योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-6, chapter-95, verse-1

शिखिध्वज उवाच ।
आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तं यद्ययं भासते भ्रमः ।
अर्थक्रियासमर्थश्च तत्कथं दुःखकारणम् ॥ १ ॥

śikhidhvaja uvāca ,
ābrahmastambaparyantaṃ yadyayaṃ bhāsate bhramaḥ ,
arthakriyāsamarthaśca tatkathaṃ duḥkhakāraṇam 1

1. śikhidhvajaḥ uvāca .
ābrahmastambaparyantam yat ayam bhāsate bhramaḥ .
arthakriyāsamarthaḥ ca tat katham duḥkhakāraṇam

1. śikhidhvajaḥ uvāca .
yat ayam bhramaḥ ābrahmastambaparyantam bhāsate ca arthakriyāsamarthaḥ tat katham duḥkhakāraṇam

1. Śikhidhvaja said: "If this delusion (bhramaḥ), extending from Brahmā down to a blade of grass, appears to be real and is capable of accomplishing practical actions, then how can it be a cause of suffering?"

Words meanings summery:

• शिखिध्वजः (śikhidhvajaḥ) - Śikhidhvaja

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• . (.) - punctuation

• आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तम् (ābrahmastambaparyantam) - encompassing the entire range of creation, from the highest to the lowest beings (extending from Brahmā down to a blade of grass/pillar)

• यत् (yat) - if (conjunction introducing a conditional clause) (if, which, that)

• अयम् (ayam) - this

• भासते (bhāsate) - shines, appears, becomes visible

• भ्रमः (bhramaḥ) - the illusory perception of reality as separate from the ultimate truth (delusion, error, illusion, wandering)

• . (.) - punctuation

• अर्थक्रियासमर्थः (arthakriyāsamarthaḥ) - capable of having real-world effects or fulfilling a purpose (capable of practical activity/purposeful action)

• च (ca) - and

• तत् (tat) - then (introduces the consequence of the conditional clause) (then, therefore, that)

• कथम् (katham) - how?

• दुःखकारणम् (duḥkhakāraṇam) - cause of suffering

Words meanings and morphology

शिखिध्वजः (śikhidhvajaḥ) - Śikhidhvaja

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śikhidhvaja

śikhidhvaja - name of a king, 'having a banner with a peacock' (śikhin - peacock, dhvaja - banner)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (śikhin+dhvaja)

• śikhin – peacock, crested, pointed
  noun (masculine)
• dhvaja – banner, flag, symbol
  noun (masculine)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, perfect (lit) of uvāca

perfect tense form

perfect tense 3rd person singular of √vac

Root: vac (class 2)

. (.) - punctuation

(punctuation)

आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तम् (ābrahmastambaparyantam) - encompassing the entire range of creation, from the highest to the lowest beings (extending from Brahmā down to a blade of grass/pillar)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of ābrahmastambaparyanta

ābrahmastambaparyanta - extending from Brahmā down to a blade of grass or pillar

Compound type : avyayībhāva (ā+brahman+stamba+paryanta)

• ā – up to, including, till, towards
  indeclinable
• brahman – Brahmā (the creator god), the Absolute, sacred knowledge, the Veda
  proper noun (masculine)
• stamba – stalk, cluster, tuft, pillar, blade of grass
  noun (masculine)
• paryanta – extending to, bounded by, reaching to, limit, end
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Functions as an adverbial accusative here.

यत् (yat) - if (conjunction introducing a conditional clause) (if, which, that)

(indeclinable)

अयम् (ayam) - this

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this one

भासते (bhāsate) - shines, appears, becomes visible

(verb)

3rd person , singular, middle, present (lat) of bhās

present tense form

present tense 3rd person singular, 1st conjugation, middle voice (ātmanepada)

Root: bhās (class 1)

भ्रमः (bhramaḥ) - the illusory perception of reality as separate from the ultimate truth (delusion, error, illusion, wandering)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of bhrama

bhrama - delusion, error, illusion, confusion, wandering, revolution

Root: bhram (class 1)

. (.) - punctuation

(punctuation)

अर्थक्रियासमर्थः (arthakriyāsamarthaḥ) - capable of having real-world effects or fulfilling a purpose (capable of practical activity/purposeful action)

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of arthakriyāsamartha

arthakriyāsamartha - capable of practical action, competent for a purpose, efficacious

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (artha+kriyā+samartha)

• artha – purpose, meaning, object, wealth, thing
  noun (masculine)
• kriyā – action, activity, rite, performance
  noun (feminine)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)
• samartha – capable, able, fit, suitable
  adjective (masculine)
  Prefix: sam
  Root: arth (class 1)

च (ca) - and

(indeclinable)

तत् (tat) - then (introduces the consequence of the conditional clause) (then, therefore, that)

(indeclinable)

कथम् (katham) - how?

(indeclinable)

दुःखकारणम् (duḥkhakāraṇam) - cause of suffering

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of duḥkhakāraṇa

duḥkhakāraṇa - cause of pain, source of misery

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (duḥkha+kāraṇa)

• duḥkha – suffering, pain, misery, sorrow
  noun (neuter)
• kāraṇa – cause, reason, instrument, motive
  noun (neuter)
  Root: kṛ (class 8)