योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-5, chapter-36, verse-72

क्षणमप्यस्थिरं वस्तु कथं कार्यकरं भवेत् ।
तरङ्गैरुत्पलाकारैर्माला कथमवेक्ष्यते ॥ ७२ ॥

kṣaṇamapyasthiraṃ vastu kathaṃ kāryakaraṃ bhavet ,
taraṅgairutpalākārairmālā kathamavekṣyate 72

72. kṣaṇam api asthiram vastu katham kāryakaram bhavet
taraṅgaiḥ utpalākāraiḥ mālā katham avekṣyate

72. kṣaṇam api asthiram vastu katham kāryakaram bhavet
utpalākāraiḥ taraṅgaiḥ mālā katham avekṣyate

72. How can an object that is unstable even for a moment be effective or achieve any purpose? How can a garland be perceived when it is composed of wave-like lotuses, constantly shifting?

Words meanings summery:

• क्षणम् (kṣaṇam) - moment, instant, a very short time

• अपि (api) - even, also, too

• अस्थिरम् (asthiram) - unstable, transient, restless

• वस्तु (vastu) - object, thing, substance, reality

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• कार्यकरम् (kāryakaram) - effective, accomplishing a purpose, causing action

• भवेत् (bhavet) - would be, might be, should be

• तरङ्गैः (taraṅgaiḥ) - by waves

• उत्पलाकारैः (utpalākāraiḥ) - having the form of lotuses, lotus-shaped

• माला (mālā) - garland, string, chain

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• अवेक्ष्यते (avekṣyate) - is seen, is perceived, is observed

Words meanings and morphology

क्षणम् (kṣaṇam) - moment, instant, a very short time

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of kṣaṇa

kṣaṇa - moment, instant, a very short time

अपि (api) - even, also, too

(indeclinable)

अस्थिरम् (asthiram) - unstable, transient, restless

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of asthira

asthira - unstable, transient, restless

Compound type : tatpurusha (na+sthira)

• na – not, no
  indeclinable
• sthira – stable, firm, steady, constant
  adjective (masculine)
  Root: sthā (class 1)

वस्तु (vastu) - object, thing, substance, reality

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of vastu

vastu - object, thing, substance, reality

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

कार्यकरम् (kāryakaram) - effective, accomplishing a purpose, causing action

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kāryakara

kāryakara - effective, accomplishing a purpose, causing action

Compound type : tatpurusha (kārya+kara)

• kārya – to be done, duty, action, work
  noun (neuter)
  Gerundive
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• kara – making, doing, causing, hand
  adjective (masculine)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)

भवेत् (bhavet) - would be, might be, should be

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, optative (vidhiliṅ) of bhū

Root: bhū (class 1)

तरङ्गैः (taraṅgaiḥ) - by waves

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of taraṅga

taraṅga - wave, billow, movement

उत्पलाकारैः (utpalākāraiḥ) - having the form of lotuses, lotus-shaped

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of utpalākāra

utpalākāra - having the form of lotuses, lotus-shaped

Compound type : tatpurusha (utpala+ākāra)

• utpala – water-lily, lotus
  noun (neuter)
• ākāra – form, shape, appearance, external sign
  noun (masculine)

माला (mālā) - garland, string, chain

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of mālā

mālā - garland, string, chain, rosary

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

अवेक्ष्यते (avekṣyate) - is seen, is perceived, is observed

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (lat) of īkṣ

passive voice

Prefix: ava

Root: īkṣ (class 1)