योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-3, chapter-92, verse-17

पवित्रमनुसंधानं चेतः स्मरति सर्वदा ।
निष्फलास्तत्र शापाद्याः शिलायामिव सायकाः ॥ १७ ॥

pavitramanusaṃdhānaṃ cetaḥ smarati sarvadā ,
niṣphalāstatra śāpādyāḥ śilāyāmiva sāyakāḥ 17

17. pavitram anusandhānam cetaḥ smarati sarvadā
niṣphalāḥ tatra śāpādyāḥ śilāyām iva sāyakāḥ

17. pavitram cetaḥ sarvadā anusandhānam smarati
tatra śāpādyāḥ niṣphalāḥ śilāyām sāyakāḥ iva

17. The pure mind (cetas) always remembers (or engages in) contemplation (anusandhāna). In such a state, curses and similar actions (śāpādya) are fruitless, like arrows shot at a rock.

Words meanings summery:

• पवित्रम् (pavitram) - pure (pure, sacred, holy, clean)

• अनुसन्धानम् (anusandhānam) - contemplation (contemplation, investigation, reflection, connection)

• चेतः (cetaḥ) - mind (cetas) (mind, consciousness, heart, understanding)

• स्मरति (smarati) - remembers / engages in (remembers, recollects, thinks of)

• सर्वदा (sarvadā) - always (always, at all times, ever)

• निष्फलाः (niṣphalāḥ) - fruitless (fruitless, useless, unproductive)

• तत्र (tatra) - in that case / in such a state (there, in that place, in that case, then)

• शापाद्याः (śāpādyāḥ) - curses and similar actions (curses and the like, curses etc.)

• शिलायाम् (śilāyām) - on a rock (on a rock, in a rock)

• इव (iva) - like (like, as, as if)

• सायकाः (sāyakāḥ) - arrows (arrows, darts)

Words meanings and morphology

पवित्रम् (pavitram) - pure (pure, sacred, holy, clean)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of pavitra

pavitra - pure, sacred, holy, clean, purifying

Note: Adjective modifying 'anusandhānam'.

अनुसन्धानम् (anusandhānam) - contemplation (contemplation, investigation, reflection, connection)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of anusandhāna

anusandhāna - contemplation, investigation, reflection, connection, recollection

from anu-sam-dhā (to place together, to connect, to contemplate)

Prefixes: anu+sam

Root: dhā (class 3)

Note: Direct object of 'smarati'.

चेतः (cetaḥ) - mind (cetas) (mind, consciousness, heart, understanding)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of cetas

cetas - mind, consciousness, heart, understanding, intellect

Note: Subject of 'smarati'.

स्मरति (smarati) - remembers / engages in (remembers, recollects, thinks of)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of smṛ

Root: smṛ (class 1)

Note: Can mean 'to remember' or, in a broader sense, 'to dwell on' or 'to be mindful of'.

सर्वदा (sarvadā) - always (always, at all times, ever)

(indeclinable)

from sarva (all) + dā (suffix for time)

Note: Adverb of time.

निष्फलाः (niṣphalāḥ) - fruitless (fruitless, useless, unproductive)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, plural of niṣphala

niṣphala - fruitless, useless, unproductive, ineffective

from nis-phala (without fruit)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (nis+phala)

• nis – out, without, away
  indeclinable
  negative prefix
• phala – fruit, result
  noun (neuter)

Note: Predicate adjective for 'śāpādyāḥ'.

तत्र (tatra) - in that case / in such a state (there, in that place, in that case, then)

(indeclinable)

from tad + tra (locative suffix)

Note: Refers to the context of the pure mind.

शापाद्याः (śāpādyāḥ) - curses and similar actions (curses and the like, curses etc.)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, plural of śāpādya

śāpādya - curses and the like, curses etc.

Compound type : dvandva / tatpuruṣa (śāpa+ādya)

• śāpa – curse, imprecation
  noun (masculine)
• ādya – beginning, first, and so on
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Subject of the second clause.

शिलायाम् (śilāyām) - on a rock (on a rock, in a rock)

(noun)

Locative, feminine, singular of śilā

śilā - rock, stone, slab

Note: Indicates location, part of the simile.

इव (iva) - like (like, as, as if)

(indeclinable)

Note: Particle introducing a simile.

सायकाः (sāyakāḥ) - arrows (arrows, darts)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of sāyaka

sāyaka - arrow, dart, shooter

from śi (to sharpen) or sā (to send) + aka

Note: Subject of the simile, implicit verb 'are'.