योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-4, chapter-1, verse-27

तत्सूक्ष्ममसदाभासमसदेव ह्यतादृशम् ।
कीदृशी बीजता तत्र बीजाभावे कुतोऽङ्कुरः ॥ २७ ॥

tatsūkṣmamasadābhāsamasadeva hyatādṛśam ,
kīdṛśī bījatā tatra bījābhāve kuto'ṅkuraḥ 27

27. tat sūkṣmam asat ābhāsam asat eva hi atādṛśam
kīdṛśī bījatā tatra bīja abhāve kutaḥ aṅkuraḥ

27. tat sūkṣmam asat ābhāsam asat eva hi atādṛśam
tatra kīdṛśī bījatā bīja abhāve aṅkuraḥ kutaḥ

27. That which is subtle, appearing as non-existent, is indeed non-existent and unlike anything real. What kind of 'seed-ness' can exist in such a thing? From where would a sprout emerge if there is no seed?

Words meanings summery:

• तत् (tat) - that (subtle thing, referring to the illusory world or unreality) (that)

• सूक्ष्मम् (sūkṣmam) - subtle (referring to its elusive and non-gross nature) (subtle, minute, delicate, fine)

• असत् (asat) - non-existent (emphasizing its ultimate unreality) (non-existent, unreal, false, bad)

• आभासम् (ābhāsam) - mere appearance (suggesting it only seems to exist, but does not truly) (appearance, semblance, reflection, illusion)

• असत् (asat) - indeed non-existent (reiterating the unreality) (non-existent, unreal, false)

• एव (eva) - indeed (emphatic particle) (only, indeed, just, quite)

• हि (hi) - indeed (confirmatory particle) (indeed, because, for)

• अतादृशम् (atādṛśam) - unlike anything real (emphasizing its unique unreality) (not of that kind, unlike, non-existent)

• कीदृशी (kīdṛśī) - what kind of (questioning the nature of 'seed-ness') (of what kind? what sort of? how?)

• बीजता (bījatā) - the quality of a seed (referring to its potential for growth) (seed-ness, the quality of being a seed)

• तत्र (tatra) - in such a thing (referring to the subtle, non-existent entity) (there, in that, in that case)

• बीज (bīja) - seed (as the source of a sprout) (seed, origin, cause)

• अभावे (abhāve) - in the absence (of a seed) (in the absence, in the non-existence)

• कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where (questioning the source) (from where? whence? why?)

• अङ्कुरः (aṅkuraḥ) - a sprout (the outcome of a seed) (sprout, shoot, beginning)

Words meanings and morphology

तत् (tat) - that (subtle thing, referring to the illusory world or unreality) (that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers to the subject under discussion, often an abstract concept.

सूक्ष्मम् (sūkṣmam) - subtle (referring to its elusive and non-gross nature) (subtle, minute, delicate, fine)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sūkṣma

sūkṣma - subtle, minute, delicate, fine

Note: Agrees with 'tat'.

असत् (asat) - non-existent (emphasizing its ultimate unreality) (non-existent, unreal, false, bad)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of asat

asat - non-existent, unreal, false, bad

Present Active Participle

Negative particle 'a-' + root 'as' (to be)

Prefix: a

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Also functions as a noun meaning unreality.

आभासम् (ābhāsam) - mere appearance (suggesting it only seems to exist, but does not truly) (appearance, semblance, reflection, illusion)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ābhāsa

ābhāsa - appearance, semblance, reflection, illusion, light

From 'ā-bhās' (to shine forth, appear)

Prefix: ā

Root: bhās (class 1)

Note: Here, used as a predicate adjective or noun in agreement with 'tat'.

असत् (asat) - indeed non-existent (reiterating the unreality) (non-existent, unreal, false)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of asat

asat - non-existent, unreal, false, bad

Present Active Participle

Negative particle 'a-' + root 'as' (to be)

Prefix: a

Root: as (class 2)

Note: Emphasizes the negation.

एव (eva) - indeed (emphatic particle) (only, indeed, just, quite)

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphatic particle.

हि (hi) - indeed (confirmatory particle) (indeed, because, for)

(indeclinable)

Note: Confirmatory particle.

अतादृशम् (atādṛśam) - unlike anything real (emphasizing its unique unreality) (not of that kind, unlike, non-existent)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of atādṛśa

atādṛśa - not of that kind, unlike, non-existent

Negative particle 'a-' + 'tādṛśa' (of that kind)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+tādṛśa)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• tādṛśa – of that kind, such
  adjective (neuter)

Note: Agrees with 'tat'.

कीदृशी (kīdṛśī) - what kind of (questioning the nature of 'seed-ness') (of what kind? what sort of? how?)

(pronoun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of kīdṛśa

kīdṛśa - of what kind? what sort of? how?

Note: Agrees with 'bījatā'.

बीजता (bījatā) - the quality of a seed (referring to its potential for growth) (seed-ness, the quality of being a seed)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of bījatā

bījatā - seed-ness, the quality of being a seed

From 'bīja' (seed) + suffix 'tā' (abstract noun)

तत्र (tatra) - in such a thing (referring to the subtle, non-existent entity) (there, in that, in that case)

(indeclinable)

From 'tad' + 'tra' suffix

Note: Locative sense.

बीज (bīja) - seed (as the source of a sprout) (seed, origin, cause)

(noun)

neuter, singular of bīja

bīja - seed, origin, cause

Note: This word is part of a compound 'bījābhāve'. The form 'bīja' is the first part of the compound.

अभावे (abhāve) - in the absence (of a seed) (in the absence, in the non-existence)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of abhāva

abhāva - absence, non-existence, negation

Negative particle 'a-' + 'bhāva' (being, existence)

Compound type : nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+bhāva)

• a – not, un-
  indeclinable
  Negative prefix
• bhāva – being, existence, state, feeling
  noun (masculine)
  From root 'bhū' (to be)
  Root: bhū (class 1)

Note: Part of the compound 'bījābhāve', which is a locative absolute or simply locative.

कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where (questioning the source) (from where? whence? why?)

(indeclinable)

From 'kim' + 'taḥ' suffix

Note: Interrogative adverb.

अङ्कुरः (aṅkuraḥ) - a sprout (the outcome of a seed) (sprout, shoot, beginning)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of aṅkura

aṅkura - sprout, shoot, beginning, germ