeṣu) - in the groves of Mount Meru

(noun)

Locative, masculine, plural of meru-kuñja

meru-kuñja - grove of Mount Meru

Tatpurusha compound

Compound type : tatpurusha (meru+kuñja)

• meru – Mount Meru (mythical golden mountain)
  proper noun (masculine)
• kuñja – a bower, a grove, a thicket
  noun (masculine)

Note: Locative plural, indicating location.

संस्थितः (saṁsthitaḥ) - settled, situated, remained

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of saṃsthita

saṁsthita - situated, placed, settled, remaining

Past Passive Participle

From root 'sthā' with upasarga 'sam'

Prefix: sam

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Modifies the implied subject, 'tamaḥ' (darkness), which here takes masculine ending to agree with 'nīhāraḥ'.

शाल्मलेः (śālmaleḥ) - of the silk-cotton tree

(noun)

Genitive, feminine, singular of śālmalī

śālmalī - silk-cotton tree (Salmalia malabarica)

Note: Possessive, modifies 'tūlam'.

अमलम् (amalam) - pure, spotless, clean

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of amala

amala - spotless, clean, pure, faultless

Negative compound: 'a' (not) + 'mala' (dirt/impurity)

Compound type : nañ-tatpurusha (a+mala)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
• mala – dirt, impurity, stain
  noun (neuter)

Note: Modifies 'tūlam'.

तूलम् (tūlam) - cotton, down, flock

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tūla

tūla - cotton, a flock of cotton, down, a tuft

Note: Subject of the simile.

अष्ठीला-कोटरेषु (aṣṭhīlā-koṭareṣu) - in the thorny hollows, in the hollows with thorns

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of aṣṭhīlā-koṭara

aṣṭhīlā-koṭara - hollows of a thorny plant/fruit

Tatpurusha compound

Compound type : tatpurusha (aṣṭhīlā+koṭara)

• aṣṭhīlā – a stone, a hard lump, a thorny fruit/plant
  noun (feminine)
• koṭara – hollow of a tree, cavity
  noun (neuter)

Note: Locative plural, indicating location.

इव (iva) - like, as, as if

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle indicating comparison.