योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-177, verse-28

भित्त्यभित्त्यादिरूपाणां ज्ञानस्य ज्ञानवादिनः ।
किं कारणमनन्तानामुत्पन्नध्वंसिनां मुहुः ॥ २८ ॥

bhittyabhittyādirūpāṇāṃ jñānasya jñānavādinaḥ ,
kiṃ kāraṇamanantānāmutpannadhvaṃsināṃ muhuḥ 28

28. bhittya-abhitty-ādi-rūpāṇām jñānasya jñānavādinaḥ
kim kāraṇam anantānām utpanna-dhvaṃsinām muhuḥ

28. jñānavādinaḥ jñānasya bhittya-abhitty-ādi-rūpāṇām
anantānām utpanna-dhvaṃsinām muhuḥ kim kāraṇam

28. For the proponent of knowledge, what is the cause of knowledge itself, which takes on endless forms such as distinction and non-distinction, and which repeatedly arises and perishes?

Words meanings summery:

• भित्त्य-अभित्त्य्-आदि-रूपाणाम् (bhittya-abhitty-ādi-rūpāṇām) - of forms like distinction and non-distinction

• ज्ञानस्य (jñānasya) - of knowledge

• ज्ञानवादिनः (jñānavādinaḥ) - of the proponent of knowledge, of the knowledge-asserter

• किम् (kim) - what

• कारणम् (kāraṇam) - cause, reason

• अनन्तानाम् (anantānām) - of the endless, of the infinite

• उत्पन्न-ध्वंसिनाम् (utpanna-dhvaṁsinām) - of those that arise and perish, of the ephemeral

• मुहुः (muhuḥ) - repeatedly, again and again

Words meanings and morphology

भित्त्य-अभित्त्य्-आदि-रूपाणाम् (bhittya-abhitty-ādi-rūpāṇām) - of forms like distinction and non-distinction

(adjective)

Genitive, neuter, plural of bhitti-abhitti-ādi-rūpa

bhitti-abhitti-ādi-rūpa - form consisting of distinction, non-distinction, etc.

Compound adjective describing knowledge's forms.

Compound type : Tatpurusha (descriptive compound where 'rūpa' is qualified by 'bhitti-abhitti-ādi') (bhitti+abhitti+ādi+rūpa)

• bhitti – distinction, separation, wall
  noun (feminine)
  Root: bhid (class 7)
• abhitti – non-distinction, non-separation
  noun (feminine)
  Negation of bhitti
  Prefix: a
  Root: bhid (class 7)
• ādi – beginning, and so on, etc.
  indeclinable
• rūpa – form, nature, appearance
  noun (neuter)

Note: Agrees with jñānasya as an adjective describing its forms.

ज्ञानस्य (jñānasya) - of knowledge

(noun)

Genitive, neuter, singular of jñāna

jñāna - knowledge, understanding, cognition

From root jñā with suffix -ana.

Root: jñā (class 9)

Note: The object of the inquiry about its cause.

ज्ञानवादिनः (jñānavādinaḥ) - of the proponent of knowledge, of the knowledge-asserter

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of jñānavādin

jñānavādin - one who asserts knowledge (as ultimate), a proponent of knowledge

Compound (jñāna + vādin). Vādin is derived from vad + ṇini.

Compound type : Tatpurusha (jñāna+vādin)

• jñāna – knowledge
  noun (neuter)
  Root: jñā (class 9)
• vādin – one who speaks, asserts, proponent
  noun (masculine)
  From root vad with suffix -ṇini.
  Root: vad (class 1)

Note: Refers to the philosophical position of one who holds knowledge as supreme or a primary entity.

किम् (kim) - what

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kim

kim - what, who, which

Interrogative pronoun/adjective.

Note: Functions as an interrogative asking 'what is the cause?'

कारणम् (kāraṇam) - cause, reason

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of kāraṇa

kāraṇa - cause, reason, instrument

From root kṛ with suffix -ana.

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Predicate nominative with 'kim'.

अनन्तानाम् (anantānām) - of the endless, of the infinite

(adjective)

Genitive, neuter, plural of ananta

ananta - endless, infinite, without end

Nañ-tatpuruṣa compound: a (not) + anta (end).

Compound type : Nañ-tatpuruṣa (a+anta)

• a – not, non-
  indeclinable
  Negating particle.
• anta – end, limit
  noun (masculine)

Note: Agrees with 'bhittya-abhitty-ādi-rūpāṇām' and 'utpanna-dhvaṃsinām', referring to the forms of knowledge.

उत्पन्न-ध्वंसिनाम् (utpanna-dhvaṁsinām) - of those that arise and perish, of the ephemeral

(adjective)

Genitive, neuter, plural of utpanna-dhvaṃsin

utpanna-dhvaṁsin - that which arises and perishes, subject to birth and destruction

Compound adjective.

Compound type : Dvandva (utpanna ca dhvaṃsi ca) (utpanna+dhvaṃsin)

• utpanna – arisen, produced, born
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  From ut + pad + kta.
  Prefix: ut
  Root: pad (class 4)
• dhvaṃsin – perishing, destroying, liable to decay
  adjective
  Agent Noun/Adjective
  From dhvaṃs + ṇini.
  Root: dhvaṃs (class 1)

Note: Agrees with 'bhittya-abhitty-ādi-rūpāṇām' and 'anantānām'.

मुहुः (muhuḥ) - repeatedly, again and again

(indeclinable)

Adverb.

Note: Modifies the idea of arising and perishing.