योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-4, chapter-48, verse-17

श्रीराम उवाच ।
असौ तपस्वी भगवन्विपिने केन हेतुना ।
कथं चाप्यवसत्पृष्ठे कदम्बस्य महातरोः ॥ १७ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca ,
asau tapasvī bhagavanvipine kena hetunā ,
kathaṃ cāpyavasatpṛṣṭhe kadambasya mahātaroḥ 17

17. śrīrāma uvāca asau tapasvī bhagavan vipine kena hetunā
kathaṃ ca api avasat pṛṣṭhe kadambasya mahātaroḥ

17. śrīrāma uvāca: bhagavan,
asau tapasvī kena hetunā vipine avasat? ca kathaṃ api mahātaroḥ kadambasya pṛṣṭhe avasat?

17. Śrī Rāma said: "O Lord, for what reason did this ascetic (tapasvin) dwell in the forest, and how also did he live on the top of the great kadamba tree?"

Words meanings summery:

• श्रीराम (śrīrāma) - Śrī Rāma

• उवाच (uvāca) - said

• असौ (asau) - Refers to Daśūra, the ascetic. (this one)

• तपस्वी (tapasvī) - Daśūra, the ascetic. (ascetic)

• भगवन् (bhagavan) - Addressing Vasiṣṭha. (O Lord! O revered one!)

• विपिने (vipine) - in the forest

• केन (kena) - by what, by which

• हेतुना (hetunā) - by reason, by cause

• कथं (kathaṁ) - how

• च (ca) - and

• अपि (api) - also, even

• अवसत् (avasat) - he dwelt, he lived

• पृष्ठे (pṛṣṭhe) - on the top, on the back

• कदम्बस्य (kadambasya) - of the kadamba tree

• महातरोः (mahātaroḥ) - of the great tree

Words meanings and morphology

श्रीराम (śrīrāma) - Śrī Rāma

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śrīrāma

śrīrāma - Lord Rāma

Compound type : karmadhāraya (śrī+rāma)

• śrī – prosperity, glory, holy, revered
  adjective (feminine)
• rāma – Rāma (a proper name)
  proper noun (masculine)

Note: Speaker of the verse.

उवाच (uvāca) - said

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (Lit) of vac

perfect tense, 3rd person singular

From √vac (to speak), perfect form.

Root: √vac (class 2)

असौ (asau) - Refers to Daśūra, the ascetic. (this one)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of adas

adas - this, that (remote demonstrative pronoun)

तपस्वी (tapasvī) - Daśūra, the ascetic. (ascetic)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tapasvin

tapasvin - ascetic, devotee, one who practices asceticism (tapas)

Derived from `tapas` with `vin` suffix indicating possession.

Note: In agreement with `asau`.

भगवन् (bhagavan) - Addressing Vasiṣṭha. (O Lord! O revered one!)

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bhagavat

bhagavat - divine, illustrious, glorious; Lord

`bhaga` (fortune, excellence) + `vat` (possessive suffix).

Note: Used by Rāma to address Vasiṣṭha.

विपिने (vipine) - in the forest

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of vipina

vipina - forest, grove, wood

Note: Indicates location.

केन (kena) - by what, by which

(pronoun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of kim

kim - what, which, why

Note: Qualifies `hetunā`.

हेतुना (hetunā) - by reason, by cause

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of hetu

hetu - cause, reason, motive

Root: √hi (class 3)

Note: Answers the "why" question.

कथं (kathaṁ) - how

(indeclinable)

From `kim` + `thaṃ` suffix.

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

Note: Joins the two questions.

अपि (api) - also, even

(indeclinable)

अवसत् (avasat) - he dwelt, he lived

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, imperfect past (Laṅ) of vas

imperfect tense, 3rd person singular active

From √vas (to dwell), imperfect form, with `a` augment.

Root: √vas (class 1)

पृष्ठे (pṛṣṭhe) - on the top, on the back

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of pṛṣṭha

pṛṣṭha - back, surface, top

Note: Indicates location.

कदम्बस्य (kadambasya) - of the kadamba tree

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of kadamba

kadamba - Kadamba tree (Neolamarckia cadamba)

Note: Qualifies `pṛṣṭhe`.

महातरोः (mahātaroḥ) - of the great tree

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of mahātaru

mahātaru - great tree

Compound type : karmadhāraya (mahā+taru)

• mahā – great, large
  adjective (feminine)
• taru – tree
  noun (masculine)

Note: Qualifies `kadambasya`.