योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-137, verse-39

चेतनं नाम पुरुषः स मृतेषु शतेष्वपि ।
शरीरेषु महाबुद्धे कथं कस्य कदा मृतः ॥ ३९ ॥

cetanaṃ nāma puruṣaḥ sa mṛteṣu śateṣvapi ,
śarīreṣu mahābuddhe kathaṃ kasya kadā mṛtaḥ 39

39. cetanam nāma puruṣaḥ saḥ mṛteṣu śateṣu api
śarīreṣu mahābuddhe katham kasya kadā mṛtaḥ

39. mahābuddhe cetanam nāma puruṣaḥ saḥ mṛteṣu
śateṣu śarīreṣu api katham kasya kadā mṛtaḥ

39. The conscious principle (cetana) is known as the cosmic person (puruṣa). O great-minded one, even if hundreds of bodies perish, how, for whom, or when could *that* (puruṣa) ever be said to have died?

Words meanings summery:

• चेतनम् (cetanam) - The conscious principle, here referring to the true Self or cosmic person. (consciousness, conscious principle)

• नाम (nāma) - by name, indeed, namely

• पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - The supreme cosmic person (puruṣa), the conscious principle. (man, person, cosmic person, spirit)

• सः (saḥ) - he, that

• मृतेषु (mṛteṣu) - among the dead, in dead (bodies)

• शतेषु (śateṣu) - in hundreds, among hundreds

• अपि (api) - even, also

• शरीरेषु (śarīreṣu) - in bodies, among bodies

• महाबुद्धे (mahābuddhe) - O great-minded one, O highly intelligent one

• कथम् (katham) - how? in what manner?

• कस्य (kasya) - whose? of whom?

• कदा (kadā) - when? at what time?

• मृतः (mṛtaḥ) - dead, perished

Words meanings and morphology

चेतनम् (cetanam) - The conscious principle, here referring to the true Self or cosmic person. (consciousness, conscious principle)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of cetana

cetana - conscious, animate, sentient; consciousness, spirit

Derived from root cit (to perceive, know)

Root: cit (class 1)

नाम (nāma) - by name, indeed, namely

(indeclinable)

Note: Used as an intensifier or to introduce a designation.

पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - The supreme cosmic person (puruṣa), the conscious principle. (man, person, cosmic person, spirit)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of puruṣa

puruṣa - man, male, human being, person, cosmic spirit, soul

Note: Refers to the ultimate conscious entity.

सः (saḥ) - he, that

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

Note: Refers back to 'puruṣaḥ'.

मृतेषु (mṛteṣu) - among the dead, in dead (bodies)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, plural of mṛta

mṛta - dead, deceased; death

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root mṛ (to die)

Root: mṛ (class 6)

Note: Modifies 'śarīreṣu'.

शतेषु (śateṣu) - in hundreds, among hundreds

(adjective)

Locative, neuter, plural of śata

śata - hundred, a hundred

Note: Modifies 'śarīreṣu'.

अपि (api) - even, also

(indeclinable)

Note: Emphasizes the condition.

शरीरेषु (śarīreṣu) - in bodies, among bodies

(noun)

Locative, neuter, plural of śarīra

śarīra - body, corporeal frame

Note: The bodies that perish.

महाबुद्धे (mahābuddhe) - O great-minded one, O highly intelligent one

(noun)

Vocative, masculine, singular of mahābuddhi

mahābuddhi - great intelligence, great wisdom, highly intelligent person

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (mahā+buddhi)

• mahā – great, large, mighty
  adjective (feminine)
• buddhi – intellect, understanding, discernment, mind
  noun (feminine)
  Derived from root budh (to know, understand)
  Root: budh (class 1)

Note: Addressing someone with great intellect.

कथम् (katham) - how? in what manner?

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

कस्य (kasya) - whose? of whom?

(pronoun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of kim

kim - who, what, which

Note: Interrogative pronoun.

कदा (kadā) - when? at what time?

(indeclinable)

Note: Interrogative adverb.

मृतः (mṛtaḥ) - dead, perished

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of mṛta

mṛta - dead, deceased; death

Past Passive Participle

Derived from root mṛ (to die)

Root: mṛ (class 6)

Note: Agrees with 'saḥ' (puruṣa).