योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-190, verse-28

श्रीराम उवाच ।
एवं चेत्तदहन्तादि चेत्यं कथमिदं कुतः ।
कथं जगद्वेदनं च कथं स्पन्दादिवेदनम् ॥ २८ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca ,
evaṃ cettadahantādi cetyaṃ kathamidaṃ kutaḥ ,
kathaṃ jagadvedanaṃ ca kathaṃ spandādivedanam 28

28. śrīrāma uvāca | evam cet tat ahantā-ādi cetyam katham idam
kutaḥ | katham jagatvedanam ca katham spandā-ādi-vedanam ||

28. śrīrāma uvāca evam cet,
tarhi idam ahantā-ādi cetyam katham kutaḥ? ca jagatvedanam katham? ca spandā-ādi-vedanam katham?

28. Shri Rama asked: If that is the case, then how and from where do ego (ahaṅkāra) and similar concepts become objects of cognition (cetya)? And how is there a perception of the world, and how is there a perception of vibration and other such phenomena?

Words meanings summery:

• श्रीराम (śrīrāma) - Shri Rama

• उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

• एवम् (evam) - refers to the previously stated condition. (thus, so, in this manner)

• चेत् (cet) - introduces a conditional clause. (if, supposing that)

• तत् (tat) - used here as a particle indicating "then" or "in that case". (that, then)

• अहन्ता-आदि (ahantā-ādi) - Refers to the ego (ahaṅkāra) and other mental constructs as objects of cognition. (ego and so on, the sense of 'I' and the like.)

• चेत्यम् (cetyam) - refers to anything that is perceived or thought by consciousness. (the object of cognition, the knowable, that which is to be perceived or thought.)

• कथम् (katham) - Interrogative particle. (how, in what manner)

• इदम् (idam) - refers to the perceptible world. (this, this world)

• कुतः (kutaḥ) - interrogative, asking about the origin or cause. (from where, how, why)

• कथम् (katham) - Interrogative particle. (how, in what manner)

• जगत्वेदनम् (jagatvedanam) - How the existence of the world is perceived or known. (perception of the world, knowledge of the world.)

• च (ca) - Connects clauses. (and, also)

• कथम् (katham) - Interrogative particle. (how, in what manner)

• स्पन्दा-आदि-वेदनम् (spandā-ādi-vedanam) - Refers to the perception of any kind of movement or activity. (perception of vibration and so on, knowledge of motion etc.)

Words meanings and morphology

श्रीराम (śrīrāma) - Shri Rama

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śrīrāma

śrīrāma - An epithet of Rama, a revered figure.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (śrī+rāma)

• śrī – glory, wealth, beauty, prosperity
  noun (feminine)
• rāma – Rama (a Hindu deity), pleasing, charming
  proper noun (masculine)

उवाच (uvāca) - said, spoke

(verb)

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

Perfect tense, 3rd person singular, active voice

Irregular perfect form from root √vac

Root: vac (class 2)

एवम् (evam) - refers to the previously stated condition. (thus, so, in this manner)

(indeclinable)

चेत् (cet) - introduces a conditional clause. (if, supposing that)

(indeclinable)

Particle.

तत् (tat) - used here as a particle indicating "then" or "in that case". (that, then)

(pronoun)

neuter, singular of tad

tad - that, it, he, she.

अहन्ता-आदि (ahantā-ādi) - Refers to the ego (ahaṅkāra) and other mental constructs as objects of cognition. (ego and so on, the sense of 'I' and the like.)

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of ahantādi

ahantādi - ego and so on, the sense of 'I' and the like.

Compound of ahantā (ego) and ādi (beginning, etc.).

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ahantā+ādi)

• ahantā – egotism, ego, the sense of 'I'
  noun (feminine)
  From ahaṃ (I) + tā (suffix for abstract noun).
• ādi – beginning, and so on, et cetera
  indeclinable

Note: The `ā` of `ādi` merges with final `ā` of `ahantā`.

चेत्यम् (cetyam) - refers to anything that is perceived or thought by consciousness. (the object of cognition, the knowable, that which is to be perceived or thought.)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of cetya

cetya - knowable, conceivable, that which is to be perceived or thought.

Gerundive

From root √cit (to perceive, know) + -ya suffix for gerundive (kartṛ-karmaṇaś ca).

Root: cit (class 10)

कथम् (katham) - Interrogative particle. (how, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

From pronoun `kim` + suffix `tham` for manner.

इदम् (idam) - refers to the perceptible world. (this, this world)

(pronoun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of idam

idam - this, this world, this here.

From stem `idam`.

कुतः (kutaḥ) - interrogative, asking about the origin or cause. (from where, how, why)

(indeclinable)

From pronoun `kim` + suffix `tas` for source/cause.

कथम् (katham) - Interrogative particle. (how, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

From pronoun `kim` + suffix `tham` for manner.

जगत्वेदनम् (jagatvedanam) - How the existence of the world is perceived or known. (perception of the world, knowledge of the world.)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jagatvedana

jagatvedana - perception/knowledge of the world.

Compound of jagat (world) and vedana (perception, knowledge).

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (jagat+vedana)

• jagat – world, universe
  noun (neuter)
  present active participle of √gam, used as noun
  Root: gam (class 1)
• vedana – perception, sensation, knowledge
  noun (neuter)
  From root √vid (to know, perceive)
  Root: vid (class 2)

च (ca) - Connects clauses. (and, also)

(indeclinable)

Conjunction.

कथम् (katham) - Interrogative particle. (how, in what manner)

(indeclinable)

From pronoun `kim` + suffix `tham` for manner.

स्पन्दा-आदि-वेदनम् (spandā-ādi-vedanam) - Refers to the perception of any kind of movement or activity. (perception of vibration and so on, knowledge of motion etc.)

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of spandādivedana

spandādivedana - perception of vibration and the like.

Compound of spanda (vibration), ādi (etc.), and vedana (perception).

Compound type : dvandva-tatpuruṣa (spanda+ādi+vedana)

• spanda – vibration, throbbing, movement
  noun (masculine)
  From √spand (to vibrate, move)
  Root: spand (class 1)
• ādi – beginning, and so on, et cetera
  indeclinable
• vedana – perception, sensation, knowledge
  noun (neuter)
  From root √vid (to know, perceive)
  Root: vid (class 2)