योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-176, verse-12

सोऽपश्यदात्मना स्वप्न इव जीवत्वमात्मनि ।
शून्यरूपमिवाकाशं पवनः स्पन्दनं यथा ॥ १२ ॥

so'paśyadātmanā svapna iva jīvatvamātmani ,
śūnyarūpamivākāśaṃ pavanaḥ spandanaṃ yathā 12

12. saḥ apaśyat ātmanā svapna iva jīvatvam ātmani
śūnyarūpam iva ākāśam pavanaḥ spandanam yathā

12. saḥ ātmanā ātmani jīvatvam apaśyat svapna iva
ākāśam śūnyarūpam iva pavanaḥ spandanam yathā

12. Through his own self (ātman), he perceived individuality (jīvatva) within himself, much like a dream. It was like seeing an empty form in space (ākāśa), or as wind (pavana) is a vibration.

Words meanings summery:

• सः (saḥ) - he (referring to the 'atomic particle of consciousness-ether' from the previous verse) (he, that)

• अपश्यत् (apaśyat) - he saw, he perceived (he saw, perceived)

• आत्मना (ātmanā) - through his own self (ātman) (by the self, with the self)

• स्वप्न (svapna) - like a dream (dream)

• इव (iva) - like, as if (like, as if, similar to)

• जीवत्वम् (jīvatvam) - individuality, the state of being a living being (jīvatva) (life, living nature, individuality)

• आत्मनि (ātmani) - in himself, within his own self (ātman) (in the self, in the soul)

• शून्यरूपम् (śūnyarūpam) - an empty form (empty form, having the nature of emptiness)

• इव (iva) - like (like, as if, similar to)

• आकाशम् (ākāśam) - space (ākāśa) (space, ether)

• पवनः (pavanaḥ) - wind (pavana) (wind, air)

• स्पन्दनम् (spandanam) - vibration (vibration, pulsation, movement)

• यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, in which way)

Words meanings and morphology

सः (saḥ) - he (referring to the 'atomic particle of consciousness-ether' from the previous verse) (he, that)

(pronoun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of tad

tad - that, he, she, it

अपश्यत् (apaśyat) - he saw, he perceived (he saw, perceived)

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, imperfect (laṅ) of dṛś

Imperfect tense, third person singular, active voice (uses root 'paś' in present/imperfect).

Root: dṛś (class 1)

आत्मना (ātmanā) - through his own self (ātman) (by the self, with the self)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, essential nature

स्वप्न (svapna) - like a dream (dream)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of svapna

svapna - sleep, dream, dreaming

Root: svap (class 2)

Note: Used here for comparison, 'like a dream'.

इव (iva) - like, as if (like, as if, similar to)

(indeclinable)

जीवत्वम् (jīvatvam) - individuality, the state of being a living being (jīvatva) (life, living nature, individuality)

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of jīvatva

jīvatva - life, vitality, individuality, the state of being a living soul

Derived from 'jīva' (living, soul) with suffix '-tva'.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (jīva+tva)

• jīva – living, alive; soul, individual soul
  adjective (masculine)
  From root jīv (to live).
  Root: jīv (class 1)
• tva – suffix forming abstract nouns, -ness, -hood
  indeclinable (neuter)

आत्मनि (ātmani) - in himself, within his own self (ātman) (in the self, in the soul)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of ātman

ātman - self, soul, spirit, essential nature

शून्यरूपम् (śūnyarūpam) - an empty form (empty form, having the nature of emptiness)

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of śūnyarūpa

śūnyarūpa - having the form of emptiness, empty form

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śūnya+rūpa)

• śūnya – empty, void, hollow
  adjective (neuter)
• rūpa – form, shape, appearance, nature
  noun (neuter)

Note: Object of 'apaśyat' (saw).

इव (iva) - like (like, as if, similar to)

(indeclinable)

आकाशम् (ākāśam) - space (ākāśa) (space, ether)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of ākāśa

ākāśa - space, ether, sky; the subtle element of space

Note: Object of the implied seeing.

पवनः (pavanaḥ) - wind (pavana) (wind, air)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of pavana

pavana - wind, air; purifies, cleanses

From root pū (to purify, cleanse, blow).

Root: pū (class 1)

स्पन्दनम् (spandanam) - vibration (vibration, pulsation, movement)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of spandana

spandana - vibration, throb, pulsation, movement

From root spand (to tremble, vibrate).

Root: spand (class 1)

यथा (yathā) - just as (as, just as, in which way)

(indeclinable)