योगवासिष्ठः yogavāsiṣṭhaḥ - book-7, chapter-35, verse-18

जगत्समुद्गकमपि नित्यं शून्यमरण्यवत् ।
अनन्तशैलकठिनमप्याकाशलवान्मृदु ॥ १८ ॥

jagatsamudgakamapi nityaṃ śūnyamaraṇyavat ,
anantaśailakaṭhinamapyākāśalavānmṛdu 18

18. jagatsamudgakam api nityam śūnyam araṇyavat
anantaśailakaṭhinam api ākāśalavāt mṛdu

18. jagatsamudgakam api nityam araṇyavat śūnyam
api anantaśailakaṭhinam ākāśalavāt mṛdu

18. Though it is a receptacle for the entire world, it is eternally empty, like a wilderness. And though it is as hard as endless mountains, it is softer than a mere particle of space (ākāśa).

Words meanings summery:

• जगत्समुद्गकम् (jagatsamudgakam) - a casket for the world, a world-container

• अपि (api) - even, also, though, in spite of

• नित्यम् (nityam) - eternally, always, constantly

• शून्यम् (śūnyam) - empty, void, vacant, non-existent

• अरण्यवत् (araṇyavat) - like a wilderness, like a forest

• अनन्तशैलकठिनम् (anantaśailakaṭhinam) - hard as endless mountains, firm as infinite rocks

• अपि (api) - even, also, though, in spite of

• आकाशलवात् (ākāśalavāt) - than a speck of space, than a particle of ether

• मृदु (mṛdu) - soft, tender, gentle

Words meanings and morphology

जगत्समुद्गकम् (jagatsamudgakam) - a casket for the world, a world-container

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of jagatsamudgaka

jagatsamudgaka - a casket for the world, a world-container

Compound 'jagat' + 'samudgaka'

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (jagat+samudgaka)

• jagat – world, universe, moving
  noun (neuter)
• samudgaka – casket, box, container
  noun (masculine)

Note: Qualifies the implied subject 'it'.

अपि (api) - even, also, though, in spite of

(indeclinable)

Note: Used to introduce a concession ('even though').

नित्यम् (nityam) - eternally, always, constantly

(indeclinable)

Used adverbially (accusative singular neuter acting as an adverb).

शून्यम् (śūnyam) - empty, void, vacant, non-existent

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of śūnya

śūnya - empty, void, vacant, non-existent, zero

Note: Predicate for the implied subject 'it'.

अरण्यवत् (araṇyavat) - like a wilderness, like a forest

(indeclinable)

Formed by adding suffix '-vat' to 'araṇya' to denote similarity.

अनन्तशैलकठिनम् (anantaśailakaṭhinam) - hard as endless mountains, firm as infinite rocks

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of anantaśailakaṭhina

anantaśailakaṭhina - hard as endless mountains

Compound 'ananta' + 'śaila' + 'kaṭhina'

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ananta+śaila+kaṭhina)

• ananta – endless, infinite
  adjective (masculine)
  Negated compound of 'anta'
• śaila – mountain, rock, stony
  noun (masculine)
• kaṭhina – hard, rigid, difficult, severe
  adjective (masculine)

Note: Qualifies the implied subject 'it'.

अपि (api) - even, also, though, in spite of

(indeclinable)

आकाशलवात् (ākāśalavāt) - than a speck of space, than a particle of ether

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of ākāśalava

ākāśalava - a speck of space/ether, a particle of the sky

Compound 'ākāśa' + 'lava'

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (ākāśa+lava)

• ākāśa – space, ether, sky; the subtle, all-pervading element (ākāśa)
  noun (masculine)
• lava – particle, speck, atom, fragment; minute portion
  noun (masculine)

Note: Used in comparison with 'mṛdu'.

मृदु (mṛdu) - soft, tender, gentle

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of mṛdu

mṛdu - soft, tender, gentle, mild, weak

Note: Predicate for the implied subject 'it'.

Previous Verse Next Verse