योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-6, chapter-127, verse-8

कथमेतादृशी प्राप्तिरस्माकं मुनिनायक ।
मूर्खाः स्तब्धाश्च किंचिज्ज्ञा मादृशाः क्व च पापिनः ।
क्व च ब्रह्मादिभिः प्रार्थ्या दुर्लभा रामसंस्थितिः ॥ ८ ॥

kathametādṛśī prāptirasmākaṃ munināyaka ,
mūrkhāḥ stabdhāśca kiṃcijjñā mādṛśāḥ kva ca pāpinaḥ ,
kva ca brahmādibhiḥ prārthyā durlabhā rāmasaṃsthitiḥ 8

8. katham etādṛśī prāptiḥ asmākam munināyaka
mūrkhāḥ stabdhāḥ ca kiñcijjñāḥ
mādṛśāḥ kva ca pāpinaḥ kva ca brahmādibhiḥ
prārthyā durlabhā rāmasaṃsthitiḥ

8. munināyaka,
asmākam etādṛśī prāptiḥ katham? kva ca mūrkhāḥ stabdhāḥ kiñcijjñāḥ mādṛśāḥ pāpinaḥ? kva ca brahmādibhiḥ prārthyā durlabhā rāmasaṃsthitiḥ?

8. O leader of sages, how can such an attainment be ours? Where are we, fools, rigid, knowing little, and indeed sinful ones like us? And where is the state of being Rāma, which is difficult to obtain and yearned for even by Brahmā and other gods?

Words meanings summery:

• कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

• एतादृशी (etādṛśī) - such, of this kind, like this

• प्राप्तिः (prāptiḥ) - attainment, acquisition, realization, success

• अस्माकम् (asmākam) - our, to us, of us

• मुनिनायक (munināyaka) - O leader of sages, O chief of ascetics

• मूर्खाः (mūrkhāḥ) - fools, ignorant ones

• स्तब्धाः (stabdhāḥ) - rigid, stiff, arrogant, stubborn

• च (ca) - and, also

• किञ्चिज्ज्ञाः (kiñcijjñāḥ) - knowing little, ignorant

• मादृशाः (mādṛśāḥ) - like us, like me

• क्व (kva) - where?

• च (ca) - and, also

• पापिनः (pāpinaḥ) - sinners, wicked ones

• क्व (kva) - where?

• च (ca) - and, also

• ब्रह्मादिभिः (brahmādibhiḥ) - by Brahmā and others

• प्रार्थ्या (prārthyā) - to be prayed for, desirable, sought after

• दुर्लभा (durlabhā) - difficult to obtain, rare, hard to get

• रामसंस्थितिः (rāmasaṁsthitiḥ) - the state of being Rāma, absorption in Rāma

Words meanings and morphology

कथम् (katham) - how, in what manner

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb.

Note: Interrogative particle.

एतादृशी (etādṛśī) - such, of this kind, like this

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of etādṛśa

etādṛśa - such, of this kind, like this

From etas (this) + dṛś (to see) + suffix a.

Root: dṛś (class 1)

प्राप्तिः (prāptiḥ) - attainment, acquisition, realization, success

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of prāpti

prāpti - attainment, acquisition, reaching, realization

From root āp (to obtain) with prefix pra- and suffix ti.

Prefix: pra

Root: āp (class 5)

अस्माकम् (asmākam) - our, to us, of us

(pronoun)

Genitive, plural of asmad

asmad - I, we

1st person plural pronoun.

Note: Functions as 'ours' in 'how can such an attainment be ours'.

मुनिनायक (munināyaka) - O leader of sages, O chief of ascetics

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of munināyaka

munināyaka - leader of sages, chief of ascetics

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (muni+nāyaka)

• muni – sage, ascetic, seer
  noun (masculine)
  Root: man (class 4)
• nāyaka – leader, guide, chief
  noun (masculine)
  From root nī (to lead) + aka.
  Root: nī (class 1)

Note: Addresses the interlocutor.

मूर्खाः (mūrkhāḥ) - fools, ignorant ones

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mūrkha

mūrkha - fool, ignorant, stupid

Root: murch (class 1)

स्तब्धाः (stabdhāḥ) - rigid, stiff, arrogant, stubborn

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of stabdha

stabdha - rigid, stiff, arrogant, unyielding, dull

Past Passive Participle

From root stambh (to stop, support).

Root: stambh (class 5)

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Connects stabdhāḥ and kiñcijjñāḥ.

किञ्चिज्ज्ञाः (kiñcijjñāḥ) - knowing little, ignorant

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kiñcijjña

kiñcijjña - knowing little, of little knowledge

From kiñcit (a little) + jña (knower).

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (kiñcit+jña)

• kiñcit – something, a little
  indeclinable
  Indefinite pronoun/adverb.
• jña – knowing, understanding; a knower
  adjective/noun (masculine)
  From root jñā (to know) + suffix a.
  Root: jñā (class 9)

मादृशाः (mādṛśāḥ) - like us, like me

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of mādṛśa

mādṛśa - like me, such as I am

From mad (me) + dṛś (to see) + suffix a.

Root: dṛś (class 1)

Note: Used as a noun referring to 'those like us'.

क्व (kva) - where?

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb.

Note: Rhetorical usage to emphasize distance or difference.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Connects the qualities of 'us'.

पापिनः (pāpinaḥ) - sinners, wicked ones

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of pāpin

pāpin - sinful, wicked; a sinner

Derived from pāpa (sin) with suffix in.

क्व (kva) - where?

(indeclinable)

Interrogative adverb.

Note: Rhetorical usage to emphasize distance or difference.

च (ca) - and, also

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

Note: Links the two questions of disparity.

ब्रह्मादिभिः (brahmādibhiḥ) - by Brahmā and others

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of brahmādi

brahmādi - Brahmā and others, beginning with Brahmā

Compound with ādi suffix.

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (brahman+ādi)

• brahman – the creator god Brahmā; the Absolute (brahman); sacred utterance
  proper noun (masculine)
  Refers to the deity Brahmā.
  Root: bṛh (class 1)
• ādi – beginning, etc., and so forth
  indeclinable
  Used as a suffix meaning 'and so on'.

Note: Denotes the agents of wishing/praying.

प्रार्थ्या (prārthyā) - to be prayed for, desirable, sought after

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of prārthya

prārthya - to be prayed for, to be desired, desirable, supplicated

Gerundive (Potential Passive Participle)

From root arth (to ask, pray) with prefix pra- and suffix ya.

Prefix: pra

Root: arth (class 10)

Note: Implies 'should be sought' or 'is sought'.

दुर्लभा (durlabhā) - difficult to obtain, rare, hard to get

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of durlabha

durlabha - difficult to obtain, rare, unattainable

Gerundive (Potential Passive Participle)

From dur- (difficult) + root labh (to obtain).

Prefix: dur

Root: labh (class 1)

Note: Describes the difficulty of obtaining rāmasaṃsthitiḥ.

रामसंस्थितिः (rāmasaṁsthitiḥ) - the state of being Rāma, absorption in Rāma

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of rāmasaṃsthiti

rāmasaṁsthiti - the state of being Rāma, full absorption in Rāma, dwelling in Rāma

Compound of rāma and saṃsthiti.

Compound type : Tatpuruṣa (rāma+saṃsthiti)

• rāma – Rāma (proper name)
  proper noun (masculine)
  Root: ram (class 1)
• saṃsthiti – state, condition, abode, situation, firm standing
  noun (feminine)
  From root sthā (to stand) with prefix sam- and suffix ti.
  Prefix: sam
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: The ultimate object of spiritual aspiration.