योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-4, chapter-5, verse-1

श्रीराम उवाच ।
भगवन्सर्वधर्मज्ञ पूर्वापरविदां वर ।
अयं मनसि संसारः स्फारः कथमिव स्थितः ॥ १ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca ,
bhagavansarvadharmajña pūrvāparavidāṃ vara ,
ayaṃ manasi saṃsāraḥ sphāraḥ kathamiva sthitaḥ 1

1. śrīrāmaḥ uvāca bhagavan sarvadharmajña pūrvāparavidām
vara ayaṃ manasi saṃsāraḥ sphāraḥ katham iva sthitaḥ

1. śrīrāmaḥ uvāca bhagavan sarvadharmajña pūrvāparavidām
vara ayaṃ sphāraḥ saṃsāraḥ manasi katham iva sthitaḥ

1. Śrī Rāma said: O Venerable One, knower of all natural law (dharma), best among those who know the past and the future! How exactly is this vast cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra) situated in the mind (manas)?

Words meanings summery:

• श्रीरामः (śrīrāmaḥ) - Speaker of the verse. (Lord Rāma)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• भगवन् (bhagavan) - Vocative address to a revered teacher (Vasishtha). (O Lord, O venerable one, O divine one)

• सर्वधर्मज्ञ (sarvadharmajña) - Epithet for the teacher. (knower of all (dharma))

• पूर्वापरविदाम् (pūrvāparavidām) - Epithet for the teacher. (among those who know past and future)

• वर (vara) - Epithet for the teacher: "best". (best, excellent, superior; boon)

• अयं (ayaṁ) - Refers to saṃsāra. (this)

• मनसि (manasi) - in the mind, in the intellect, in the consciousness

• संसारः (saṁsāraḥ) - The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by karma. (cycle of rebirth, worldly existence, transmigration)

• स्फारः (sphāraḥ) - Describes the extensive nature of saṃsāra. (vast, extensive, expanded, abundant)

• कथम् (katham) - Interrogative. (how, in what manner)

• इव (iva) - Emphasizes the interrogative, "how exactly". (like, as if, indeed, just)

• स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - How it exists or is established. (situated, existing, standing, fixed)

Words meanings and morphology

श्रीरामः (śrīrāmaḥ) - Speaker of the verse. (Lord Rāma)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śrīrāma

śrīrāma - Lord Rāma (proper name)

Compound of śrī (auspicious, glorious) and rāma (Rāma).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (śrī+rāma)

• śrī – splendor, glory, prosperity, auspicious
  noun (feminine)
• rāma – Rāma (proper name), pleasing, black
  proper noun (masculine)
  Root: ram (class 1)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect Active

From root vac (to speak), perfect tense form.

Root: vac (class 2)

भगवन् (bhagavan) - Vocative address to a revered teacher (Vasishtha). (O Lord, O venerable one, O divine one)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of bhagavat

bhagavat - glorious, divine, venerable, fortunate, lord

From bhaga (fortune, glory) + matup (possessive suffix).

सर्वधर्मज्ञ (sarvadharmajña) - Epithet for the teacher. (knower of all (dharma))

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of sarvadharmajña

sarvadharmajña - omniscient regarding all (dharma), knowing all laws/duties/natures

Compound of sarva (all) and dharmajña (knower of dharma). jña from root jñā (to know).

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (sarva+dharma+jña)

• sarva – all, every, whole
  pronoun (masculine)
• dharma – natural law, constitution, duty, righteousness, intrinsic nature
  noun (masculine)
  From root dhṛ (to hold, support)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)
• jña – knower, understanding
  adjective (masculine)
  agent noun suffix
  From root jñā (to know) + ka suffix
  Root: jñā (class 9)

पूर्वापरविदाम् (pūrvāparavidām) - Epithet for the teacher. (among those who know past and future)

(adjective)

Genitive, masculine, plural of pūrvāparavid

pūrvāparavid - one who knows past and future

Compound: pūrva (past) + apara (future) + vid (knower). vid from vid (to know).

Compound type : dvandva + tatpuruṣa (pūrva+apara+vid)

• pūrva – past, former, earlier
  adjective (masculine)
• apara – later, future, other
  adjective (masculine)
• vid – knower, wise
  noun (masculine)
  agent noun
  From root vid (to know)
  Root: vid (class 2)

Note: Often used with vara.

वर (vara) - Epithet for the teacher: "best". (best, excellent, superior; boon)

(adjective)

Vocative, masculine, singular of vara

vara - best, excellent, superior; boon, blessing; suitor

From root vṛ (to choose).

Root: vṛ (class 5)

Note: Adjective agreeing with the implied bhavān or tvam.

अयं (ayaṁ) - Refers to saṃsāra. (this)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this here

Demonstrative pronoun.

Note: Agrees with saṃsāraḥ.

मनसि (manasi) - in the mind, in the intellect, in the consciousness

(noun)

Locative, neuter, singular of manas

manas - mind, intellect, consciousness, heart, understanding

From root man (to think)

Root: man (class 4)

संसारः (saṁsāraḥ) - The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by karma. (cycle of rebirth, worldly existence, transmigration)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of saṃsāra

saṁsāra - cycle of rebirth, transmigration, worldly existence, mundane life

From saṃ (together, complete) + root sṛ (to move, flow).

Prefix: sam

Root: sṛ (class 1)

स्फारः (sphāraḥ) - Describes the extensive nature of saṃsāra. (vast, extensive, expanded, abundant)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sphāra

sphāra - vast, extensive, abundant, swollen, shining

From root sphāy (to swell, expand).

Root: sphāy (class 1)

Note: Agrees with saṃsāraḥ.

कथम् (katham) - Interrogative. (how, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

From kim (interrogative pronoun) + thamu (suffix for manner).

इव (iva) - Emphasizes the interrogative, "how exactly". (like, as if, indeed, just)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - How it exists or is established. (situated, existing, standing, fixed)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of sthita

sthita - standing, situated, existing, established, firm

Past Passive Participle

From root sthā (to stand) + kta suffix.

Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Agrees with saṃsāraḥ.