योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-5, chapter-78, verse-1

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
यथालातपरिस्पन्दादग्निचक्रं प्रदृश्यते ।
असदेव सदाभासं चित्तस्पन्दात्तथा जगत् ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca ,
yathālātaparispandādagnicakraṃ pradṛśyate ,
asadeva sadābhāsaṃ cittaspandāttathā jagat 1

1. śrī-vasiṣṭhaḥ uvāca | yathā alāta-parispandāt agnicakram
pradṛśyate | asat eva sat-ābhāsam citta-spandāt tathā jagat ||

1. śrī-vasiṣṭhaḥ uvāca yathā alāta-parispandāt agnicakram
pradṛśyate tathā asat eva sat-ābhāsam jagat citta-spandāt

1. Shri Vasiṣṭha said: Just as a circle of fire (agnicakra) appears from the whirling of a firebrand, similarly, the world (jagat) – which is truly non-existent but appears to exist – arises from the vibration of the mind (citta).

Words meanings summery:

• श्री-वसिष्ठः (śrī-vasiṣṭhaḥ) - The sage Vasiṣṭha, speaker in the Yoga-Vasiṣṭha text. (the venerable Vasiṣṭha)

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• यथा (yathā) - as, just as, like

• अलात-परिस्पन्दात् (alāta-parispandāt) - from the whirling/vibration of a firebrand

• अग्निचक्रम् (agnicakram) - The illusory circle perceived when a firebrand is whirled rapidly. (a wheel of fire, a fire-circle)

• प्रदृश्यते (pradṛśyate) - is seen, appears, becomes visible

• असत् (asat) - Referring to the ultimate unreality of the world from a spiritual perspective. (non-existent, unreal, false)

• एव (eva) - Emphasizes the preceding asat. (indeed, truly, only, just)

• सत्-आभासम् (sat-ābhāsam) - Describes the world's illusory nature; it's not real but appears to be. (appearing as real, seeming to exist, having the semblance of reality)

• चित्त-स्पन्दात् (citta-spandāt) - The activity or fluctuation of citta is the cause of the world's appearance. (from the vibration/movement of the mind)

• तथा (tathā) - Connects the simile to the main statement. (similarly, so also, in that manner)

• जगत् (jagat) - The phenomenal world of experience. (the world, universe, what moves)

Words meanings and morphology

श्री-वसिष्ठः (śrī-vasiṣṭhaḥ) - The sage Vasiṣṭha, speaker in the Yoga-Vasiṣṭha text. (the venerable Vasiṣṭha)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śrī-vasiṣṭha

śrī-vasiṣṭha - The venerable Vasiṣṭha; Vasiṣṭha adorned with glory

compound of śrī (venerable, glorious) + vasiṣṭha (name of a sage)

Compound type : karmadhāraya (śrī+vasiṣṭha)

• śrī – glory, prosperity, venerable, divine
  adjective (feminine)
• vasiṣṭha – Vasiṣṭha (name of a celebrated Vedic sage)
  proper noun (masculine)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

perfect tense (liṭ)

root vac, class 2, perfect active 3rd singular

Root: vac (class 2)

यथा (yathā) - as, just as, like

(indeclinable)

अलात-परिस्पन्दात् (alāta-parispandāt) - from the whirling/vibration of a firebrand

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of alāta-parispanda

alāta-parispanda - whirling of a firebrand, movement of a torch

compound of alāta (firebrand) + parispanda (whirling)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (alāta+parispanda)

• alāta – firebrand, glowing charcoal
  noun (neuter)
• parispanda – whirling, vibration, movement, tremor
  noun (masculine)
  from pari + spand
  Prefix: pari
  Root: spand (class 1)

अग्निचक्रम् (agnicakram) - The illusory circle perceived when a firebrand is whirled rapidly. (a wheel of fire, a fire-circle)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of agnicakra

agnicakra - a wheel of fire, fire-circle (the illusion of a circle created by whirling a firebrand)

compound of agni (fire) + cakra (wheel)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (agni+cakra)

• agni – fire, sacred fire
  noun (masculine)
• cakra – wheel, circle, disk
  noun (neuter)

प्रदृश्यते (pradṛśyate) - is seen, appears, becomes visible

(verb)

3rd person , singular, passive, present (laṭ) of dṛś

present tense

root dṛś, class 1, present passive 3rd singular with prefix pra

Prefix: pra

Root: dṛś (class 1)

असत् (asat) - Referring to the ultimate unreality of the world from a spiritual perspective. (non-existent, unreal, false)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of asat

asat - non-existent, unreal, bad, false

negation of sat (existent)

Compound type : pradi-samāsa (na+sat)

• na – not, non-
  indeclinable
• sat – existent, real, true, good
  adjective
  Present Active Participle
  derived from root as
  Root: as (class 2)

एव (eva) - Emphasizes the preceding asat. (indeed, truly, only, just)

(indeclinable)

सत्-आभासम् (sat-ābhāsam) - Describes the world's illusory nature; it's not real but appears to be. (appearing as real, seeming to exist, having the semblance of reality)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of sat-ābhāsa

sat-ābhāsa - appearance of reality, seeming to exist, having the semblance of truth

compound of sat (existent, real) + ābhāsa (appearance, semblance)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (sat+ābhāsa)

• sat – existent, real, true
  adjective
  Present Active Participle
  derived from root as
  Root: as (class 2)
• ābhāsa – appearance, semblance, reflection, illusion
  noun (masculine)
  from ā + bhās
  Prefix: ā
  Root: bhās (class 1)

चित्त-स्पन्दात् (citta-spandāt) - The activity or fluctuation of citta is the cause of the world's appearance. (from the vibration/movement of the mind)

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of citta-spanda

citta-spanda - vibration of the mind, movement of thought, mental fluctuation

compound of citta (mind) + spanda (vibration)

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (citta+spanda)

• citta – mind, consciousness, thought
  noun (neuter)
  Root: cit (class 1)
• spanda – vibration, movement, throb, pulsation
  noun (masculine)
  from root spand
  Root: spand (class 1)

तथा (tathā) - Connects the simile to the main statement. (similarly, so also, in that manner)

(indeclinable)

correlative to yathā

जगत् (jagat) - The phenomenal world of experience. (the world, universe, what moves)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jagat

jagat - moving, living, the world, universe

Present Active Participle

derived from root gam (to go) with reduplication

Root: gam (class 1)